Purpose: This review mainly aims to identify the lean practice conducted in hospitals, determining what problems lean practice can be helpful to solve in the hospitals. Data sources: Four electronic databases (Scopus, Web of science, Medline, and PubMed) were conducted for searching related literature in this review. Study selection: These studies in the hospitals that related lean healthcare practice and contained outcome variables were included. Data extraction: Related information such as research design, countries, lean tools, outcome variables, results were extracted. Results of data synthesis: 20 eligible articles were identified in this review. There was 20% lean practice being conducted in emergency department of hospitals in this review. Six cases have implemented lean in Brazilian hospitals. There were 12 cases implemented lean practice through Value Stream Mapping. Conclusion: Lean practices were highly valued in Brazilian hospitals, and it was frequently implemented in hospital emergency department. Value Stream Mapping and process mapping were the most commonly used lean tool. Waiting time, lead time and Length of Hospital Stay (LOS) were the primary indicators reflecting improvements in this review.
Since an outbreak of COVID-19 in the late 2019 in Wuhan in China, the pandemic and contagious nature of coronavirus did not spare Nigeria as the most populous Africa nation from being affected. Statistical records have shown that a large number of citizens were affected and overwhelming literature has explored different dimensions of the impacts of COVID-19 in the country. However, there is a less attention in exploring legal, economic, health and ethical impacts of the pandemic on Nigerian children. The paper primarily aims at filling this gap in the existing body of knowledge. Systematic literature review (SLR) and content analysis of secondary data of online peer-reviewed, scholarly articles among others were used as methodology. The findings revealed that, the general economic impact of COVID-19 that affects trade and small & medium scale business activities of parents also directly or indirectly affected their children. The health consequence of COVID-19 affects provision of nutritious foods that would help their balanced diet and growth. It is further noted that the ethical impact of COVID-19 affects their right to education as a result of lockdown during the first phase of the out-break. It is however reiterated that, there has not been adequate legal framework to address the multifarious im-pacts of COVID-19 on the Nigerian children. In conclusion, this paper has novel contribution specifically showing concern for children during the period of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. It is therefore suggested that efforts should be galvanized by the stakeholders in addressing multifarious challenges of the impact of COVID-19 on the Nigerian children as explored in this study.
In this regard the key factor determining the success of the mining industry is the cost of electricity. By understanding the risks associated with crypto mining industry. The method is based on systemic literature review and bibliometric analysis exploring keyword “bitcoin mining”. This review paper studies 50 papers for the period of 2019–2023. The results propose recommendations for crypto miners. Currently, the results confirm that bitcoin mainly depends on the consumption of inexpensive electricity. Consequently, the bitcoin network predominantly uses energy in regions where it is abundant and cannot be stored or exported. Most miners rely on electricity generated from hydroelectric power plants, geysers and geothermal sources, which are not easy to transport or store. Bitcoin will continue to look for such cost-effective and underutilized energy sources, as mining in urban areas or industrial centers will remain financially unviable. If the price of bitcoin stabilizes and a sufficient number of miners enter the market, it is quite possible that in the near future we may witness a fivefold increase in their energy consumption.
Considering the application of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), the separator thickness plays a significant role in determining the weight, volume, and costs of the PEMFC. In addition, thermal management, i.e., temperature distribution is also important for the PEMFC system to obtain higher performance. However, there were few reports investigating the relation between the temperature profile and the power generation characteristics e.g., the current density distribution of PEMFC operated at higher temperatures (HT-PEMFC). This paper aims to study the impact of separator thickness on the temperature profile and the current density profile of HT-PEMFC. The impact of separator thickness on the gases i.e., H2, O2 profile of HT-PEMFC numerically was also studied using CFD software COMSOL Multiphysics in the paper. In the study, the operating temperature and the relative humidity (RH) of the supply gas were varied with the separator thickness of 2.0 mm, 1.5 mm, and 1.0 mm, respectively. The study revealed that the optimum thickness was 2.0 mm to realize higher power generation of HT-PEMFC. The heat capacity of the separator thickness of 2.0 mm was the biggest among the separators investigated in this study, resulting in the dry-up of PEM and catalyst layer was lower compared to the thinner separator thickness. It also clarified the effects of separator thickness of profile gases, e.g., O2, H2O, and current density profile became larger under the higher temperature and the lower RH conditions.
This research explores the implementation of streamlined licensing frameworks and consolidated procedures for promoting renewable energy generation worldwide. An in-depth analysis of the challenges faced by renewable energy developers and the corresponding solutions was identified through a series of industry interviews. The study aims to shed light on the key barriers encountered during project development and implementation, as well as the strategies employed to overcome these obstacles. By conducting interviews with professionals from the renewable energy sector, the research uncovers a range of common challenges, including complex permitting processes, regulatory uncertainties, grid integration issues, and financial barriers. These challenges often lead to project delays, increased costs, and limited investment opportunities, thereby hindering the growth of renewable energy generation. However, the interviews also reveal various solutions and best practices employed by industry stakeholders to address these challenges effectively. These solutions encompass the implementation of streamlined licensing procedures, such as single licenses and one-stop services, to simplify and expedite the permitting process. Additionally, the development of clear and stable regulatory frameworks, collaboration between public and private entities, and improved grid infrastructure were identified as key strategies to overcome regulatory and grid integration challenges. The research findings highlight the importance of collaborative efforts between policymakers, industry players, and other relevant stakeholders to create an enabling environment for renewable energy development. By incorporating the identified solutions and best practices, policymakers can streamline regulatory processes, foster public-private partnerships, and enhance grid infrastructure, thus catalyzing the growth of renewable energy projects.
We analyzed the relationship between nutrient (N and K) parceling and population density on the severity of onion downy mildew under no-tillage fertigation cultivation in the conditions of Alto Vale do Itajaí (Barzil). For this purpose, field trials were conducted in the years 2017, 2018 and 2019, in Ituporanga (Barzil). The treatments corresponded to four population densities (300, 400, 500 and 600 mil plants ha-1) subjected to applications of nitrogen (150 kg N ha-1) and potassium (127.5 kg K2O ha-1) distributed throughout the vegetative cycle of the crop via fertigation on a weekly, biweekly and monthly basis, based on the absorption curve of these nutrients for the cultivar Empasc 352-Bola Precoce. In fertigated no-tillage systems, nutrient (N and K) tranches do not influence the severity of downy mildew. The severity of downy mildew increases linearly with increasing population density, especially from 500 mil plants per ha-1.
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