ECUs were well-accepted by persons with spinal cord injuries/disorders (SCI/D) in the inpatient setting, and increased patients' perceptions of independence. To maximise usability and satisfaction, facilities should ensure that comprehensive training on ECU use and features available is offered to all patients, and resources are available for timely troubleshooting and maintenance. Implications for rehabilitation An environmental control unit (ECU) is a form of assistive technology that allows individuals with disabilities (such as spinal cord injuries and disorders [SCI/D]) to control functional and entertainment-related aspects of their environment. ECU use can increase functioning, independence and psychosocial well-being among individuals with SCI/D, by allowing users to reclaim control over day-to-day activities that are otherwise limited by their disability. Our study results indicate that, among persons with SCI/D, ECUs are well-accepted and increase perceptions of independence. To maximise usability and patient satisfaction, facilities should ensure that comprehensive training on how to use ECUs and what features are available is offered to all patients, and resources are available for timely troubleshooting and maintenance.

Introduction Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women and the second most common cause of cancer death among women. There are ways to reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer; however, most eligible women in the United States are neither offered personalized screening nor chemoprevention. Surveys have found that primary care providers are largely unaware of breast cancer risk assessment models or chemoprevention. This survey aims to investigate Veterans Health Administration primary care providers’ comfort level, practice patterns, and knowledge of breast cancer risk assessment and chemoprevention. Materials and Methods An online, Research Electronic Data Capture-generated survey was distributed to VHA providers in internal medicine, family medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology. Survey domains were provider demographics, women’s health experience, comfort level, practice patterns, barriers to using risk models and chemoprevention, and knowledge of chemoprevention. Results Of the 167 respondents, 33.1% used the Gail model monthly or more often and only 2.4% prescribed chemoprevention in the past 2 years. Most VHA primary care providers did not answer chemoprevention knowledge questions correctly. Designated women’s health providers were more comfortable with risk assessment (P < 0.018) and chemoprevention (P < 0.011) and used both breast cancer risk models (P < 0.0045) and chemoprevention more often (P < 0.153). Reported barriers to chemoprevention were lack of education and provider time. Conclusions VHA providers and women Veterans would benefit from a system to ensure that women at increased risk of breast cancer are identified with risk modeling and that risk reduction options, such as chemoprevention, are offered when appropriate. VHA providers requested risk reduction education, which could improve primary care provider comfort level with chemoprevention.

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Simulation tools allow its users to computationally model real-life systems in order to determine their best future outcome. One real-life system that can benefit from simulation is that of the retail industry. This paper describes how simulation can be an effective tool for this type of industry, especially for process improvement projects. In addition, a small case study is presented to demonstrate the use of simulation for a large retailer which needs to improve its unloading and receiving processes. Among the future ideas for research, this paper shows that less obvious methods for process improvement, such as tracking customer loyalty, can be analyzed using simulation to determine which route a retailer should take in order to please its customers. Other topics on this subject are suggested at the conclusion of this paper. INTRODUCTIONDue to the current state of the economy, consumers are now watching their money more than ever. In times like these, normal retail customers are probably not spending as much money as they normally would or they are altogether not making the extra shopping trip. However, there is certainly a lot of room to improve processes in retail companies and, therefore, to make substantial progress; simulation techniques can help retailers improve the performance of their operations. Simulation techniques are capable of mimicking large and complex systems. Even with extremely large amounts of inputs and variables, simulation models do not take long to retrieve findings. This paper discusses articles and journal papers that have used simulation to lead to valuable insights about a retailer and how its operations are run. What makes simulation so powerful is that a retailer can use it for multiple purposes, not to simply figure out how it can lower its prices or increase store profits. The analysis of a simulation model can allow a retailer to schedule its manpower, to control its inventory, to correctly place marketing in the store, and to run its operations more efficiently in addition to many other possible outcomes.In short, simulation is an excellent method for a business to not only look at how its business is currently being run, but also to find opportunities for process improvement or to help fine-tune conclusions within process improvement projects. Most methods that practitioners use for process improvement tend to be mathematically simple and often do not take variability into consideration. This is why simulation can be an effective tool for managers to monitor and improve their daily operations. This paper is about creating a small simulation model based on information given by an important retail chain, which was embarked in a major process improvement project, and finding a way to improve the current operations. By using simulation, the authors are able to explore multiple scenarios for the retailer and recommend an option that would improve its current state. Even though this recommendation might not necessarily be optimal, it is a way for the authors to provide the retaile...