Application of the QFD-fuzzy-SERVQUAL methodology as a quality planning tool at the surgical centre of a public teaching hospital

Background In Brazil, many public hospitals face constant problems related to high demand vis-à-vis an overall scarcity of resources, which hinders the operations of different sectors such as the surgical centre, as it is considered one of the most relevant pillars for the proper hospital functioning, due to its complexity, criticality as well as economic and social importance. Proper asset management based on well-founded decisions is, therefore, a sine-qua-non condition for addressing such demands. However, subjectivity and other difficulties present in decisions make the management of hospital resources a constant challenge. Methods Thus, the present work proposes the application of a hybrid approach, formed by the QFD tools, fuzzy logic and SERVQUAL as a decision support tool for the quality planning of the surgical centre of the Onofre Lopes Teaching Hospital (Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes—HUOL). To accomplish such objective, it was necessary to discover and analyse the main needs of the medical team working in the operating room, through the application of the SERVQUAL questionnaire, associated with fuzzy logic. Results Then, the most relevant deficiencies were transformed into entries for the QFD-fuzzy, where they were translated into project requirements. Soon after, the analysis of the existing relationships between the inputs and these requirements was carried out, generating the ranking of actions with the greatest impact on the improvement of the surgical centre overall quality. Conclusions As a result, it was found that the proposed methodology can optimize the decision process to which hospital managers are submitted, improving the surgical centre operation efficiency.

Supporting Language Learning With OERs and Open-Authoring Tools

Open educational resources (OERs) in language learning have recently captured the interests of language educators, curriculum developers, and researchers as these open-source materials serve as an alternative to traditional textbooks and costly web-based learning resources. OERs offer several benefits for language learners, including access to controlled language practice, self-study, engagement, and learning satisfaction. These resources can also promote innovative instructional practices that respond to constructivist and interactionist perspectives of second language acquisition. However, widespread use of open resources remains low among language teachers for several reasons, including a lack of awareness of how to develop and use them, overreliance on commercially produced textbooks, scarcity of resources, and guidelines for developing original open resources. In this chapter, the authors explore how to best approach the process of creating and using open resources in order to develop and promote OERs among language educators.

Feedstock: A Solution to Energy and Environment Sustainability

Background: Scarcity of resources, the energy crisis, environmental pollution and climate change are the central challenges that people will have to face in the years to come. Nowadays, agricultural, food and industrial waste is generated in large quantities, which poses a serious problem in its management and disposal. Objective: Feedstocks play a vital role in solving energy and environmental problems. All renewable, biological substances that are used directly as fuel or converted into another form of energy or fuel products are referred to as feedstocks. Biomass is also a clean and renewable feedstock option; also be an excellent alternative to conventional fuels. Method: Renewable fuels are cleaner than traditional coal and petroleum, which reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Various methods could be used to achieve sustainable development methods that not only lead to better waste management. Nevertheless, they could also generate industrially important materials, chemicals, fuels and valuable end products from waste. Results: This review provides an overview of the global scenario for the feedstock. In addition, this paper examines the role of feedstocks in solving energy and environmental issues. Conclusion: This paper sheds light on the issue of environmental impact in order to achieve overall sustainability. Finally, the merits of the feedstock technology prospects were addressed.

„…ki találhat bölcs asszonyt?” Némi betekintés a 16–17. századi papnék műveltségébe

“Who Can Find a Wise Woman?” Some Insights into the Education of the Wives of 16th-17th-Century Calvinist Priests. The paper examines the literacy of pastors’ wives during the 16th-17th centuries. For a long time, the opportunity for women to acquire literacy was only the privilege of the upper social strata, but literacy was not widespread among them either. This trend came to an end in the 17th century, for which period we also found examples of the literacy of urban citizens. The daughters of the lower social strata were prepared primarily to be good wives, housewives, and good mothers in the family, especially next to their mothers. Examining the preachers’ wives as a well-defined social group is a problem due to the scarcity of resources. In most cases, we know nothing but the name of the preacher’s wife, and we do not have information about their origins and families; if we do, however, then their social situation and the occupation of their parents provide a basis for research into their education. The conclusion of the research is that even if they did not receive a formal education, the 16th-17th-century Calvinist pastors’ wives were educated women. In many cases, this knowledge – primarily wisdom, life experience, and piety – and the virtues necessary for the roles of housewife, mother, and wife were the main aspects of choice for their husband. Keywords: pastor’s wife, Protestantism, literacy, 16th-17th century

A Validated WISC-V Short-Form to Estimate Intellectual Functioning in Very Preterm Children at Early School Age

Very preterm children (gestational age < 32 weeks) frequently show neurodevelopmental difficulties (Inattention/dysexecutiveness) throughout their life-stages. A scarcity of resources, along with this population’s cognitive vulnerability, makes the neuropsychological evaluation of these children both complicated and time-consuming. This study aimed to develop a specific and valid Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V) short-form to estimate intellectual functioning in this population. Eighty-four very preterm children (39 female; mean age = 6.50; SD: 0.06) were assessed with the WISC-V. Short-forms were developed following two independent strategies: a) multiple linear regressions for each index; b) correlational analyses between scores on all administered subtests and Full-Scale IQ. Validity of short-forms was analyzed. A short-form (Vocabulary, Matrix Reasoning, Picture Span, and Symbol Search) that satisfied 2/3 validation criteria was proposed. This validated short-form could facilitate the identification of cognitive difficulties in very preterm children, so that they could benefit from early care and support services, avoiding long assessment procedures.

Patriotic Education in Post-Soviet De Facto States: Identities and Practices

The article considers specific features of official patriotism and patriotic education in post-Soviet de facto (unrecognized) stated. It discusses the question of how the official patriotic discourse reflects the issues of international recognition deficit and of scarcity of available resources. The author attempts to conceptualize patriotic upbringing in the light of de facto statehood, analyzes specific features of those identities that underlie the patriotic education in the context of de facto statehood as well as some aspects of implementation of patriotic education concepts in post-Soviet de facto states. The author concludes that the deficit of international recognition, scarcity of resources and uncertain prospects for future development make propagation of patriotic values more complicated while strong influence of a patron state and prevalence of double citizenships erode patriotic loyalties to some extent. Among specific features of patriotic education in post-Soviet de facto states are also the enhanced role of militarized practices and commemoration of “wars for independence”.

Experience in organizing disinfection measures in the context of the 2020 pandemic of coronavirus infection

Ensuring biosafety in the territory of the country is one of the key functions (tasks) of the state. The pandemic of a new coronavirus infection has affected absolutely all areas of human activity in all countries of the world. Approaches to prevention have not changed, but the whole country has faced a number of challenges at various levels. With a sharply increased demand for non-specific prophylaxis (including skin antiseptics and disinfectants), not all manufacturers were ready to meet the demand with a quality product. The scarcity of resources (raw materials, components, cash shortages, personnel, etc.) constrained the rapid increase in production capacity to ensure a sharply increased demand. Keywords: pandemic COVID-19, disinfectants, skin antiseptics.

Energy-Oriented Production Planning in Industry: A Systematic Literature Review and Classification Scheme

Scarcity of resources, structural change during the further development of renewable energy sources, and their corresponding costs, such as increasing resource costs or penalties due to dirty production, lead industrial firms to adapt ecological actions. In this regard, research on energy utilization in production planning has received increased attention in the last years, resulting in a large number of research articles so far. With the paper at hand, we review the literature on energy-oriented production planning. The aim of this study is to derive similar core issues and related properties along energy-oriented models within hierarchical production planning. For this, we carry out a systematic literature review and analyze and synthesize 375 research articles. We classify the underlying literature with a novel two-dimensional classification scheme and identify three key topics and five frequently found characteristics, which are presented in detail throughout this article. Based on these results, we state several potentials for further research.

The Practice of ‘Othering' during COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia: From the cities to the highlands

This paper attempts to throw light on the concept of ‘othering’ previously framed through the prism of identity politics. As COVID-19 continues to ravage our economy and social life, we turn to looking at two contested sites of the highland national borders and the urban cities to understand how the ‘othering' idea manifests itself right when the pandemic began in late December 2019. The first situation is described in social media as Malaysia’s mass rage and xenophobic rants against Rohingya refugees and the second scenario is the closure of international borders between Sarawak and East Kalimantan in the uplands located in the northeast of Central Borneo. By analysing texts in the form of narratives, anecdotes and communication encountered through social media, the paper raised questions whether these were manifestations of specific forms of marginalisation of people based on perceived group differences or simply expressions of fear of COVID-19 disease and anxiety about scarcity of resources as a result of the pandemic.

PENINGKATAN DAYA SAING USAHA PERKEBUNAN TEBU RAKYAT DI JAWA: TANTANGAN DARI PERSPEKTIF KEBIJAKAN / Improving the Competitiveness of Sugarcane Farming in Java: Challenges from Policy Perspectives

<p align="center">ABSTRAK</p><p align="center"> </p><p>Produksi gula dari usaha perkebunan tebu rakyat di Jawa hingga saat ini masih menjadi andalan produksi gula nasional, tetapi dalam lima tahun terakhir kontribusinya menurun sejalan dengan semakin menurunnya areal tebu. Kondisi ini menunjukkan bahwa daya saing usaha tebu rakyat semakin menurun yang diindikasikan oleh tingkat keuntungan yang terus menurun dan lebih rendah daripada usaha tani lainnya. Untuk meningkatkan daya saing usaha tebu rakyat diperlukan kebijakan pemerintah dalam rangka membantu memecahkan masalah atau mengatasi kendala-kendala, baik yang bersifat teknis maupun ekonomi. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari alternatif kebijakan teknis yang diperkirakan dapat membantu mengatasi kelangkaan sumber daya yang kemungkinan terjadi; serta mempelajari kemungkinan diperlukannya kebijakan pemberian insentif agar kebijakan teknis secara efektif dapat berjalan, melalui simulasi penetapan harga jual tebu dan gula. Alternatif kebijakan teknis yang bisa diterapkan untuk membantu mengatasi kelangkaan sumber daya yang terjadi pada sumber daya lahan, tenaga kerja, pupuk, benih tebu dan modal. Kelangkaan lahan mendorong terjadinya pergeseran budidaya tebu ke lahan kering, dengan potensi produktivitas lebih rendah, sehingga perlu pengembangan infrastruktur irigasi sederhana. Kelangkaan tenaga kerja terjadi berulang pada saat kegiatan puncak, sehingga perlu pola tanam tebu yang memungkinkan penerapan mekanisasi. Kelangkaan pupuk sering terjadi karena kegiatan pemupukan tebu bersamaan dengan usaha tani lainnya, sehingga perlu koordinasi antar lembaga terkait untuk menyediakan pupuk khusus untuk usaha tebu. Benih tebu bermutu sangat langka, sehingga perlu penyederhanaan peraturan penjenjangan kebun benih tebu, agar produksi benih dapat berjalan. Modal usaha tebu rakyat masih langka dan belum sepenuhnya dapat dipenuhi dengan penyaluran KUR Khusus Tebu, sehingga perlu kebijakan operasional untuk meningkatkan akses terhadap KUR. Selain itu masalah ketidakpastian harga tebu juga harus diatasi, melalui kebijakan penetapan harga jual tebu, yang sekaligus sebagai insentif bagi pekebun untuk meningkatkan produktivitas tebu.</p><p align="center">ABSTRACT</p><p align="center"> </p><p>Sugar production from smallholder farming in Java still has significant contribution to the national sugar production, however, in the last five years the contribution has decreased in line with the decreasing sugar cane area. This condition indicates that the competitiveness or profitability rate is decreasing and lower than other farmings. To improve the competitiveness, government policies are needed in order to assist in relaxing the constraints, both technical and economic constraints. This paper aims to study the technical policies that are expected to overcome the scarcity of resources that are likely to occur; as well as to study the possible incentive policies applied to support the technical policies, through simulations of the pricing of sugar cane and sugar. Alternative technical policies are applied to overcome resource scarcity in land resources, labor, fertilizer, sugar cane seeds and capital. Land scarcity has encouraged the shift of sugarcane cultivation to dry land, with lower productivity potential, so it needs the development of simple irrigation infrastructure. Labor scarcity occurs repeatedly during peak activities hence it is necessary to cultivate sugarcane patterns that allow the application of mechanization. Fertilizer scarcity often occurs because of sugarcane fertilization activities in concurrence with other farmings, so it is necessary to coordinate between related institutions to provide special fertilizer for sugar cane farms. Quality sugar cane seeds are very rare, so it is necessary to simplify the regulation of the classifications of sugarcane seeds, in order the seed production can run. The capital is still scarce and can not be fully fulfilled with the KUR (small scale credit program), so it needs operational policies to improve the access to KUR. In addition, the problem of sugarcane price uncertainty must also be addressed, through the policy of pricing of sugarcane, which also as an incentive for farmers to increase the productivity.</p>