Research on Integration Framework and Service Adaptation Technology of Space System Simulation Test-bed

Aiming at the requirements of space system simulation test-bed in heterogeneous integration and co-simulation, the support capability of test-bed integration framework is analysed. A space system simulation test-bed integration framework based on bridging adaptation service is constructed, and adaptation services such as protocol adaptation, information publication, information subscription and service control for service oriented architecture are designed and implemented, which provide integration capability and co-simulation management capability for heterogeneous systems, models and components of space system simulation test-bed.

UK Healthcare Workers’ Experiences of Major System Change in Elective Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections on Rapid Service Adaptation

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the delivery of elective surgery in the United Kingdom. The majority of planned surgery was cancelled or postponed in March 2020 for the duration of the first wave of the pandemic. We investigated the experiences of staff responsible for delivering rapid changes to surgical services during the first wave of the pandemic in the United Kingdom, with the aim of developing lessons for future major systems change (MSC). Methods: Using a rapid qualitative study design, we conducted 25 interviews with frontline surgical staff during the first wave of the pandemic. Framework analysis was used to organise and interpret findings. Results: Staff discussed positive and negative experiences of rapid service organisation. Clinician-led decision-making, the flexibility of individual staff and teams, and the opportunity to innovate service design were all seen as positive contributors to success in service adaptation. The negative aspects of rapid change were inconsistent guidance from national government and medical bodies, top-down decisions about when to cancel and restart surgery, the challenges of delivering emergency surgical care safely and the complexity of prioritising surgical cases when services re-started. Conclusion: Success in the rapid reorganisation of elective surgical services can be attributed to the flexibility and adaptability of staff. However, there was an absence of involvement of staff in wider system-level pandemic decision-making and competing guidance from national bodies. Involving staff in decisions about the organisation and delivery of MSC is essential for the sustainability of change processes.

How to empower analytics capability to tackle emergency situations?

PurposeAnalytics thrives in navigating emergency situations. Emergency operations management needs to develop analytics empowerment capability (ANEC) to prepare for uncertainty, support continuity and tackle any disruptions. However, there is limited knowledge on ANEC and its effects on strategic emergency service agility (SESA) and emergency service adaptation (ESAD) in such contexts. Drawing on the dynamic capability (DC) theory, we address this research gap by developing an ANEC model. We also model the effects of ANEC on SESA and ESAD using SESA as a mediator. We also assess the moderating and quadratic effects of ANEC on two higher-order DCs (i.e. SESA and ESAD).Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the literature on big data, empowerment and DC, we develop and validate an ANEC model using data from 245 service systems managers in Australia. The study uses the partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to prove the research model. The predictive power of the research model is validated through PLSpredict (k = 10) using a training sample (n = 220) and a holdout sample (n = 25).FindingsThe findings show that analytics climate, technological enablement, information access, knowledge and skills, training and development and decision-making ability are the significant components of ANEC. The findings confirm strategic emergency service agility as a significant partial mediator between ANEC and emergency service adaptation. The findings also discuss the moderating and quadratic effects of ANEC on outcome constructs. We discuss the implications of our findings for emergency situations with limitations and future research directions.Originality/valueThe findings show that building ANEC plays a fundamental role in developing strategic agility and service adaptation in emergency situations to prepare for disruptions, mitigate risks and continue operations.

Dealing With Context Awareness for Service-Oriented Systems

In recent years, rapid advances in the enabling technologies for mobile and ubiquitous computing, software paradigms, embedded sensor technologies, and wide range of wired and wireless protocols have been witnessed. Specifically, context-aware services-oriented applications are emerging as the next computing paradigm in which infrastructure and services are seamlessly available. Context-awareness, being an important ingredient, plays a vital role in enabling such interactive smart environments. More recently, the increasing popularity of ontologies has led to new ontology-based models of context because of their potential to support sophisticated ontology-based reasoning methods. This paper presents an architecture for the development of context-aware services based on ontologies. The authors highlight the context metamodel and discuss about reasoning process. This research also presents the semantic approach for service adaptation in context aware environment.

UK Health Care Workers' Experiences of Major System Change in Elective Surgery during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections on Rapid Service Adaptation

Background The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the delivery of elective surgery in the UK. The majority of planned surgery was cancelled or postponed in March 2020 for the duration of the first wave of the pandemic. We investigated the experiences of staff responsible for delivering rapid changes to surgical services during the first wave of the pandemic in the UK, with the aim of developing lessons for future major systems change. Methods Using a rapid qualitative study design, we conducted 25 interviews with frontline surgical staff during the first wave of the pandemic. We also carried out a policy review of the guidance developed for those delivering surgical services in pandemic conditions. We used framework analysis to organise and interpret findings. Results Staff discussed positive and negative experiences of rapid service organisation. Clinician-led decision making, the flexibility of individual staff and teams, and the opportunity to innovate service design were all seen as positive contributors to success in service adaptation. The negative aspects of rapid change were inconsistent guidance from national government and medical bodies, top-down decisions about when to cancel and restart surgery, the challenges of delivering emergency surgical care safely and the complexity of prioritising surgical cases when services re-started. Conclusion Success in the rapid reorganisation of elective surgical services can be attributed to the flexibility and adaptability of staff. However, there was an absence of involvement of staff in wider system-level pandemic decision-making and competing guidance from national bodies. Involving staff in decisions about the organisation and delivery of major systems change is essential for the sustainability of change processes.

Pelvic Limb Amputation in a Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) Traumatized by an Agricultural Harvester

Background: The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) returned to the category of vulnerable by the 2014 IUCN / SSC, due to the population reduction, less than 30%. The main reasons are: environmental degradation and fragmentation, being run over, burning, attacks by hunting dogs, illegal trade and diseases. It is very common to find these fractured patients and the treatment is mostly surgical. Amputation is indicated when there are extensive lacerations and when reconstructive surgery is not possible. The objective is to report a viable treatment option in fractured wild patients, contributing to the preservation of the species.Case: It was received at the Veterinary Hospital Dr. Halim Atique - UNIRP an young female giant anteater (M. tridactyla) weighing 5.75 kg, brought by the Environmental Forestry Police of the municipality of São José do Rio Preto - SP, found in the region of Olímpia at a gas station. The animal was traumatized by an agricultural harvester, with partial traumatic amputation in the left pelvic limb and tail. In the preoperative period, the patient was admitted to hospital under assisted care, analgesia and all the necessary support for stabilization. High amputation was performed, with hip disarticulation and treatment of the tail wound, which was initially opted for healing in the first intention, where sutures were used to approach the edges of the wound, but presented dehiscence and was treated as a second intention. There were almost 2 months of care with specific food, cleaning of the enclosures, medications and dressings. After 57 days of hospitalization, the patient was transferred to the Municipal Zoo of São José do Rio Preto - SP, where it was moved to a larger and ideal enclosure for the species, with other giant anteaters also rescued. Discussion: The rate of complex fractures in accidents with wild animals is high. Amputations are indicated for patients with extensive lacerations without possible reconstructions, the patient in the present study had partial amputation of the limb, and reconstruction was impossible. The amputation technique of choice was disarticulation of the hip, as it is important that the patient does not try to support the limb, to avoid further trauma. The adaptation of animals to amputation is satisfactory, however, it should be noted that these individuals must remain under observation in the postoperative period, must remain confined to small rooms to avoid complications such as hemorrhage, seroma, dehiscence and infection of the surgical wound. The multidisciplinary team specialized in the required areas must be trained for this type of service. Adaptation to the new hospital environment, adaptation without an amputated limb, different food from that found in nature, daily handling for dressings and the movement of people in the sector are precautions that we must have for the success of the treatment. The great challenge for the recovery of traumatized wild patients is capture stress, transport to the operating room, lack of adaptation to the hospital environment and use of protocols that are unsuitable for the species, factors that can compromise the success of the treatment. Amputation can be a viable treatment alternative for fractured giant anteaters, when bone reconstruction is not possible. The amputation was performed successfully, providing another opportunity for this patient and contributing to the preservation of the species.Keywords: fracture, amputation, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, giant anteater.

Coping with the COVID-19 crisis: an overview of service adaptation and challenges encountered by a rural Psychiatry of Later Life (POLL) team

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed many challenges in maintaining standards of care and treatment for patients while managing the increased anxieties of patients, carers and the public in general. This paper highlights several clinical, administrative, medicolegal and IT implications of COVID-19 on the delivery of mental healthcare to an elderly vulnerable patient cohort due to recommended social distancing measures. Our Psychiatry of Later Life team has adapted to this by restricting face-to-face consultation, while continuing to provide telephone support. We have modified our documentation standard and have improved some aspects of our team working by facilitating flexible working arrangement and relevant training for staff as well as by embracing new technology. Notwithstanding the challenges therefore, this exceptional time has also opened avenues for new and innovative opportunities that can be further explored even when the current crisis eventually passes.