Diagnosing patient flow issues in the emergency department: an Australasian hospital case study.

Purpose: This study investigates how a hospital can increase the flow of patients through its emergency department by using benchmarking and process improvement techniques borrowed from the manufacturing sector.

Design/methodology/approach: An in-depth case study of an Australasian public hospital utilises rigorous, multi-method data collection procedures with systems thinking to benchmark an emergency department (ED) value stream and identify the performance inhibitors.

Findings: High levels of value stream uncertainty result from inefficient processes and weak controls.

Haptoglobin and C-Reactive Protein-Non-specific Markers for Nursery Conditions in Swine.

A quality concept for production in the pork market includes granting a good health status of pigs from birth to slaughter. This concept is a precondition for animal welfare as well as reducing antibiotic usage in farm animals. The demand for fighting bacterial antimicrobial resistance in humans, animals, and in the environment is one driving force for the development of innovative technical solutions to improve husbandry.

Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) on Heavily Boron-Doped Diamond for Electrode Applications.

Diamond is known as a promising electrode material in the fields of cell stimulation, energy storage (e.g., supercapacitors), (bio)sensing, catalysis, etc.

Laser-assisted transprosthesial coil embolization combined with thrombin injection for treatment of an endoleak type II after endovascular aneurysm repair.

The treatment of endoleaks type II had to be adapted to the anatomy of each individual patient. The laser-assisted perforation of the prosthesis can be an easier method to reach the aneurysm sac directly than using transarterial or translumbar approaches.