Robust Assembly Assistance Using Informed Tree Search with Markov Chains

Manual work accounts for one of the largest workgroups in the European manufacturing sector, and improving the training capacity, quality, and speed brings significant competitive benefits to companies. In this context, this paper presents an informed tree search on top of a Markov chain that suggests possible next assembly steps as a key component of an innovative assembly training station for manual operations. The goal of the next step suggestions is to provide support to inexperienced workers or to assist experienced workers by providing choices for the next assembly step in an automated manner without the involvement of a human trainer on site. Data stemming from 179 experiment participants, 111 factory workers, and 68 students, were used to evaluate different prediction methods. From our analysis, Markov chains fail in new scenarios and, therefore, by using an informed tree search to predict the possible next assembly step in such situations, the prediction capability of the hybrid algorithm increases significantly while providing robust solutions to unseen scenarios. The proposed method proved to be the most efficient for next assembly step prediction among all the evaluated predictors and, thus, the most suitable method for an adaptive assembly support system such as for manual operations in industry.

Trends in the nephrologist workforce in South Africa (2002–2017) and forecasting for 2030

Background The growing global health burden of kidney disease is substantial and the nephrology workforce is critical to managing it. There are concerns that the nephrology workforce appears to be shrinking in many countries. This study analyses trends in South Africa for the period 2002–2017, describes current training capacity and uses this as a basis for forecasting the nephrology workforce for 2030. Methods Data on registered nephrologists for the period 2002 to 2017 was obtained from the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. Training capacity was assessed using data on government-funded posts for nephrologists and nephrology trainees, as well as training post numbers (the latter reflecting potential training capacity). Based on the trends, the gap in the supply of nephrologists was forecast for 2030 based on three targets: reducing the inequalities in provincial nephrologist densities, reducing the gap between public and private sector nephrologist densities, and international benchmarking using the Global Kidney Health Atlas and British Renal Society recommendations. Results The number of nephrologists increased from 53 to 141 (paediatric nephrologists increased from 9 to 22) over the period 2002–2017. The density in 2017 was 2.5 nephrologists per million population (pmp). In 2002, the median age of nephrologists was 46 years (interquartile range (IQR) 39–56 years) and in 2017 the median age was 48 years (IQR 41–56 years). The number of female nephrologists increased from 4 to 43 and the number of Black nephrologists increased from 3 to 24. There have been no nephrologists practising in the North West and Mpumalanga provinces and only one each in Limpopo and the Northern Cape. The current rate of production of nephrologists is eight per year. At this rate, and considering estimates of nephrologists exiting the workforce, there will be 2.6 nephrologists pmp in 2030. There are 17 government-funded nephrology trainee posts while the potential number based on the prescribed trainer-trainee ratio is 72. To increase the nephrologist density of all provinces to at least the level of KwaZulu-Natal (2.8 pmp), which has a density closest to the country average, a projected 72 additional nephrologists (six per year) would be needed by 2030. Benchmarking against the 25th centile (5.1 pmp) of upper-middle-income countries (UMICs) reported in the Global Kidney Health Atlas would require the training of an additional eight nephrologists per year. Conclusions South Africa has insufficient nephrologists, especially in the public sector and in certain provinces. A substantial increase in the production of new nephrologists is required. This requires an increase in funded training posts and posts for qualified nephrologists in the public sector. This study has estimated the numbers and distribution of nephrologists needed to address provincial inequalities and achieve realistic nephrologist density targets.

Iron Cage Birokrasi Pendidikan: Suatu Analisis Sosiologis

This article aims to describe the education bureaucracy as a tool to achieve the objectives of education through a qualitative approach to the literature study model. The data in this paper is sourced from relevant literature and the author's experience while active in educational activities. The results of this study indicate that the bureaucracy in the form of educational administration has changed to an iron cage that shackles the educational activity itself. The delivery of education loses its orientation and turns into ceremonial routines to meet the demands of the bureaucracy. Various training, capacity building, and teacher competence have been done, but they have not significantly changed the face of education. Iron cage bureaucracy makes teachers "appear" to be developing their competence, but in fact, they are meeting the demands of the bureaucracy. Education must come out of the iron cage bureaucracy by reducing all administrative aspects that bind the noble activities of education. Bureaucracy is a human creation, so bureaucracy should be subject to humans and not humans who are subject to the will of the bureaucracy. Artikel ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan birokrasi pendidikan sebagai alat untuk mencapai tujuan penyelenggaraan pendidikan melalui pendekatan kualitatif dengan model studi literatur. Data dalam tulisan ini bersumber dari literatur yang relevan dan pengalaman penulis selama aktif dalam aktivitas pendidikan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa birokrasi dalam bentuk administrasi pendidikan berubah menjadi “kerangkeng besi” yang membelenggu aktivitas pendidikan itu sendiri. Penyelenggaraan pendidikan kehilangan orientasinya dan berubah menjadi rutinitas seremonial demi memenuhi tuntutan birokrasi. Beragam pelatihan dan peningkatan kapasitas maupun kompetensi guru dalam dunia pendidikan telah dilakukan, namun belum mampu mengubah wajah pendidikan secara signifikan. Kontrol birokrasi membuat para guru “terlihat” sedang mengembangkan kompetensinya, padahal sejatinya sedang memenuhi tuntutan birokrasi. Untuk itu, pendidikan harus keluar dari “jerat birokrasi” dengan cara mereduksi semua aspek administratif yang membelenggu aktivitas mulia pendidikan. Birokrasi adalah hasil ciptaan manusia, maka seharusnya birokrasi tunduk pada manusia dan bukan manusia yang tunduk pada kehendak birokrasi.

Local and regional workforce return on investment from sponsoring rural generalist-based training for medical students

The objective of this case study was to examine and evaluate the retention of medical graduates for a hospital and health service partnering with a university to deliver a rural medical program. Eight cohorts of the Griffith Rural Medical Longlook program were followed for workforce outcomes, including both rural and local workforce outcomes for the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service (DDHHS) and the region. The DDHHS partnered with Griffith Health for capital investment in the region, creating three main campuses in rural generalist hospitals and augmented resources in other rural health facilities. Most (60%) medical graduates placed for a year or more on the Longlook program chose regional internships in Queensland, including 31% who chose internship in the DDHHS. Students spending 2 years on the program in the DDHHS were more likely to remain for local internship (odds ratio (OR) 5.7) and to be practicing locally after internship (OR 3.3). Local retention of medical graduates from the partnership between the Faculty of Health at Griffith University and the DDHHS to establish and conduct the Rural Medical Longlook Program includes resourcing and utilisation of spare training capacity in rural generalist hospitals and in addressing junior medical workforce recruitment. What is known about the topic?Rural medical programs improve choice of regional centres for early career placements. Rural longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs) are effective in influencing regional choices for early medical career placements. What does this paper add?This was a case study on the local retention of medical graduates for health services sponsoring rural medical programs. LICs are sustainable in rural generalist hospitals to increase clinical training capacity. There is evidence for longer rural placements improving rural retention, specific for rural LICs. Longer LICs are more effective in influencing regional internship choices and regional retention, as well as local internship choice and local retention. What are the implications for practitioners?Investment in increasing clinical training capacity in rural generalist health facilities can produce significant retention of medical graduates for the junior medical workforce. Retaining students in the regional health service for longer periods increases the likelihood of retention upon graduation.

Role of Global Leadership and Capacity Building in Increasing Teacher’s Profession Commitment

The purpose of this study is to describe efforts to increase the commitment of the teaching profession through the role of global leadership and capacity building in State Senior High Schools (SMA) in Bogor Regency. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach and collected data via: interviews; observation; and documentation study. Data analysis in this study uses data reduction, data presentation and verification or conclusions. The results showed that increasing the professional commitment of teachers can be done through teacher training (capacity building) and the role of global leadership as the development of people and motivation of people. Keywords: teacher’s professional commitment, global leadership, capacity building

Nutrition for Master Athletes: Is There a Need for Specific Recommendations?

Master athletes are often considered exemplars of successful aging, thanks to their capacity to maintain a high sports performance during their entire life. A high training capacity, regular participation in sporting competitions, and delayed alterations in body composition and physiological capacities have been listed among the main factors contributing to impressive master athletes’ performances. However, there is a paucity of data on the metabolism and dietary habits of master athletes, and the question of whether they need to adapt their nutrition to the aging process remains open. Herein, the authors presented a contemporary overview of the metabolic challenges associated with aging, including the risk of low energy availability, anabolic resistance, and periods of metabolic crisis due to forced immobilization. After assembling scientific evidence to show that master athletes must adapt their dietary intake, the authors proposed a summary of nutritional recommendations for master athletes and suggested the next stage of research.