Update and Acceleration of Health Care Using Artificial Intelligence in Medical Treatments and Diagnostics

Researchers support the growth of artificial intelligence and similar methods in health and medical care for the purpose of continuously improving processes. By focusing on the growth on data analytics, statistics, applied mathematics, and computer methods including machine learning, the future of health-care methods will change. The development of computerized methods and the growth of data systems produce ample materials for artificial intelligence to develop and to bring physician assistance programs to enable continuous improvement resulting in superior health and medical care. This includes applications in intensive care as well as diagnostic therapies. The focus is on examples in the use of the promising developments in data science methods, the accumulation of medical and research data. With quality and continuous improvement in process control applications where one determines the usefulness of data analytics, there are great possibilities of change in the improvement in medical applications as well as the management of medical and health-care treatment and diagnostic facilities.

An Innovative Framework on Spatial Boundary Optimization of Multiple International Designated Land Use

The continuous improvement of international protection awareness has dramatically increased the number of protection organizations and promoted various reserve-naming methods. However, the existing global natural reserves have either fully or partially overlapped, thereby allowing the same region to hold various international titles, resulting in serious issues, which are especially manifested in the boundary delimitation process of natural reserves. Therefore, delimiting the titles of reserve borders will become an enormous challenge in protected-area governance worldwide. This study conducted an in-depth investigation of the technical methods for delineating the spatial boundaries of natural reserves. Taking Jiangshan Nature Reserve in China as the case object, the Candidate Area–Natural background–Heritage Resource–Construction (C-NHC) framework was constructed, and the boundaries of the new reserves were delineated. This study has changed the status quo of the spatial overlap of the reserve through the quantitative evaluation of the conflict patches and the triple optimization of the boundary of the reserve. The area of the new reserve is 150.524 km2, which is 6.682 km2 larger than the original one. The original reserves are all included within the scope of the new one. This study provides guidance and new insights into the boundary delineation of integrated nature reserves worldwide.

Transdisciplinary partnerships for sustainability: an evaluation guide

Transdisciplinary research, in which academics and actors from outside the academy co-produce knowledge, is an important approach to address urgent sustainability challenges. Indeed, to meet these real-world challenges, governments, universities, development agencies, and civil society organizations have made substantial investments in transdisciplinary partnerships. Yet to date, our understanding of the performance, as well as impacts, of these partnerships for sustainability is limited. Here, we provide a guide to assess the performance and impacts of transdisciplinary partnerships for sustainability. We offer key steps to navigate and examine the partnership process for continuous improvement, and to understand how transdisciplinary partnership is contributing to sustainable futures.

Integration of a Maintenance Management Model (MMM) Into an Asset Management Process

The chapter explains in detail the maintenance management model (MMM) taken as a reference for the development of the book. The chapter is based on the eight phases of the MMM. The first three blocks determine the effectiveness of the management; the following blocks assure the same efficiency and continuous improvement in the following way: Blocks 4 and 5 include actions for the planning and scheduling of maintenance, including, of course, the capacity of planning of department of maintenance. Blocks 6 and 7 are dedicated to the evaluation and control of the maintenance and the cost of assets throughout their life cycle. This chapter of introduction briefly summarizes the process and the reference frame necessary for the implementation of the MMM. This chapter also presents the relationship between the eight phases of the maintenance management model proposed and the general requirements of the asset management standard ISO 55000 to show how the gradual implementation of the MMM largely covers the requirements of the standard ISO 55000.

The Need for Multidimensional and Longitudinal Teacher Training

This chapter focuses on the need for multidimensional and longitudinal teacher preparation that begins in the educator preparation program (EPP) and continues into and throughout the school district level for all teachers. Discussion of topics that are foundational for teachers include continuous improvement, assessment, use of evidence-based and high leverage practices, collaboration, feedback, and self-reflection. Additionally, specific strategies and resources that can support teachers in planning for the academic and social-emotional needs and success of students will also be shared.

Agile Business Analysis for Digital Transformation

The use of cutting-edge digital technologies and the realization of right project, program, and portfolio (3P) initiatives can trigger the intended company-wide change and the digital transformation. Today, organizations need to increase their agility for managing their information technology (IT) projects and transforming their business models. The integration of agile perspective and business analysis (BA) approach has a great potential to increase the success of digital transformation. This study aims to provide an overview of state-of-the-art in agile business analysis in scope of digital transformation. In accordance with the well-known frameworks, general principles and promising techniques of Agile BA are highlighted and discussed. The regarding agile practices provide valuable guidelines for researchers and practitioners that how they can assist continuous feedback, continuous learning, continuous improvement, and continuous integration capabilities of organizations; and also how to maximize value to the stakeholders in agile project lifecycles and agile business transformations.

Factorial Solution for Determination of Critical Success Factors (CSF) in Deployment of Six Sigma and Its Relation to Sustainability

Recently, the interest in being part of more competitive companies has increased. For this, organizations apply various strategies of continuous improvement that allow them to maintain high standards of competitiveness. In this sense, organizations make use of various techniques, tools, and methodologies that support the achievement of objectives. This research presents an approach towards the Six Sigma (SS) strategy, one of the main continuous improvement strategies used to achieve competitiveness. On the other hand, organizations currently seek that during manufacture of their products, caring for the environment is naturally part of their objectives, seeking to achieve benefits with a sustainable impact. Therefore, this research seeks to define the CSF for implementation of SS through a factor analysis that allows identifying the relationship between SS and obtaining sustainable benefits (SB) through its implementation.

Impact of Design Thinking on Human Resources

Design thinking in the human resources area is still a recent issue little known and exploited even at an international level. It has only recently begun to be worked on and shared by organizations, and it is pointed out as being one of the most important competences of the 21st century. It refers to a style of thinking that combines the senses with the context of a problem, creativity in the creation of new points of view, and solutions and rationality in the analysis and search for solutions to the context. The present research used the Employee Experience DT Model, applied on a multinational company and developed within three long sessions of brainstorming and brainwriting. The main conclusions outlined that DT stimulates the process of continuous improvement, reinforces teamwork, as well as creativity and effort in solving problems. Furthermore, it sensitizes the administration for the current existing problems, compromising it in their resolution, and working in partnership with its stakeholders.

Applying Gamification Strategies to Create Training in Lean Methodologies

It is more important than ever that organizations make the most of their resources, reduce costs, optimize processes, and engage in continuous improvement. A lean philosophy presents itself as a management model that guides companies in this direction, but for the successful implementation of lean methodologies, human resources at all levels need to learn what it is and be engaged with it. Thus, there is a need to develop tools that would transmit the lean theoretical concepts in a practical and involved way. This chapter proposes the development of a tool that is the result of merging gamification and lean philosophy, developing a game for people without knowledge in this area, serving as an introduction to it, and demonstrating some applications of this philosophy. The practical result of the synergy created between strategies of gamification and training in lean methodologies is described.