The release of gas in soft ocean sediments associated with the dissociation of gas hydrates was modeled in a geotechnical centrifuge at Texas A&M University (TAW). The use of the centrifuge allowed the simulation of varying sediment and water depth combinations that would have been cost prohibitive in full scale field testing. It also lead to the experimental identification of failure patterns in soft sediments subsequent to hydrate melting. The TAW centrifuge was instrumented, calibrated and modified to accommodate the experiments needs. Features such as pressure sources, miniature pore pressure transducer sand video imaging were mounted on the centrifuge mobile arms. Gas cavities were induced at the bottom of cylindrical soil samples subjected to gravitational fields reaching 100 g-levels. Results showed two predominant types of failure patterns and their dependence on shear strength properties. Experimental findings were confirmed by theoretical formulations. Introduction Gas hydrates are composed of gas molecules trapped in a water lattice. This ice-like crystalline material is also identified as "clathrates" in reference to the Latin word Clathratus that means encaged (Sloan1) further explains that the host structure or hydrogen bonded water molecules surrounds the gas molecule or guest molecule. Gas molecules stabilize the cavities they occupy under a limited range of pressures and temperatures (Makogon2). The occurrence of gas hydrates has been established in several locations around the world through indirect evidence such as geological and geophysical records or through irrefutable evidence such as recovered samples (Kvenvolden et al.3) Several models for gas hydrates dissociation and formation were developed by studying artificially created hydrates under controlled laboratory conditions. These experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential industrial production of gas from hydrates in the solid state and the plugging of high pressure natural gas pipelines. Studied properties included thermal properties such as thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity, electric properties (Tzirita4), seismic wave properties for bottom ocean detection. The recent trend in offshore production towards deep water exploration renewed the interest in gas hydrates research. Indeed, for water depths in excess of 500 m, hydrates can form at seafloors showing 2 to 5°C in temperature. However, the geothermal gradients limit the existence of gas hydrates to a depth where it becomes too hot for them to be stable. In offshore environments, porous or fissured sediments allow the seepage of gases such as methane, propane, etc. from oil reservoirs to shallow sediments depths where temperature and pressure conditions are adequate for the engagement of gas molecules in a water lattice. A subsequent thermodynamic process slowly creates the gas hydrates and can bring disseminated small nodules into layers. These layers can mature to several meters in thickness (Kvenvolden and McDonald5). Installation of offshore production units on such formations allows a constant flow of hot oil to the platform.
PurposeThe purpose of this article is to analyze and compare between the frameworks of performance measurement in primary health care in the world. The subject of search is to compare if the frameworks of performance measurement in primary health care have an influence on performances of health centers.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted a systematic review of the literature to (1) identify the conceptual framework for measuring quality management systems, (2) assess the effects of conceptual framework on quality improvement and quality of care outcomes. We opted for the frameworks that are more cited in the literature and we analyzed and compared between these frameworks.FindingsEight dimensions were identified for assessing performance in Primary Health Care Facilities “PHCF” in more than 50% frameworks: Effectiveness, Safety, Accessibility, Equity, Efficiency, Acceptability, Patient Centeredness and Timeliness.Research limitations/implicationsThe limits of this study can be represented by the following elements: (1) lack of exhaustiveness with regard to the current Frameworks. (2) The evaluation of reliability and validity of the qualitative studies remains difficult to appreciate. (3) Most of the evaluation tools of the primary health care are not validated yet. (4) The difference in performance levels between countries, especially for the developed countries and the multitude of the frames of measure of performance, limits the comparability of the results.Practical implicationsThis study provides a conceptual and descriptive literature on the different conceptual frameworks for performance measurement in primary health care, and a practical and useful tool for comparison between the different conceptual frameworks. Several organisations of accreditation or certification introduced, developed, incorporated and checked the indicators of clinical quality in the organizations of health care. Some studies revealed links with the governance, the access, the continuity, the coordination, the efficiency and the strength primary care (Dionne Kringos, 2018). Improvements in the quality of care have been observed in the results of accreditation and certification bodies regarding hospital infection control infrastructure, organization and performance.Originality/valueEven if the links are not established within the framework of a scientific research, quality approaches are generally recognized as an essential tool to help establishments to improve the quality and the safety of the patients. Until now, it is not still common to make evaluation of the quality of care in the “PHCF” to obtain the relevant information. The necessity of having performance measurement tools, which puts in coherence the piloting of the operational level with the strategy, to integrate the organizational objectives into the measures of operational performances and make estimate its structures towards a real management by the quality.
Over the last 60 years, the Eastern Venezuelan Basin has been heavily explored with giant oil accumulations being developed in such areas as Oficina, Anaco, Quiriquire and the Orinoco Oil Belt in the states of Anzoategui and Monagas. Since 1986, interdisciplinary studies and seismic interpretations have led to discovery of a trend of deep structures on the northern flank of the basin, some of them beneath old early Tertiary producing fields. The first exploratory well, FUL-1, tested 12000 BOPD of 28 ~ API crude. The new reservoirs consist of massive sandstones of the Eocene Caratas Formation and Oligocene Naricual and Los Jabillos Formations between depths of 13 000 and 17 000 feet. The main structures placed in a thrust fold belt as a series of anticlines, extending over 100 km across Northern Monagas; currently four wells are being drilled and six more exploratory wells are planned to be drilled in the new future. To date over 1900 MMBBLS of reserves have been discovered, and possible reserves for the area are close to 8.6 billion BBLS.
Object: The purpose of this article is to analyse and compare the frameworks of performance measurement in primary health care in the world. The objective is to determine whether the frameworks of performance measurement in primary health care have an influence on the performance of health centres. Method: We conducted a systematic review of the literature to: (a) identify a conceptual framework for measuring quality management systems; and (b) assess the effects of the conceptual framework on quality improvement and quality of care outcomes. We chose frameworks highly cited in the literature and analysed and compared these frameworks. Results: Eight dimensions were identified for assessing performance in primary health care facilities (PHCFs) in more than 50% frameworks: effectiveness, safety, accessibility, equity, efficiency, acceptability, patient-centredness and timeliness. Conclusion: Even if the links are not established within the framework of a scientific research, quality approaches are generally recognised as an essential tool to help establishments improve their quality of care and the safety of their patients. Until now, the evaluation of the quality of care in the 'PHCF' is not yet in place, a blatant need for performance measurement tools, relevant information, coherence between the operational and strategic levels, integration of organizational objectives in the measurement of performance in order to direct the structures towards a true management by quality..
Harmful land snails and slugs are currently one of the most important threats facing agriculture in many parts of the world. Synthetic molluscicides are the main control method against these gastropods. However, dangers caused by these chemicals to the environment have led scientists to research for environmentally friendly alternatives. The objective of our work was to test and evaluate food pellets containing roots, stems, leaves or flowers of Euphorbia helioscopia against Theba pisana and Arion hortensis adults. Toxicity of the prepared pellets varied depending on plant organ and mollusc species tested. Pellets made of stems (LD 50 = 1.35 g / 100 ml of agar at 2%) and leaves (LD 50 = 1.39 g / 100 ml of 2% agar) proved more toxic to adult snails than those made of roots and flowers, which had no significant effects. In the case of slugs, pellets made of leaves (LD 50 = 1.14 g / 100 ml of 2% agar) were more toxic than those made of stems (LD 50 = 1.33 g / 100 ml of 2% agar), flowers (LD 50 = 1.75 g / 100 ml of 2% agar) and roots (LD 50 = 1.98 g / 100 ml of 2% agar). Compared to a synthetic product containing metaldehyde 5%, the results show that the use of these molluscicides derived from plants as pellets is environment-and healthconscious, targeted and economical. These products can be used in plant protection against phytophagous slugs and snails.
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