Paving the way towards cost-effective robotic surgical stapling

Author(s):  
Sergio Eduardo Alonso Araujo ◽  
Rodrigo Oliva Perez
Author(s):  
Corné Kruger ◽  
Ona Janse van Rensburg ◽  
Marike De Witt

<p class="1">Meeting teacher expectations for a professional development programme (PDP) is expected to strengthen sustainable applied competence as programme outcome since teachers will be more motivated to apply the programme content in practice. A revised distance learning (DL) programme was augmented by a practical component comprising a work-integrated portfolio and audio-visual material, aimed to support the applied competence of practising teachers in the South African context. An evaluation of the way the programme measured up to teacher expectations was deemed critical for future DL programme design. A qualitative study based on an interpretivist philosophical approach collected data of teacher expectations <em>for </em>and <em>of</em> the practical component through multiple methods. Their contributions were linked with four main themes related to applied competence as identified in the literature. Participant expectations and experiences with regards to each theme were compared by means of electronic coding through ATLASti™. The findings show a strong correlation between expectations <em>for</em> and experiences <em>of </em>the way the practical component supports the elements of applied competence. Since DL is viewed as a viable and cost effective way to improve teacher competence in developing countries, these findings serve as impetus for further investigation and refining ways to support applied competence in a distance learning professional development programme (DL PDP).</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 55-57
Author(s):  
Rani C ◽  
Harshavardhan V ◽  
Harshith G

In the 21st century online marketing is the most effective wayof advertising any product or service.Online marketing helps the smallbusinesses and also startup’sin a significant manner.online marketing happens in a virtual and interactive space where the promotion of products and services takes place. The advancement in technology has drastically changed the way of marketing. In online marketing the cost-effective compared to the traditional marketing. Most of the startup’s fail due to a lack of proper strategy.Onlinemarketing is innovativelycreating a platform for start-ups in innovative manner to reach the customers the main motto of this presentation is to show the positive side of the online marketing on start-ups and small businesses.


Nanoscale ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 5368-5378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Casaluci ◽  
Mauro Gemmi ◽  
Vittorio Pellegrini ◽  
Aldo Di Carlo ◽  
Francesco Bonaccorso

We demonstrated the spray coating of graphene ink as a viable method for large-area fabrication of graphene-based dye-sensitized solar cell modules, paving the way to all-printed, transparent and cost-effective large-area photovoltaic devices.


Drug Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (08) ◽  
pp. 458-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
César Portela

AbstractTraditionally, the first step in the development of drugs is the definition of the target, by choice of a biological structure involved in a disease or by recognition of a molecule with some degree of a biological activity that presents itself as druggable and endowed with therapeutic potential. The complexity of the pathophysiological mechanisms of disease and of the structures of the molecules involved creates several challenges in this drug discovery process. These difficulties also come from independent operation of the different parts involved in drug development, with little interaction between clinical practitioners, academic institutions and large pharmaceutical companies. Research in this area is purpose specific, performed by specialized researchers in each field, without major inputs from clinical practitioners on the relevance of such strategy for future therapies. Translational research can shift the way these relationships operate towards a process in which new therapies can be generated by linking experimental discoveries directly to unmet clinical needs. Computational chemistry methods provide valuable insights on experimental findings and pharmacological and pathophysiological mechanisms, allow the virtual construction of new possibilities for the synthesis of new molecular entities, and pave the way for informed cost-effective decisions on expensive research projects. This text focus on the current computational methods used in drug design, how they can be used in a translational research model that starts from clinical practice and research-based theorization by medical practitioners and moves to applied research in a computational chemistry setting, aiming the development of new drugs for clinical use.


Author(s):  
Carla Garrido de Oliveira

Might it be possible to discern in Raul Lino's writings _namely those published in 1918 and 1933_ the profile of a modern treatise on architecture, in the early 20th century?Drawing parallels on Alberti's "inaugural" essay (Choay, [1980], p.25), an assay precept is outlined (‘pro tem’ less conceptual than it is pragmatic), with which to approach both Lino books, anent the design of the modern dwelling. From Choay's five teatrise-making hallmarks, a structural comparison is enacted between Vitruvius' and Alberti's treatises and those books of Raul Lino; from Krüger (2011), further benchmarks of form and schematics are highlighted, as are othersrelated to subject, objective and framework.Probing both publications under the "cost-effective, modern dwelling" design premise (Lino, 1933, p.51), the 1918 book flaunts, perhaps, a richer vitruvian undertone, and more akin to a "book […] on architecturalcomposition" (Vogliazzo, 1988-90)[1], featuring tips on construction, just as it were a practical handbook; the 1933 release, however, borders on albertine ‘inauguration’, and contends an artistic-architectural theory, encompassing of a system of ‘virtues’; the latter is almost a "commentator" (Choay, [1980]), paving the way to "protest" (Lino, 1933, p.96) in a time of criticism, and manifestos.[1] Vogliazzo holds that, "aside from Le Corbusier, the last books to truly focus on architectural composition" were written by Hermann Muthesius and Raul Lino (Vogliazzo, 1988-90, p.29); the correlation between Muthesius' and Lino's writings triggered an already ongoing comparison, akin to the present proposal;_Será possível reconhecer nos textos de Raul Lino, nomeadamente nos livros publicados em 1918 e 1933, características de um tratado de arquitectura moderno, a inícios do século XX?Estabelecendo paralelos com o texto “inaugural” de Alberti (Choay, [1980], p.25), elaboramos um princípio de análise, de momento mais funcional que de conceitos, destes dois livros de Raul Lino sobre a problemática do projecto da casa moderna. Partindo dos cinco verificadores de propriedade tratadística de Choay, estabelecemos uma comparação estrutural entre os tratados de Vitrúvio e de Alberti e estes textos de Raul Lino; a partir de Krüger (2011), sublinhamos outros aferidores de forma e sistemática, mas também de objecto, objectivo e enquadramento.Lavrando ambos no âmbito da teoria do projecto “da moderna casa económica” (Lino, 1933, p.51), será possível considerar que o livro de 1918 é mais vitruviano, próximo de um “livro […] de composição arquitectónica” (Vogliazzo, 1988-90)[1] com recomendações construtivas em jeito de manual prático; o livro de 1933 aproxima-se da ‘inauguração’ albertiana, propondo uma teoria artística-arquitectónica em torno de um sistema de ‘virtudes’; mas este último é também mais “comentador” (Choay,[1980]), abrindo passo ao “protesto”(Lino, 1933, p.96) em tempos de crítica e manifestos.[1] Vogliazzo considera que, “para além de Le Corbusier, os últimos verdadeiros livros de composição arquitectónica ”foram escritos por Hermann Muthesius e Raul Lino (Vogliazzo, 1988-90, p.29); a relação entre textos de Muthesius e Lino é mote para um paralelo, em desenvolvimento, análogo à presente proposta;


2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 1808-1820
Author(s):  
Benjamin Watkinson-Powell ◽  
Christopher A. Gilligan ◽  
Nik J. Cunniffe

Maximizing the durability of crop disease resistance genes in the face of pathogen evolution is a major challenge in modern agricultural epidemiology. Spatial diversification in the deployment of resistance genes, where susceptible and resistant fields are more closely intermixed, is predicted to drive lower epidemic intensities over evolutionary timescales. This is due to an increase in the strength of dilution effects, caused by pathogen inoculum challenging host tissue to which it is not well-specialized. The factors that interact with and determine the magnitude of this spatial suppressive effect are not currently well understood, however, leading to uncertainty over the pathosystems where such a strategy is most likely to be cost-effective. We model the effect on landscape scale disease dynamics of spatial heterogeneity in the arrangement of fields planted with either susceptible or resistant cultivars, and the way in which this effect depends on the parameters governing the pathosystem of interest. Our multiseason semidiscrete epidemiological model tracks spatial spread of wild-type and resistance-breaking pathogen strains, and incorporates a localized reservoir of inoculum, as well as the effects of within and between field transmission. The pathogen dispersal characteristics, any fitness cost(s) of the resistance-breaking trait, the efficacy of host resistance, and the length of the timeframe of interest all influence the strength of the spatial diversification effect. A key result is that spatial diversification has the strongest beneficial effect at intermediate fitness costs of the resistance-breaking trait, an effect driven by a complex set of nonlinear interactions. On the other hand, however, if the resistance-breaking strain is not fit enough to invade the landscape, then a partially effective resistance gene can result in spatial diversification actually worsening the epidemic. These results allow us to make general predictions of the types of system for which spatial diversification is most likely to be cost-effective, paving the way for potential economic modeling and pathosystem specific evaluation. These results highlight the importance of studying the effect of genetics on landscape scale spatial dynamics within host−pathogen disease systems. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .


Fractals ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. 43-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
EYTAN H. SUCHARD

Spanning a planar graph the way D. Hilbert's curve does has various image processing and industrial applications. Spanning a planar graph by two disjoint curves with fractal properties has even more scientific and industrial uses. For example, given two liquids and an active osmosis through membrane between them, we would like to both cool the liquids and to find a cost-effective structure for the osmosis to occur. Another equivalent problem is to expose two liquids to light that passes through a transparent slab as the osmosis between them occurs. Two disjoint curves can be the answer for the required structure. Differences of lengths between the curves can also be useful. A fractal structure is obvious in the lungs, where osmosis of oxygen is vital. Fractal structures are often found in organic osmotic processes in Nature. In this article, a method for spanning a planar graph by two disjoint curves will be presented.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Monica Singhania ◽  
Puneet Gupta

Subject area This case looks at a recent shift in the way organizations look to leverage the benefits from India as a cost-effective destination to provide services. What started, around 15 years back, as an activity to outsource all non-core activities to Indian companies to take the advantage of cost-effective resources, has now given way to a new model where the focus is on two key aspects, namely, “insourcing of work” and “transfer of core activities to India”. This is because of the realization that outsourcing may be a short-term solution for non-core activities; however, to build a sustainable capability that is both cost-effective and value-oriented, insourcing is key. Also, it is not just non-core activities that can be supported remotely; many core activities that have been managed by on-shore teams are increasingly being shifted to India to leverage the depth of skills available in the country. First Telecom has undertaken pioneering work in this domain by moving some of the critical functions to India and has created Centers of Excellence (CoEs) providing niche services to rest of the world. Study level/applicability Target audience includes corporate executives, students of MBA/postgraduate program in management in strategic management and/or workshops for understanding the concept of insourcing, cost transformation, business environment analysis and growth strategies for future. Case overview First Telecom has adopted what could be termed as “India 2.0” as the strategy to transform their operations worldwide to utilize the full potential of “India” as a service sector-outsourcing destination. The focus is not only on cost-avoidance but also on standardization of processes and mobilization of resources in a CoE setting to maximize the benefits. This case attempts to understand the way to go about it and the expected returns in a quantifiable manner. Expected learning outcomes To develop an understanding of business environment in the context of large multinational organizations that are constantly evolving to improve their operational excellence. Also, to develop an understanding of the outsourcing market and how companies are looking to move their core services to cost-effective locations to achieve the next phase of cost transformation after the outsourcing (non-core services) wave. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 1: Accounting and Finance


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