Utilizing Cole-Cole parameters for in-line feedback: Cell culture process adjustments based on cell health.

Tracking the Light Environment by Cyanobacteria and the Dynamic Nature of Light Harvesting

As we pursue the means to improve yields to meet growing therapy demands, it is important to examine the impact of process control on glycosylation patterns to ensure product efficacy and consistency. In this study, we describe a dynamic on-line fed-batch strategy based on low glutamine/glucose concentrations and its impact on cellular metabolism and, more importantly, the productivity and N-glycosylation quality of a model recombinant glycoprotein, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma). We found that low glutamine fed-batch strategy enabled up to 10-fold improvement in IFN-gamma yields, which can be attributed to reduced specific productivity of ammonia and lactate. Furthermore, the low glutamine concentration (0.3 mM) used in this fed-batch strategy could maintain both the N-glycosylation macro- and microheterogeneity of IFN-gamma. However, very low glutamine (<0.1 mM) or glucose (<0.70 mM) concentrations can lead to decreased sialylation and increased presence of minor glycan species consisting of hybrid and high-mannose types. This shows that glycan chain extension and sialylation can be affected by nutrient limitation. In addition to nutrient limitation, we also found that N-glycosylation quality can be detrimentally affected by low culture viability. IFN-gamma purified at low culture viability had both lower sialylation as well as glycans of lower molecular masses, which can be attributed to extensive degradation by intracellular glycosidases released by cytolysis. Therefore, in order to maintain good N-glycosylation quality, there is a need to consider both culture viability and nutrient control setpoint in a nutrient-limiting fed-batch culture strategy. A greater understanding of these major factors that affect N-glycosylation quality would surely facilitate future development of effective process controls.

Continuous manufacturing enables high volumetric productivities of biologics such as monoclonal antibodies. However, it is challenging to maintain both high viable cell densities and productivities at the same time for long culture durations. One of the key controls in a perfusion process is the perfusion rate which determines the nutrient availability and potentially controls the cell metabolism. Cell Specific Perfusion Rate (CSPR) is a feed rate proportional to the viable cell density while Biomass Specific Perfusion Rate (BSPR) is a feed rate proportional to the biomass (cell volume multiply bycell density). In this study, perfusion cultures were run at three BSPRs in the production phase. Low BSPR favored a growth arresting state that led to gradual increase in cell volume, which in turn led to an increase in net perfusion rate proportional to the increase in cell volume. Consequently, at low BSPR, while the cell viability and cell density decreased, high specific productivity of 55 pg per cell per day was achieved. In contrast, the specific productivity was lower in bioreactors operating at a high BSPR. The ability to modulate the cell metabolism by using BSPR was confirmed when the specific productivity increased after lowering the BSPR in one of the bioreactors that was initially operating at a high BSPR. This study demonstrated that BSPR significantly influenced cell growth, metabolism, and productivity in cultures with variable cell volumes.

Monitoring, assessing, and improving company processes is one of the most important and challenging tasks of management. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a well-established means of assessing and managing company processes and performance. In previous publications, we transferred the concept of KPIs to mechatronic products. Here KPIs are calculated based on data generated within the production process. Thus, the KPIs provide information about the current condition of the production process and produced products and enable efficient product and process control. The basis of this approach is a KPI model, which enables the specification of company-specific products, product-specific KPIs, and limits. By structuring the KPIs as a hierarchical system, company goals can be expressed at different levels of abstraction through the KPIs and their limits. Thus, goals are assessable for stakeholders at all management levels, which eases communication and reporting. Furthermore, the hierarchical approach allows for a high degree of transparency regarding the monitored processes and potential bottlenecks. Underperforming KPIs can be explained in more detail by diving into subordinated KPIs, utilizing the provided hierarchy. In this paper, we present a revised, domain-independent version of our KPI model. The revised model allows the definition of company-specific processes, products, and data sources that can be linked to the KPIs. In addition, mechanisms have been implemented to add additional parallel or hierarchical company-related levels, such as teams or company sites. To illustrate this, we show the application of the model in two different domains: Supply chain management and software development. For supply chain management, we consider the supply of parts in the material procurement of a manufacturing company. To ensure smooth production, it is essential that the right components are available and, thus, the so-called Seven-Rights of logistics are guaranteed. At the same time, high availability with other target variables is tangential to high logistical efficiency in a company's procurement and production. In this paper, the component availability is considered as top-level KPI, which consists of subordinated KPIs such as the delivery quantity reliability or the delivery time announced by the supplier. Thus, increased component availability can be achieved and further information, such as supplier quality, can be derived and utilized.For software development, we utilize the KPI model to assess and guide a company's DevOps transformation. DevOps was inspired by agile approaches to manage and improve production processes, such as Lean or the Toyota Way. The DevOps transformation is difficult for most companies, as each company may have different reasons and goals associated with it. Some companies aim to increase their software deployment rate, while others focus on software stability and quality. To support companies with this complex task of changing their development process, as well as parts of their organization's culture, a flexible and unique model is needed. In our example, a DevOps maturity index, based on performance, quality, and organizational KPIs is introduced using our KPI model. Based on this index, the status of the DevOps transformation is monitored and the next steps for the transformation can be derived.

A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a critical metric measuring organizational success or specific activities, reflecting the periodic achievement of operational goals aligned with strategic objectives. A retrospective cross-sectional study of key quality performance indicators, (CQI-NABH) concerning anesthesia and surgical services was conducted at a tertiary care hospital after taking institutional ethical clearance (AIIMS/IEC/21/150). It was as per COP 13, COP 14, and COP 15 standards of NABH 4th edition published in 2015. The study was conducted at the department of anesthesiology at a tertiary care hospital, and data were retrospectively analyzed from 01 October 2019, till November 2020. All patients undergoing elective or emergency surgical procedures under monitored anesthesia care and regional or general anesthesia during the study period were considered.The primary objective was to analyze Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in perioperative services, with secondary goals including gap identification, suggesting corrective actions, and examining quality indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Out of 8574 patients operated during the study, 6705 were in the four months before the pandemic, and 1869 were operated during the COVID-19 scenario. In the pre-COVID era, many of the cases were performed on an elective basis (71.23%), and emergencies constituted 16.9% of the total number of cases. In the COVID era, most of the cases were emergencies (45.4%) and semi-emergencies (40.25%), and elective cases were only 14.05% of the total cases performed. The percentage of modification of anaesthesia plans ranged from 0-3.34%. Adverse anaesthesia events were observed in 0-2.1%, primarily related to cardiovascular, respiratory, and airway issues. No anaesthesia-related mortality was reported. Prophylactic antibiotic administration within one hour of surgery ranged from 88-100%. Monitoring and evaluating healthcare performance, specifically through KPIs, is vital for optimizing care and resource utilization. These indicators provide an overview of hospital service efficiency, aiding in key areas such as patient treatment, satisfaction, healthcare quality improvement, cost reduction, and optimal resource utilization. Addressing identified issues ensures effective and sustainable quality improvement in anaesthesia services, emphasizing ongoing monitoring as a foundation for hospital quality assurance.

High quality data is fundamental to using key performance indicators (KPIs) for performance monitoring. However, the resources required to collect high quality data are often significant and should usually be targeted at high priority areas. As part of a study of 11 emergency department (ED) KPIs in Ireland, the primary objective of this study was to estimate the relative cost of collecting the additional minimum data set (MDS) elements for those 11 KPIs. An economic cost analysis focused on 12 EDs in the Republic of Ireland. The resource use data were obtained using two separate focus group interviews. The number of available MDS elements was obtained from a sample of 100 patient records per KPI per participating ED. Unit costs for all resource use were taken at the midpoint of the relevant staff salary scales. An ED would need to spend an estimated additional &OV0556;3561 per month on average to capture all the MDS elements relevant to the 11 KPIs investigated. The additional cost ranges from 14.8 to 39.2%; this range is 13.9-32.3% for small EDs, whereas the range for medium EDs is 11.7-40%. Regional EDs have a higher additional estimated cost to capture all the relevant MDS elements (&OV0556;3907), compared with urban EDs (&OV0556;3353). The additional cost of data collection, contingent on that already collected, required to capture all the relevant MDS elements for the KPIs examined, ranges from 14.8 to 39.2% per KPI, with variation identified between regional and urban hospitals.

The Attica Tollway Operations Authority KPI Performance System

Released green building evaluation standards for operation stage include a huge number of indicators, which are very comprehensive and systematic. However, the indicators of these standards are very complicated and a large amount of time and manpower are consumed for their evaluation. To evaluate the operational performance of green buildings more practically and efficiently, some studies collect the operational data for part of the indicators (mainly focusing on building energy performance, indoor environmental quality or occupant satisfaction), which are too rough to evaluate the performance of green building. This paper proposed a total of 27 key performance indicators (KPIs) for green building operations monitoring. The number of proposed indicators is much fewer than the evaluation standards, as well as suitable for long-term monitoring, which can dramatically reduce evaluation time and cost. On the other hand, the indicators involving Outdoor environmental quality, Indoor environmental quality, HVAC system, P&amp;D system, Renewable energy system, Total resource consumption and User behavior, which are more comprehensive and systematic than the conventional monitoring studies for operational performance of green building. Firstly, an indicators library for operations monitoring of green building was established based on relevant standards and literature review in this field. Secondly, “SMART” principle and Delphi method were adopted to select the key performance indicators for green building operations monitoring. Different background experts regarding green building industry were chosen to screen the most relevant, accessible and measurable indicators. Subsequently, two projects in China were selected for case study of key performance indicators proposed in this paper for green building operations monitoring to validate the feasibility and advancement.

The importance of data-driven criteria and key performance indicators for the success of civil construction projects has been established. The construction industry thrives on executing projects on time, within budget, and to stringent quality standards. But how do you measure success in such a complex field? This is where criteria and key performance indicators come into play. By tracking the right data points, construction companies can gain insights into their work plans, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately achieve better project outcomes. In the dynamic world of construction, success depends not only on completing projects on time and within budget but also on continuously improving processes and results. To achieve this, construction organizations rely on robust metrics and key performance indicators to effectively measure and track progress. In this article, we will take a closer look at the key criteria and key performance indicators that are crucial for assessing the success of a construction project. Measuring construction project success requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond traditional measurements of time and cost. By utilizing a variety of criteria and key performance indicators, construction organizations can gain a comprehensive understanding of project performance, resource utilization, client satisfaction, and sustainability. The aim of the article is to help construction companies effectively use key performance indicators: to describe the benefits of key performance indicators, including improved decision-making processes and enhanced efficiency. By effectively using these tools, construction professionals can achieve operational excellence, deliver successful projects, and attain long-term business success. By implementing a robust key performance indicator system, construction companies can gain clear insights into how their work plans are performing. This data-driven approach allows for proactive adaptation, improved project outcomes, and long-term success.

After the Olympic Games of 2004, Greece was at the center of dramatic situations and faced serious economic and social problems, especially at the beginning of the 2010s. Initially, the economic and social crisis along with the memorandums and then the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic affected the development of the Greek economy at both macro and micro levels. In recent years, many efforts have been made for the overall recovery and growth of the Greek economy. Seven sub-categories have been formulated by the Greek Ministry of Development and Investment, including multiple modules of modules and actions for the development of the economy. One of these sub-categories refers to sustainable development. Public policies such as the Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Change, Adaptation Planning and others are regarded as key formative actions for any country, let alone Greece. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are applied to monitor policies relating to sustainable development. These targets are the monitoring and key performance indicators of the development strategy for public policies, whose targets monitor and attest to the development strategy course of public policies. The aim of this article is to present, through literature review, the KPIs that are applied domestically and show how they will contribute to the dynamic growth of the Greek economy. The results have turned out to be significantly important and could contribute to the further integration of specialized KPIs in the country's development via the use and exploitation of the natural environment. The development of such secondary KPIs could prove to be a challenge for the environment and climate change disciplines. The topic is crucial and the context of Critical Success Factors (CSF) and KPIs can be used by public and private sector employees, the academic community, and every researcher/theorist working on the specific topic.

Because of high lipid productivity and potential cultivation in non-fertile areas, microalgae has been renowned as a reliable resource for biodiesel production and various high-value bioactive compounds. They can grow rapidly, synthesize, and accumulate large amounts (20-50% of dry weight) of neutral lipids (mainly in the form of triacylglycerol, TAG). The production of lipids, carotenoids, and algal biomass can be enhanced by inducing various environmental stress factors. The present study investigates on effect of nutrient limitation on biomass and lipid production of freshwater microalgae Grasiella sp. and Chlorella sp. under two different conditions of cultivation viz. normal and nutrient limited conditions. Stress was induced in the form of nitrogen and phosphorous deficiency in the cultivation media. Results found that biomass obtained from nutrient-limited conditions was comparatively higher than normal. The dry weight of biomass for Chlorella sp. under normal and nutrient-limited conditions was found to be 0.78 g/L and 0.96 g/L, respectively, and Grasiella sp. 0.48 g/L and 0.8 g/L respectively. FT-IR analysis revealed nutrient limitation influence the change in the biochemical composition in the biomass and varied between the species. Total lipid content for Grasiella sp. KACC 19 under normal and nutrient limited conditions were found to be 0.0131 g/L and 0.0765 g/L, and Chlorella sp. KACC 21 was found to be 0.1125 g/L and 0.2178 g/L respectively. The fatty acid profiling revealed the presence of saturated and MUFA and accumulation of those fatty acids in nutrient-limited condition thereby considered these microalgae as a potential feedstock for the production of biofuel.

The green transport corridor concept represents a cornerstone in the development of integrated and sustainable transport solutions. Important properties of green corridors are their transnational character and their high involvement of large numbers of public and private stakeholders, including political level, requiring sophisticated approaches for implementation, management and governance. The current scientific discussion focusses on Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for monitoring and management of green transport corridor performance emphasizing the operational aspects. The green corridor balanced scorecard approach tried to mitigate the strategic weakness of KPI concept by integrating cooperative and long-term views in order to come closer to a comprehensive green corridor control system. Until now all discussed KPI sets are too small and narrow for a successful implementation of green corridors so there is a need for the development of an user-oriented model for green corridor control systems based on building blocks integrating existing KPI sets. The building block approach for implementation has been successfully used for implementation and simulation in supply chain management. Based on these results the paper will present a holistic control system for successful implementation of green transport corridors based on building blocks integrating recent results about KPIs and balanced scorecards approaches. The research will empirically be verified by empirical results from European green corridor projects.

Neisseria meningitidis strain M986, which possesses a polyanionic sialic acid capsular polysaccharide, was resistant to the bactericidal effects of normal rabbit serum, but sensitive when immune serum and complement were present. An isogenic strain PRM102, deficient in the ability to produce capsular polysaccharide, was sensitive to normal serum. Strain M986, when grown under conditions of low pH or nutrient limitation, synthesized increased levels of capsular polysaccharide. This was accompanied by an increase in cell surface hydrophilicity and virulence for mice. Cells grown in low-pH, iron-limited medium synthesized the highest concentration of polysaccharide and exhibited the highest cell surface hydrophilicity and virulence among the cases examined. The increase in capsular polysaccharide was partly explained by a decrease in the specific activity of a membrane-bound cytidine monophosphate-N acetylneuraminic acid hydrolase. The results suggest that conditions of nutrient limitation and low pH exert profound effects on the physicochemical nature of the meningococcal cell surface which, in turn, cumulate in enhanced virulence of this organism for mice.

Pharmaceutical performance is a critical factor in the hospital operation. Hospital pharmacy activities require retrieving, processing, comparing, and updating the information. Dashboards are new tools that can track key performance indicators by displaying information to managers in order to improve the performance of the hospital pharmacy. We conducted this study to determine the performance indicators of hospital pharmacies in Iran. This qualitative research was conducted in 2016. The participants were hospital pharmacists and hospital managers. A semi-structured questionnaire was constructed to determine key performance indicators of the hospital pharmacy department. The questionnaire was used in face-to-face interviews and focus groups. The data were analyzed using Framework analysis. The indicators comprised three domains, including managerial indicators (satisfaction, education, staffing, and department management), clinical indicators (patient safety), and financial indicators (income, costs, and financial utilization). Traditionally, pharmacy services included provision and distribution of drugs in the hospital; however, today, with an increase in the complexity and diversity of the drugs, hospital pharmacy services include diverse fields beyond clinical affairs. It could be concluded that pharmaceutical performance has a vital role in successful hospital management. Hospital pharmacy management is not possible without monitoring performance indicators.

Chemostats were used to construct nutrient (vitamin B12) and energy budgets for the flagellateMonochrysis(Pavlova lutheri(Droop) Green) under varying conditions of nutrient and light limitation and luxury, the aim being to describe light limitation and luxury in terms analogous to those of the Cell Quota nutrient model. Measurements were made of steady-state dilution rate, biomass, cell quota, cell chlorophylla, cell energy content, dark respiration and photosynthetic efficiency, under low irradiance (&lt;13 W per m2).Cell energy content was 0·54 joules per million cells and was not influenced by growth rate or nutrient/light status. Cell chlorophyllawas 25% less in the nutrient-limited cultures and did not show a clear trend with growth rate except in cultures receiving less than 4·3 W per m2. The effective specific extinction coefficient was 0·12 cm2perμg chlorophyll. The photosynthesis/irradiance relation was linear. The mean slope (= efficiency) in samples from the light-limited chemostats was 0·225 and was independent of dilution rate. Samples from nutrient-limited chemostats showed a much lower slope, which decreased with decreasing dilution rate. These findings were confirmed by the chemostat kinetic data. Dark respiration varied with dilution rate in a hyperbolic manner and was greater in the nutrient- than the light-limited chemostat.Light level had no effect on the subsistence quota when the nutrient was limiting, whereas under light-limiting conditions the subsistence quotas were enlarged in inverse proportion to the incident irradiance, thus showing a threshold rather than multiplicative interaction between light and the nutrient.Energy absorption was very little reduced on nutrient limitation, the great reduction in overall efficiency being associated mainly with the reduction in photosynthetic efficiency.The reciprocal of photosynthetic efficiency was shown to be analogous to a standardized nutrient cell quota, and an analogous coefficient of luxury could be defined as the ratio of the light-limited to nutrient-limited photosynthetic efficiency at the same growth rate. Thus, light limitation and luxury could be described in terms compatible with the nutrient model without having to introduce new concepts, and a practical criterion between light- and nutrient-limitation could be provided.