scholarly journals Determination of Factors and Indicators of Efficient Port Functioning

2021 ◽  
pp. 105-109
Author(s):  
M. Makarenko ◽  
◽  
I. Barskiy ◽  
V. Popov ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Unified Approach ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Port Efficiency ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Clear Idea ◽  
The Impact

The article emphasizes the lack of a systematic and unified approach to measuring the performance of ports with different properties. The analysis of practical and theoretical approaches and the comparative analysis of indicators of efficiency of port are carried out. Measuring efficiency plays a significant role in assessing production in its current and future state. With the appropriate performance measurement, the system in the organization can be set up to move in the desired direction by analyzing behavioral responses and understanding the impact of different performance indicators on port performance. However, incorrectly defined performance indicators will lead the organization in the wrong direction and cause unforeseen negative consequences. Port efficiency can have a major impact on the region's economic growth, as ports connect maritime transport and inland transport. They are also important suppliers for ships, cargo and inland transport. Port performance analysis gives operators a clear idea of how much port resources are being used and helps them compare their strengths and weaknesses. Measuring port efficiency improves port development and maintains its competitiveness in an increasingly competitive commercial environment. Therefore, it is important to first conduct a comprehensive study to determine the performance of the port, relevant to the activities of ships, cargo and terminals. By assessing the efficiency of ports using certain indicators, you can get an idea of comparing their efficiency, even internationally. A review of practical and theoretical approaches to the comparative analysis of port efficiency indicators over the past three decades and summarized the main differences in these studies found the lack of a systematic and unified approach to measuring the performance of ports with different properties. Recent studies have aimed to analyze the performance of port terminals, as they are the most important component of ports, operations for the transfer of berths and court operations in the terminals fundamentally determine the efficiency of the port. Port bandwidth is one of the most widely used indicators of port efficiency. Productivity growth is seen as direct evidence of port activity. One of the most important aspects of measuring seaport efficiency is performance, and the popular database analysis (DEA) method is commonly used to evaluate it. There are several other models used for cross-sectional and panel data, such as software. To assess port efficiency, this study examines the analysis of the DEA and FDH database through its ability to analyze multiple outputs and inputs simultaneously.

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 restriction measures on loneliness among older adults in Austria

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwin Stolz ◽  
Hannes Mayerl ◽  
Wolfgang Freidl
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Contacts ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Opening Phase

Abstract Background To halt the spread of COVID-19, Austria implemented a 7-week ’lockdown’ in March/April 2020. We assess whether the ensuing reduction in social contacts led to increased loneliness among older adults (60+). Methods Three analyses were conducted: (1) A comparison between pre-pandemic (SHARE: 2013-2017) and pandemic (May 2020) levels of loneliness (UCLA-3 scale), (2) an assessment of the cross-sectional correlation between being affected by COVID-19 restriction measures and loneliness (May 2020), and (3) a longitudinal analysis of weekly changes (March-June 2020) in loneliness (Corona panel). Results We found (1) increased loneliness in 2020 compared with previous years, (2) a moderate positive association between the number of restriction measures older adults were affected from and their loneliness, and (3) that loneliness was higher during ’lockdown’ compared to the subsequent re-opening phase, particularly among those who live alone. Conclusion We provide evidence that COVID-19 restriction measures in Austria have indeed resulted in increased levels of loneliness among older adults. However, these effects seem to be short-lived, and thus no strong negative consequences for older adults’ mental health are expected. Nonetheless, the effects on loneliness, and subsequent mental health issues, might be both more long-lasting and severe if future restriction measures are enacted repeatedly and/or over longer time periods.

scholarly journals Nosocomial infections in a pediatric surgical intensive care unit: An unicentric cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 112-116
Author(s):  
Marina Pandurov ◽  
Izabella Fabri-Galambos ◽  
Andjela Opancina ◽  
Anna Uram-Benka ◽  
Goran Rakic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Nosocomial Infections ◽  
Hospital Length Of Stay ◽  
Surgical Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Surgical Intensive Care ◽  
Acinetobacter Baumanii ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Introduction. Nosocomial infections are a common complication in patients hospitalized in intensive care units. The aims of this research were to examine the incidence of nosocomial infections in patients admitted to the pediatric surgical intensive care unit, the impact of hospital length of stay and type of surgical disease on the incidence of nosocomial infections, the frequency of microorganisms causing nosocomial infections and their antibiotic susceptibility profile. Material and Methods. Data on 50 subjects were extracted from the database. The following data were taken from the medical histories of the examinees: age, sex, diagnosis, number of days at the hospital before admission to the intensive care unit, number of days in the intensive care unit, levels of C-reactive protein, applied antimicrobial drugs, isolated microorganisms and their susceptibility to antibiotics. Results. The incidence of nosocomial infections in the study period was 52%. Patients who developed nosocomial infection remained longer in the intensive care unit than those who did not develop it (p = 0.003). Patients with the diagnosis of acute abdomen had a statistically significantly higher incidence of nosocomial infections compared to other patients (p = 0.001). Gram-negative bacteria were the most commonly isolated pathogens (46.8%). Acinetobacter baumanii proved to be the most resistant species in this study, since 80% of the strains did not show sensitivity to any of the tested antibiotics. Conclusion. Nosocomial infections are present in slightly more than half of the patients treated at the pediatric surgical intensive care unit. Patients who developed nosocomial infections stayed longer in the pediatric surgical intensive care unit, which had negative consequences for their health and treatment costs.

scholarly journals The Impact of the Regulatory Reform Process on the R&D Investment of European Electricity Utilities

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Schmitt ◽  
Denes Kucsera
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Reform ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Ownership Unbundling ◽  
Framework Conditions ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Electricity Utilities ◽  
D Investment

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to provide deeper insights into the impact of regulatory reforms and privatization on the R&D spending of electricity utilities. Building on a novel panel data set including the biggest European utilities from eight EU countries over a period from 1985 to 2010, we find that the overall influence of the European regulatory reform process on R&D investment is ambiguous. The empirical evidence indicates that the approaching liberalization process, i.e., nearing competition, has a dampening effect on R&D spending. Utilities reduce their expenses due to increased uncertainties and additional risks. However, once the market and regulatory framework conditions have been set up and firms have become used to the new situation, higher levels of competition positively influence R&D and former incumbents invest more in order to “escape” from the competition. Moreover, we find no indication that (ownership) unbundling and incentive regulation directly affect the research expenditures of the utilities. In contrast, the privatization of utilities seems to have strong negative consequences for their amount of R&D spending.

scholarly journals Impact of Cognitive Dysfunction in the Middle East Depressed Patients: The ICMED Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 270-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulqader Al Jarad ◽  
Ahmad Al Hadi ◽  
Ali Al Garatli ◽  
Aly Akram ◽  
Dakhil Alsaeidi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Dysfunction ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Background:Major depressive disorder is a common condition with a high rate of recurrence, chronicity, and affecting economic burden, including disability in the workplace, which leads to negative consequences on both individuals and society.Objectives:This study aimed to estimate the impact of cognitive dysfunction, as declared by the patient, on performing daily tasks/activities among patients with major depression disorder (MDD).Methods:This investigation is based on multinational cross-sectional survey of 499 workers recruited from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and United Arab Emirates (UAE). We assessed the severity of depression by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Impact of Depression in the Workplace in Europe Audit (IDEA) survey and trial making test (TMT) parts A and B were used to assess the impact of cognitive dysfunction on performing daily tasks/activities in adult patients presented with MDD.Results:A total of 499 persons were included in this study, aged 18–66 years, current workers and managers. Of them, 17.8% were normal (remitted), 22.4% were mildly depressed, 23.4% were moderately depressed, 8.6% were severely depressed, and 27.7% were very severely depressed at the time of the study according to HDRS. Common symptoms attributable to depression were low mode or sadness (89.8%), followed by insomnia (75.2%) and crying (70.9%). Of them, low mode or sadness was the most common factor affecting the work performance (90.2%). About 66.3% of participants diagnosed with depression by a doctor/medical professional. Awareness of the disease was recognizable by patients’ managers in only 31.9% of the cases. Furthermore, 45.3% of cases had taken off work due to depression with mean duration of 38.7 (95% CI 37.7 to 39.7) days. The mean TMT parts A and B score were 69.2 (95% CI 66.3 to 72.2) and 126.6 (95% CI 121 to 132), respectively. Lastly, a significant positive correlation between the mean score for HDRS and TMT-A and B scores was observed.Conclusion:Depression affects work productivity and work environment with negative consequences to countries’ economy. Awareness of depression in the workplace in KSA and UAE is still suboptimal. The personal and societal burden of this issue cannot be neglected when we become aware of the proportion of affected people.

scholarly journals The Prevalence of Substance Misuse and its Effects among Omani College Students: A Cross-sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. e224-e224
Author(s):  
Hazaa Al-Hinaai ◽  
Issa Al-Busaidi ◽  
Badriya Al Farsi ◽  
Yaqoub Al Saidi
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Substance Misuse ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
World Health ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Many studies have confirmed that the use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis is prevalent among university students. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of substance misuse among college students in Oman, identifying the most commonly used substances, and reviewing the effect of substance misuse on the students’ performance. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a higher learning institution in an urban setting in Oman from April 2018 to December 2018. A descriptive, self-administered online questionnaire, the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test, version 3.0 (Arabic version), adapted from the World Health Organization was sent to 12 000 students at the college. The sample size was calculated using online software (Raosoft), with a margin of error of 5% and a confidence level of 95%. Results: A total of 375 students responded (response rate = 3.1%). The overall lifetime prevalence for any substance misuse (including tobacco and alcohol) among the participants was 41.3%, with the overall prevalence without tobacco or alcohol at 29.9%. Tobacco was the most common substance used, with a prevalence of around 23.5%, followed by alcohol at 10.7%. Male students had a significantly higher rate of substance abuse, for any substance, compared to female students (p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between tobacco use, alcohol misuse, and misuse of other substances. Most of the adverse effects attributed to substance misuse reported by the respondents in this study were social (27.7%) and health-related (25.8%) problems. The impact of substance abuse on their performance was also high (23.8%). Furthermore, 15.4% of the respondents had financial problems, and 4.7%% were struggling with legal issues. Notably, only 49.1% of the respondents perceived that substance misuse was a serious problem. Conclusions: Although college students are expected to be more aware of the negative impacts of substance misuse, this study found a high prevalence of smoking, alcohol, and other substance misuses among the group of Omani college students. Further research in this field is essential, and the results of this study have shed light on a critical problem among Omani college students. It is hoped that the findings of this study will be used and built on in future research to recognize students at risk of substance misuse from early school life, leading to early intervention, and potentially preventing the possible negative consequences.

scholarly journals Endurance training-induced increase in muscle oxidative capacity without loss of muscle mass in younger and older resistance-trained men

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul William Hendrickse ◽  
Tomas Venckunas ◽  
Justinas Platkevicius ◽  
Ramutis Kairaitis ◽  
Sigitas Kamandulis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resistance Training ◽  
Endurance Training ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Oxidative Capacity ◽  
Cross Sectional Area ◽  
Type I ◽  
Sectional Area ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

AbstractWhile concurrent training is regularly used in older populations, the inverse relationship between fibre size and oxidative capacity suggests that endurance training in resistance-trained individuals may result in some loss of resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass, which may be more pronounced in older people. We investigated the impact of superimposed endurance training in younger (28.5 ± 4.8 years; n = 8) and older (67.5 ± 5.5 years; n = 7) highly resistance-trained men. Participants underwent a 10-week endurance cycling training programme consisting of five 6-min intervals at 75% max heart rate (HRmax) separated by 4-min intervals at 90% HRmax. The anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA) of the thigh muscles, as determined with MRI, was 24% smaller in older compared to younger participants (p < 0.001). Although maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was also lower in the older group (p < 0.001), VO2max per kg body mass did not differ significantly between younger and older participants. Histological analyses of biopsies of the m. vastus lateralis showed that endurance training induced an increase in succinate dehydrogenase activity in both younger and older participants (p ≤ 0.043), and an increase in the number of capillaries around type I fibres (p = 0.017). The superimposed endurance training did not induce a significant decrease in thigh ACSA, fibre cross-sectional area, or knee extensor maximum voluntary isometric force. These observations indicate that adding endurance training to resistance training can lead to positive endurance-related adaptations without negative consequences for muscle size and strength in older and younger resistance-trained people.

scholarly journals The impact of beliefs about mental health problems and coping on outcome in schizophrenia

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1165-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. LOBBAN ◽  
C. BARROWCLOUGH ◽  
S. JONES
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Health Problems ◽  
Regulation Model ◽  
The Impact

Background. Using the theoretical framework of the Self Regulation Model (SRM), many studies have demonstrated that beliefs individuals hold about their physical health problems are important in predicting health outcomes. This study tested the SRM in the context of a mental health problem, schizophrenia.Method. One hundred and twenty-four people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were assessed on measures of symptom severity, beliefs about their mental health problems, coping and appraisal of outcome at two time points, 6 months apart.Results. Using multivariate analyses and controlling for severity of symptoms, beliefs about mental health were found to be significant predictors of outcome. Beliefs about greater negative consequences were the strongest and most consistent predictors of a poorer outcome in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.Conclusions. These results suggest that the SRM is a promising model for mental health problems and may highlight important areas for development in clinical, and especially psychosocial interventions.

scholarly journals The Role of the Study of Conditions and Directions of Spatial Development of the Commune in the Growth of Developers’ Activity Based on the Łódź Example

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 65-76
Author(s):  
Agata Antczak-Stępniak
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Spatial Development ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Building Conditions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Online Sources ◽  
Desk Research

AbstractThe importance of local plans for developers and negative consequences of issuing a large number of decisions on building conditions are usually discussed in literature, with the role of the study of conditions and directions of the spatial development of the commune somewhat diminished in this respect. The question therefore arises whether the study itself is important for the growth of developers’ activity and, if so, whether its provisions are adhered to.Therefore, the purpose of this article is to assess the impact of the study of conditions and directions of spatial development of the commune on developers’ activity based on the example of Łódź. The author formulates a hypothesis that, from the point of view of developers’ activity, it is a document of little importance, because its decisions are not abided by entities issuing BC decisions. To achieve the assumed goal, the following research methods were used: desk research analyzing the studies of conditions and directions of the spatial development of Łódź from 2010 and 2018, as well as gathering information on development investments from various online sources, and a comparative analysis of the location of development investments in the context of both mentioned documents.

Do loyalty programs really matter for hotel operational and financial performance?

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 2195-2213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Hua ◽  
Wei Wei ◽  
Agnes L. DeFranco ◽  
Dan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Performance Indicator ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Loyalty Programs ◽  
Loyalty Program ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study aims to use a sample of 2,120 individual hotel properties between 2011 and 2013 to evaluate the impact of loyalty programs on hotel operational and financial performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study provides empirical support for the impact of loyalty program based on both cross-sectional and panel data analyses and uses the instrumental variable technique to avoid potential heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation and simultaneity issues.FindingsFindings of this study show that loyalty program expenses have a significant and positive impact on all three operational performance indicators of RevPAR, ADR and Occupancy and the financial performance indicator of gross operating profit.Research limitations/implicationsThis study suggests that the benefits of loyalty programs should be understood against the backdrop of a reasonable set of controlled variables such as e-commerce, franchise, advertising, other marketing expenses, hotel size and hotel chain scales.Originality/valueGiven the conflicting viewpoints about the positive and negative impacts of loyalty programs, and that the literature is scant on empirical validation of the impact of loyalty programs on the overall operational and financial performance of hotel properties, this study is an early attempt to empirically test the impact of loyalty programs on a number of hotel operational and financial performance indicators by using an extensive list of individual hotel properties between 2011 and 2013.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Psychological Status of Palestinian Adults in the West Bank, Palestine; A Cross Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imad T Asmar ◽  
Nimeh Al-Shami ◽  
Areefa A Karsh ◽  
Fuad A AlFayyah ◽  
Ro’a M Dagher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
On Line ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a strain of SARS– CoV2. A lot of ministries chose mass lockdown protocol as a way to control the virus spread. One of the lockdown negative consequences is the impact of psychological status which includes a sense of boredom, confusion., psychological stress, anxiety, depression and physical effects. The purpose of this study was to assess and evaluate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological status for Palestinian adults, and to establish recommendations in order to promote and maintain psychological well-being during this pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Palestinian adults, 739 participant with mean age 31.76 filled the on-line questionnaire. Around one-third of respondents revealed having many signs of anxiety and around 42% of respondents expressed having many depression signs. Females were significantly more likely to have many depression signs, while health care workers, those who deal directly with confirmed cases of Covid-19 and who assist in providing health care for a diagnosed Covid-19 patient were significantly less likely to have many depression signs compared to others. Regarding the participants’ income, those with increased income were significantly more likely to have almost no signs of depression compared to others. However, COVID-19 pandemic has a negative effect on the mental status, the majority of participants have signs of anxiety and depression

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