• Title/Summary/Keyword: cost Index

Search Result 1,217, Processing Time 0.028 seconds

Application of ELISA for the Detection of Sulfamethazine Residue in Live Cattle

  • Lee, H.J.;Lee, M.H.;Han, In K.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
    • /
    • v.14 no.3
    • /
    • pp.378-381
    • /
    • 2001
  • Sulfamethazine has been widely used in swine for prevention or treatment of infections. Recently, the safety of the drug to consumers has been questioned because of carcinogenic effects. To prevent unwanted drug residues entering the human food chain, both government authorities and industries have established extensive control measures. The demands for reliable, simple, sensitive, rapid and low-cost methods for residue analysis of foods are increasing nowadays. In this study, we established a rapid prediction test for the detection of cattle with violative tissue residues of sulfamethazine. The recommended therapeutic dose of sulfamethazine (withdrawal time, 15 days) was administered to each of 10 cattle. Blood was sampled before drug administration and during the withdrawal period. The concentration of sulfamethazine in plasma, determined by a semi-quantitative ELISA, was compared to that of an internal standard (10 ppb). The absorbance ratio of internal standard to sample (B/Bs) was employed as an index to determine whether drug residues in cattle tissues were negative or positive. That is, a B/Bs ratio less than 1 was considered residue positive and if larger than 1 was considered negative. All 10 plasma samples from non-treated cattle showed negative to sulfamethazine. Sulfamethazine was detected in plasmas of treated cattle until Day 7 of withdrawal period. The present study showed that the semi-quantitative ELISA could be easily adapted in predicting residues of sulfamethazine in live cattle.

Performance Analysis of a Novel Reduced Switch Cascaded Multilevel Inverter

  • Nagarajan, R.;Saravanan, M.
    • Journal of Power Electronics
    • /
    • v.14 no.1
    • /
    • pp.48-60
    • /
    • 2014
  • Multilevel inverters have been widely used for high-voltage and high-power applications. Their performance is greatly superior to that of conventional two-level inverters due to their reduced total harmonic distortion (THD), lower switch ratings, lower electromagnetic interference, and higher dc link voltages. However, they have some disadvantages such as an increased number of components, a complex pulse width modulation control method, and a voltage-balancing problem. In this paper, a novel nine-level reduced switch cascaded multilevel inverter based on a multilevel DC link (MLDCL) inverter topology with reduced switching components is proposed to improve the multilevel inverter performance by compensating the above mentioned disadvantages. This topology requires fewer components when compared to diode clamped, flying capacitor and cascaded inverters and it requires fewer carrier signals and gate drives. Therefore, the overall cost and circuit complexity are greatly reduced. This paper presents modulation methods by a novel reference and multicarrier based PWM schemes for reduced switch cascaded multilevel inverters (RSCMLI). It also compares the performance of the proposed scheme with that of conventional cascaded multilevel inverters (CCMLI). Simulation results from MATLAB/SIMULINK are presented to verify the performance of the nine-level RSCMLI. Finally, a prototype of the nine-level RSCMLI topology is built and tested to show the performance of the inverter through experimental results.

Development and Application of a Performance Prediction Model for Home Care Nursing Based on a Balanced Scorecard using the Bayesian Belief Network (Bayesian Belief Network 활용한 균형성과표 기반 가정간호사업 성과예측모델 구축 및 적용)

  • Noh, Wonjung;Seomun, GyeongAe
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
    • /
    • v.45 no.3
    • /
    • pp.429-438
    • /
    • 2015
  • Purpose: This study was conducted to develop key performance indicators (KPIs) for home care nursing (HCN) based on a balanced scorecard, and to construct a performance prediction model of strategic objectives using the Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). Methods: This methodological study included four steps: establishment of KPIs, performance prediction modeling, development of a performance prediction model using BBN, and simulation of a suggested nursing management strategy. An HCN expert group and a staff group participated. The content validity index was analyzed using STATA 13.0, and BBN was analyzed using HUGIN 8.0. Results: We generated a list of KPIs composed of 4 perspectives, 10 strategic objectives, and 31 KPIs. In the validity test of the performance prediction model, the factor with the greatest variance for increasing profit was maximum cost reduction of HCN services. The factor with the smallest variance for increasing profit was a minimum image improvement for HCN. During sensitivity analysis, the probability of the expert group did not affect the sensitivity. Furthermore, simulation of a 10% image improvement predicted the most effective way to increase profit. Conclusion: KPIs of HCN can estimate financial and non-financial performance. The performance prediction model for HCN will be useful to improve performance.

Field Investigation Work Modeling on Defect Inspecting Step of Defect Consulting in Apartment Building of Korea (공동주택 하자감정을 위한 하자조사단계의 현장조사 업무 모델링)

  • Park, Jun-Mo;Seo, Deok-Suk
    • Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
    • /
    • 2015.11a
    • /
    • pp.87-88
    • /
    • 2015
  • A defect dispute surrounding an apartment building is in constant trouble, a defect consulting is necessary that objective and impartial for solving a defect. The defect dispute about a defect lawsuit is conducted in the order that filling of lawsuit, consulting order, defect inspecting, estimating a repairing cost, writing a consulting report, submitting a consulting report, and decision by court. Of these, a step of defect inspecting is extensively investigated an occurred defect that each defect index and type from each part and place. At this time, it is collected of many data and created many information. For this, it need to organize and manage. The study is a modeling of field investigation work process that second phase of defect inspecting step. A literature study is defined a work until level 2. This study is defined the work until level 3 to 4. In addition, the modeling can do for using a job name, a place to job, a job to do, and a person concerned about defect consulting case. The modeling is expected a contribution of improving a defect consulting process and systematizing a judgment standard.

  • PDF

Damage detection of plate-like structures using intelligent surrogate model

  • Torkzadeh, Peyman;Fathnejat, Hamed;Ghiasi, Ramin
    • Smart Structures and Systems
    • /
    • v.18 no.6
    • /
    • pp.1233-1250
    • /
    • 2016
  • Cracks in plate-like structures are some of the main reasons for destruction of the entire structure. In this study, a novel two-stage methodology is proposed for damage detection of flexural plates using an optimized artificial neural network. In the first stage, location of damages in plates is investigated using curvature-moment and curvature-moment derivative concepts. After detecting the damaged areas, the equations for damage severity detection are solved via Bat Algorithm (BA). In the second stage, in order to efficiently reduce the computational cost of model updating during the optimization process of damage severity detection, multiple damage location assurance criterion index based on the frequency change vector of structures are evaluated using properly trained cascade feed-forward neural network (CFNN) as a surrogate model. In order to achieve the most generalized neural network as a surrogate model, its structure is optimized using binary version of BA. To validate this proposed solution method, two examples are presented. The results indicate that after determining the damage location based on curvature-moment derivative concept, the proposed solution method for damage severity detection leads to significant reduction of computational time compared with direct finite element method. Furthermore, integrating BA with the efficient approximation mechanism of finite element model, maintains the acceptable accuracy of damage severity detection.

Development of Key Indicators for Nurses Performance Evaluation and Estimation of Their Weights for Management by Objectives (목표관리를 적용한 간호사 성과평가 핵심 지표개발과 가중치 산정)

  • Lee, Eun-Hwa;Ahn, Sung-Hee
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
    • /
    • v.40 no.1
    • /
    • pp.69-77
    • /
    • 2010
  • This methodological research was designed to develop performance evaluation key indicators (PEKIs) for management by objectives (MBO) and to estimate their weights for hospital nurses. Methods: The PEKIs were developed by selecting preliminary indicators from a literature review, examining content validity and identifying their level of importance. Data were collected from November 14, 2007 to February 18, 2008. Data set for importance of indicators was obtained from 464 nurses and weights of PEKIs domain was from 453 nurses, who worked for at least 2 yr in one of three hospitals. Data were analyzed using $X^2$-test, factor analysis, and the Analytical Hierarchy Process. Results: Based upon Content Validity Index of .8 or above, 61 indicators were selected from the 100 preliminary indicators. Finally, 40 PEKIs were developed from the 61 indicators, and categorized into 10 domains. The highest weight of the 10 domains was customer satisfaction, which was followed by patient education, direct nursing care, profit increase, safety management, improvement of nursing quality, completeness of nursing records, enhancing competence of nurses, indirect nursing care, and cost reduction, in that order. Conclusion: PEKIs and their weights can be utilized for impartial evaluation and MBO for hospital nurses. Further research to verify PEKIs would lead to successful implementation of MBO.

A Case-control Study of unexpected Readmission in a University Hospital (비예정 재입원의 위험요인에 대한 환자-대조군 연구)

  • Yu, Seung-Hum;Oh, Hyohn-Joo
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
    • /
    • v.32 no.3
    • /
    • pp.289-296
    • /
    • 1999
  • Objectives: This study describes the risk factors affecting the unexpected readmission of 261 patients who were discharged from a university hospital in Seoul. Methods: This case-control study reviewed medical records of inpatients who had been discharged from a hospital between 1 August 1995 and 31 October 1995 after the treatment for general diseases. The cases were 68 patients who were readmitted unexpectedly within 28 days of discharge from an index stay, and the controls were 193 Patients who were discharged without readmission during the study period. Results: Logistic regression analysis results were as follows; Patients who had no operation during their hospital stay were more likely to be readmitted unexpectedly than patients who had operation. Patients who had 1 or 2 parts of their body being involved in treatment were more likely to be readmitted unexpectedly than patients who hand more than 3 parts of their body being involved in treatment. Patients who had complications after surgery were more likely to be readmitted unexpectedly than patients who had no complications. Insufficient discharge planning caused unexpected readmissions. Conclusions: Discharge planning education should be extended to health care providers. And the assessment of discharge planning should be evaluated. Readmission is often necessary for the treatment of related problems of originating from initial hospitalization, which causes cost problems. Unexpected readmission is preventable and the models for readmission can serve as a valuable clinical tool for high risk patients.

  • PDF

Development and Application of TACT Management System (TACT 공정관리 시스템 개발 및 적용 사례)

  • Suh Sang-Wook;Kim Jae-Ho;Kim Sun-Kuk;Kim Chang-Duk;Lee Hyun-Soo
    • Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
    • /
    • v.4 no.4 s.16
    • /
    • pp.145-154
    • /
    • 2003
  • The change in environment of construction industry and the advancement of information technology require the improvement of construction project efficiency. However, construction industry still lacks performance-measuring tools that are the requirements of efficient project management system. In case of the schedule management system, schedule is usually being managed by result-oriented measurements such as completion time, spent cost, and progress rate, which are not good enough to control the overall continuity of work-flow. This research aimed to systemize the overall construction process and to develop the indicators for measuring performance of TACT activities during finishing work period that can contribute to the systemization of TACT management.

Dynamic Analysis for Improvement of Running Stability of Rubber Tired AGT Localization Bogie (고무차륜 경량전철 국산화 대차의 주행안정성 향상을 위한 동특성 해석)

  • Eom, Beom-Gyu;Lee, Hi-Sung
    • Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
    • /
    • v.22 no.4
    • /
    • pp.307-317
    • /
    • 2012
  • The LRT(light rail transit) system, which has medium transport capacity between subway and bus is an advanced transportation system. It has many benefits like chap construction and operational cost down through driverless and flexible route planning. The rubber tired AGT(K-AGT) is a kind of LRT, which has rubber wheels and side guides. The side guides has many advantages, but brings vibration and noise problems from the friction between the guide rail and the wheels. This is the major source for the of passengers' discomfort. The purpose of this paper is to analyze dynamic characteries and running stability of the rubber tired AGT localization bogie if the AGT's speed is increased from 70 km/h to 80 km/h. The current design parameters of bogie suspension, as it is designed, was examined to satisfy the comfort index of the railway vehicle in performance test.

Diagnosis of swine sarcoptic mange(Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis) by ELISA (ELISA를 이용한 돼지 옴 (Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis) 감염증의 진단)

  • Jee, Cha-Ho;Lee, Sam-sun;Chang, Lai-hun
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
    • /
    • v.41 no.4
    • /
    • pp.565-570
    • /
    • 2001
  • The diagnosis of swine sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis) was investigated by ELISA in order to replace current diagnostic methods such as skin scraping, scratching index, or lesion score of dermatitis. The current methods need many efforts and much times and cost much. They can not handle many samples simultaneously. Therefore, in this research we developed ELISA that can handle many samples at a time. The antigens of swine sarcoptic mite were isolated and examined by 12.5% SDS-PAGE and silver staining. The antigenicity of antigen was confirmed by Western blotting using the swine from the artificailly-infested swine with swine sarcoptic mite. The optical density (OD) values of the artificailly-infested positive sera and the naturally-infested positive sera of sows were measured and read in order to confirm the stability of antigens, the reproducibility and validity (sensitivity and specificity) of the manufactured ELISA of swine sarcoptic antigens. In above results, the developed ELISA would be possible to use the diagnostic tool of sarcoptic mange if OD values of piglets, fattening pigs and sows are interpreted reasonably and classified as mange-free and infested.

  • PDF