Co-Housing to Ease and Share Household Chores? Spatial Visibility and Collective Deliberation as Levers for Gender Equality

Dwelling is very much related to time. A home shields the dweller from outsiders yet, provides an opportunity to engage with the outside world. However, the time required for household chores tends to hinder this engagement, especially for women. Interestingly, co-housing projects tend to rationalise housing and mutualise time-consuming tasks, freeing up time to and thus emancipating and empowering inhabitants. This argument was put to the test in a field study in Brussels. Through a gendered perspective, the research questions and tries to identify which levers ease domestic drudgery in co-housing projects. Spatial analyses coupled with qualitative observations and interviews were carried out in two co-housing projects. The issue of freeing up time through co-housing seems particularly relevant to various categories of people. First, it addresses gender inequalities regarding an egalitarian sharing of household chores. Second, individual (divorced, elderly, or single) households could also benefit from these time savings. Understanding co-housing within this emancipating perspective could be a lever to influence future policy making and incentives.

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The Mechanization of Artifact Processing

American Antiquity ◽

10.2307/277775 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 86-89 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

William J. Folan ◽

John H. Rick ◽

Walter Zacharchuk

Keyword(s):

Hand Washing ◽

Washing Machine ◽

Historic Period ◽

Iron Artifacts ◽

Time Savings ◽

Time Required ◽

Electrolytic Treatment

AbstractThe increased costs of processing artifacts can be substantially reduced by the use of labor-saving devices in the laboratory. A standard washing machine has been modified for washing historic-period artifacts with minimal breakage. Forty-five man-hours of hand washing can be accomplished in one hour by machine, with comparable standards of cleanliness. The numbering of artifacts, using rubber stamps, can represent time savings of 80 per cent on certain classes of material. Use of a sandblaster for cleaning iron artifacts triples the output of the conventional electrolytic treatment. A ceramic pantograph and a modified diagraph show promise of reducing the time required to draw pottery sections.

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Fast Degas Carbon Dioxide Evaporator

ASME 2009 Power Conference ◽

10.1115/power2009-81198 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

Kyle T. Howard ◽

Blanca A. Ramirez

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Carbon Dioxide Storage ◽

Automatic Operation ◽

Safety Concerns ◽

Fully Automatic ◽

Time Savings ◽

Unsafe Condition ◽

Time Required ◽

New System

Two reasons exist for the rapid degassing of Hydrogen cooled generators. The first is an upset condition which could cause an unsafe condition or generator failure if the Hydrogen is not removed. The second is the time savings that can be recognized by reducing the time required to fully purge the generator and refill during an unplanned or planned outage. A generator bearing fire is an example of the first condition where the ability to remove the Hydrogen and purge with Carbon Dioxide rapidly would result in a significant reduction in the risk of a catastrophic situation. Current purge operations typically require many hours for the gas change from Hydrogen to Carbon Dioxide during maintenance outages. This new system reduces the time required for this step to less than 20 minutes. Times for refilling can also be reduced by similar amounts. This time can be extremely valuable during peak generation periods. The Carbon Dioxide vaporizer systems that have been installed previously have been limited by the rate they can vaporize the Carbon Dioxide and feed the gas to the generator without freezing. The system described uses flow controls, a large heater and backup Carbon Dioxide storage to perform the necessary operations quickly. The system can be operated manually or fully automatic. Automatic operation is preferred for the safety concerns since any fire or other upset would likely occur in the area of the equipment and time would be of the essence. The system described has been installed and tested in a number of operating plants and is performing satisfactorily.

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Time Savings with Once-Monthly C.E.R.A.: A Time and Motion Study Conducted in 13 Haemodialysis Centres in Italy

Blood Purification ◽

10.1159/000437133 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 173-179 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Erwin De Cock ◽

Persefoni Kritikou ◽

Simona Ravera ◽

Armando Filippini

Keyword(s):

Health Care Professionals ◽

Renal Anaemia ◽

Time And Motion Study ◽

Time And Motion ◽

Motion Study ◽

Receptor Activator ◽

Anaemia Management ◽

Time Savings ◽

Time Required ◽

Annual Time

Background: We sought to document the time required by health care professionals to administer erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) and continuous erythropoiesis receptor activator (C.E.R.A.) in the management of renal anaemia. Methods: A Time and Motion study was conducted in 13 centres in Italy. The time spent on preparation, distribution, and injection for both ESA and C.E.R.A. groups was measured. A multilevel model was run to account for the centre-clustering effect. Results: The average number of ESA injections/patient/year was 89. The average uptake of C.E.R.A. was 26%. The average time per session was 1.54 min for ESA (95% CI 1.21-1.86) vs. 1.64 min for C.E.R.A. (95% CI 1.31-1.97). Estimated time/patient/year was 137 min for ESA and 20 min for C.E.R.A. Assuming a 100% uptake of C.E.R.A., annual time savings/centre would be 84% (194 h). Conclusions: Substantial annual time savings on frequent anaemia management-related tasks were found when a switchover was made from ESAs to C.E.R.A.

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The COVID-19 pandemic and the menstrual cycle: research gaps and opportunities

10.31219/osf.io/fxygt ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gemma Sharp ◽

Gemma Sawyer ◽

Gabriella Kountourides ◽

Kayleigh Easey ◽

Gemma Ford ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Menstrual Cycle ◽

Premenstrual Syndrome ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

Gender Inequalities ◽

Recall Bias ◽

Research Gaps ◽

Related Factors ◽

Quality Reporting ◽

Research Questions ◽

Bias Selection

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, discussions on social media and blogs have indicated that women have experienced menstrual changes, including altered menstrual duration, frequency, regularity, and volume (heavier bleeding and clotting), increased dysmenorrhea, and worsened premenstrual syndrome. There have been a small number of scientific studies of variable quality reporting on menstrual cycle features during the pandemic, but it is still unclear whether apparent changes are due to COVID-19 infection/illness itself, or other pandemic-related factors like increased psychological stress and changes in health behaviours. It is also unclear to what degree current findings are explained by reporting bias, recall bias, selection bias and confounding factors. Further research is urgently needed. We provide a list of outstanding research questions and potential approaches to address them. Findings can inform policies to mitigate against gender inequalities in health and society, allowing us to build back better post-COVID.

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Clinic time required to manage remote monitoring of cardiac implantable electronic devices: impact of outsourcing initial data review and triage

EP Europace ◽

10.1093/europace/euab116.519 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (Supplement_3) ◽

Author(s):

E Nicolle ◽

D Lanctin ◽

S Rosemas ◽

M De Melis

Keyword(s):

Initial Data ◽

Remote Monitoring ◽

Staff Time ◽

Clinic Staff ◽

Remote Transmission ◽

External Monitoring ◽

Time Savings ◽

Monitoring Center ◽

Time Required ◽

Monitoring Service

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Medtronic Background Remote monitoring is guideline-recommended to manage cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) patients. With the continuous growth of implanted patients, clinic workload to review transmissions is increasing. Outsourcing initial data review and triage to an external monitoring center could be a valuable option for more efficient allocation of staff time, as high-skilled healthcare professionals can focus on patients in need rather than non-actionable data. Purpose The objective was to estimate the potential clinic staff time saved when outsourcing part of remote transmission review. Methods A previous time and motion evaluation described workflow tasks and time required for remote transmission review (4 EU sites, 674 observations). From real-world experience with a third-party monitoring service, the steps that can be outsourced were determined considering existing clinic-driven protocols for triage and transmission escalation. Staff time required with and without the monitoring service was thus modeled and compared. Results Outsourcing to an external monitoring center can reduce clinic staff time between 77.4% and 84.7% depending on device type. Absolute time savings range from 32.7 to 82.6 hours per year per 100 patients for therapeutic devices, and 301.3 hours for insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) patients, due to the higher frequency of transmissions in diagnostic devices. Conclusion Time to review remote transmissions can become overwhelming for clinics as growing CIED population often outpaces available staffing resources. Outsourcing initial review and triage to an external monitoring center (ensuring quality and regulatory compliance) can be an efficient option to save dedicated staff and facility time for other crucial healthcare activities. Clinic Staff Time Savings Per YearPacemakerICDCRTICMTRANSMISSIONS PER PATIENT PER YEARGreen (no further review required when outsourcing)3.04.35.020.8Yellow/Red (medical action/decision required)0.60.80.93.8ANNUAL STAFF TIME PER PATIENT, minutesNo outsourcing25.346.658.5219.7Outsourcing to monitoring center5.77.78.938.9ANNUAL STAFF TIME PER 100 PATIENTS, hoursNo outsourcing42.277.697.4366.2Outsourcing to monitoring center9.612.914.964.8TIME SAVED PER 100 PATIENTS, hours (%)32.7 (77.4%)64.7 (83.4%)82.6 (84.7%)301.3 (82.3%)Abstract Figure. Outsourcing Remote Transmission Review

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Decoding semi-automated title-abstract screening: a retrospective exploration of the review, study, and publication characteristics associated with accurate relevance predictions

10.21203/rs.3.rs-40780/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Allison Gates ◽

Michelle Gates ◽

Daniel DaRosa ◽

Sarah A. Elliott ◽

Jennifer Pillay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Observational Studies ◽

Training Set ◽

Screening Approach ◽

Independent Screening ◽

Review Systematic ◽

Time Savings ◽

Research Questions ◽

Review Study ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Abstract Screening

Abstract Background We evaluated the benefits and risks of using the Abstrackr machine learning (ML) tool to semi-automate title-abstract screening, and explored whether Abstrackr’s predictions varied by review or study-level characteristics. Methods For 16 reviews we screened a 200-record training set in Abstrackr and downloaded the predicted relevance of the remaining records. We retrospectively simulated the liberal-accelerated screening approach: one reviewer screened the records predicted as relevant; a second reviewer screened those predicted as irrelevant and those excluded by the first reviewer. We estimated the time savings and proportion missed compared with dual independent screening. For reviews with pairwise meta-analyses, we evaluated changes to the pooled effects after removing the missed studies. We explored whether the tool’s predictions varied by review and study-level characteristics using Fisher’s Exact and unpaired t-tests. Results Using the ML-assisted liberal-accelerated approach, we wrongly excluded 0 to 3 (0 to 14%) records but saved a median (IQR) 26 (33) hours of screening time. Removing missed studies from meta-analyses did not alter the reviews’ conclusions. Of 802 records in the final reports, 87% were correctly predicted as relevant. The correctness of the predictions did not differ by review (systematic or rapid, P=0.37) or intervention type (simple or complex, P=0.47). The predictions were more often correct in reviews with multiple (89%) vs. single (83%) research questions (P=0.01), or that included only trials (95%) vs. multiple designs (86%) (P=0.003). At the study level, trials (91%), mixed methods (100%), and qualitative (93%) studies were more often correctly predicted as relevant compared with observational studies (79%) or reviews (83%) (P=0.0006). Studies at high or unclear (88%) vs. low risk of bias (80%) (P=0.039), and those published more recently (mean (SD) 2008 (7) vs. 2006 (10), P=0.02) were more often correctly predicted as relevant. Conclusion Our screening approach saved time and may be suitable in conditions where the limited risk of missing relevant records is acceptable. ML-assisted screening may be most trustworthy for reviews that seek to include only trials. Several of our findings are paradoxical, and require further study to fully understand the tasks to which ML-assisted screening is best suited.

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Decoding semi-automated title-abstract screening: a retrospective exploration of the review, study, and publication characteristics associated with accurate relevance predictions

10.21203/rs.3.rs-40780/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Allison Gates ◽

Michelle Gates ◽

Daniel DaRosa ◽

Sarah A. Elliott ◽

Jennifer Pillay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Training Set ◽

Screening Approach ◽

Independent Screening ◽

Review Systematic ◽

Time Savings ◽

Research Questions ◽

Review Study ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Abstract Screening ◽

Adequate Data

Abstract Background. We evaluated the benefits and risks of using the Abstrackr machine learning (ML) tool to semi-automate title-abstract screening, and explored whether Abstrackr’s predictions varied by review or study-level characteristics.Methods. For a convenient sample of 16 reviews for which adequate data were available to address our objectives (11 systematic reviews and 5 rapid reviews) we screened a 200-record training set in Abstrackr and downloaded the relevance (relevant or irrelevant) of the remaining records, as predicted by the tool. We retrospectively simulated the liberal-accelerated screening approach. We estimated the time savings and proportion missed compared with dual independent screening. For reviews with pairwise meta-analyses, we evaluated changes to the pooled effects after removing the missed studies. We explored whether the tool’s predictions varied by review and study-level. Results. Using the ML-assisted liberal-accelerated approach, we wrongly excluded 0 to 3 (0 to 14%) records that were included in the final reports, but saved a median (IQR) 26 (9, 42) hours of screening time. One missed study was included in eight pairwise meta-analyses in one systematic review. The pooled effect for just one of those meta-analyses changed considerably (from MD (95% CI) -1.53 (-2.92, -0.15) to -1.17 (-2.70, 0.36)). Of 802 records in the final reports, 87% were correctly predicted as relevant. The correctness of the predictions did not differ by review (systematic or rapid, P=0.37) or intervention type (simple or complex, P=0.47). The predictions were more often correct in reviews with multiple (89%) vs. single (83%) research questions (P=0.01), or that included only trials (95%) vs. multiple designs (86%) (P=0.003). At the study level, trials (91%), mixed methods (100%), and qualitative (93%) studies were more often correctly predicted as relevant compared with observational studies (79%) or reviews (83%) (P=0.0006). Studies at high or unclear (88%) vs. low risk of bias (80%) (P=0.039), and those published more recently (mean (SD) 2008 (7) vs. 2006 (10), P=0.02) were more often correctly predicted as relevant. Conclusion. Our screening approach saved time and may be suitable in conditions where the limited risk of missing relevant records is acceptable. As several of our findings are paradoxical, and require further study to fully understand the tasks to which ML-assisted screening is best suited.

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A Time-Efficiency Study of Medium-Duty Trucks Delivering in Urban Environments

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12010425 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 425 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ivan Sanchez-Diaz ◽

Laura Palacios-Argüello ◽

Anders Levandi ◽

Jimmy Mardberg ◽

Rafael Basso

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Customer Service ◽

Low Cost ◽

Route Planning ◽

Free Cell ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Time Efficiency ◽

Cell Phone Use ◽

Time Savings ◽

Time Required

This paper uses data from a major logistics service provider in Gothenburg (Sweden) to (i) identify the different activities in a typical urban distribution tour, (ii) quantify the time required by drivers to perform each of these activities, and (iii) identify potential initiatives to improve time efficiency. To do so, the authors collected GPS data, conducted a time-study of the activities performed by the drivers for a week, conducted a focus group with the drivers, and a set of interviews with managers. The results show that driving represents only 30% of the time, another 15% is spent on breaks, and the remaining 55% is used to perform activities related to customer service, freight handling, and planning. The latter are subdivided into multiple activities, each taking a small amount of time. A focus group with the drivers and some interviews revealed several initiatives to improve time efficiency. Most initiatives can bring small gains, but when aggregating all potential time savings there is a big potential to improve overall time efficiency. Initiatives with highest potential and low cost are: providing better pre-advice on upcoming customers, improving route planning, having hand-free cell phone use, and enhancing handling equipment.

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Evaluation of a Novel Microarray Immunoblot Assay for Detection of IgM- and IgG-Class Antibodies toBorrelia burgdorferi

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.00992-18 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 56 (11) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Elitza S. Theel ◽

Marisa Sorenson ◽

Dane Granger

Keyword(s):

Lyme Disease ◽

Western Blot ◽

Diagnostic Testing ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Immunoblot Assay ◽

Content Type ◽

Time Savings ◽

Second Tier ◽

Consensus Standard ◽

Time Required

ABSTRACTDiagnostic testing for Lyme disease (LD) remains dependent on detection of antibodies to LDBorreliausing serologic assays, in adherence to the standard two-tiered testing (STTT) algorithm. We present the first analytic evaluation of the automatedBorreliaB31 ViraChip IgM and IgG microarray immunoblot (MIB) assays (Viramed Biotech AG, Planegg, Germany) in comparison to two different, semiautomated blot assays for LD, including theBorreliaB31 ViraStripe IgM and IgG line immunoassays (LIAs) (Viramed) and the MarDxBorrelia burgdorferiIgM and IgG Western blot (WB) assays (Trinity Biotech, Carlsbad, CA), using prospectively collected sera (n= 411) and archived, clinically characterized samples (n= 91). We show comparable overall agreement (>84%) of the ViraChip MIB assays against the two aforementioned LD blot methods. The ViraChip MIB assays were also compared to a consensus standard, whereby samples were classified as positive or negative for IgM or IgG toB. burgdorferiif the analyte-matched ViraStripe LIA or MarDx WB assay were positive or negative, respectively. The ViraChip IgM and IgG MIB assays showed >93% positive, negative, and overall agreement versus these consensus criteria. The ViraChip MIB assays were associated with a time savings of 28 min to process one full batch of samples compared to the time required for the ViraStripe LIAs. The ViraChip MIB assays can be programmed and performed on an open-system, automated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) processor, negating the need for assay-specific equipment and enabling laboratories to consolidate LD testing onto a single platform. We conclude that the ViraChip IgM and IgG MIB assays may be added to the repertoire of supplemental, second-tier blot testing systems for diagnosis of LD.

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Tweetalige Ontwikkeling en Tweetalig Onderwijs

Toegepaste Taalwetenschap in Artikelen ◽

10.1075/ttwia.86.07gra ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 86 ◽

pp. 61-70

Author(s):

Rick de Graaff ◽

Sharon Unsworth ◽

Sophie ter Schure

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Bilingual Education ◽

Teaching Practice ◽

Research Policy ◽

Language Instruction ◽

Foreign Language Instruction ◽

Afternoon Session ◽

Research Questions ◽

Future Policy ◽

New Research

The topic of bilingualism in education continues to generate much debate. Issues under discussion include for example how best to support the Dutch language development of multilingual children and how to successfully implement bilingual secondary education and early foreign language instruction. This paper reports upon the symposium Bilingual Acquisition and Bilingual Education which brought together key players in this debate from the fields of research, policy and teaching practice to exchange ideas and insights with a view to formulating recommendations for future policy on multilingualism as well as generating new research questions. In the morning session, the discussion concerned recent results from research on multilingual acquisition and education in a variety of contexts, and in the afternoon session, the focus lay on issues concerning policy and teaching practice. This report consists of a summary of the main issues discussed there and ends with a list of points for future attention.

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