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(1) Background: Workflows are a daily challenge in general practices. The desired smooth work processes and patient flows are not easy to achieve. This study uses an operational research approach to illustrate the general effects of patient arrival and consultation times on waiting times. (2) Methods: Stochastic simulations were used to model complex daily workflows of general practice. Following classical queuing models, patient arrivals, queuing discipline, and physician consultation times are three key factors influencing work processes. (3) Results: In the first scenario, with patients arriving every 7.6 min and random consultation times, the individual patients’ maximum waiting time increased to more than 200 min. The second scenario with random patient arrivals and random consultation times increased the average waiting time by up to 30 min compared to patients arriving on schedule. A busy morning session based on the second scenario was investigated to compare two alternative intervention strategies to reduce subsequent waiting times. Both could reduce waiting times by a multiple for each minute of reduced consultation time. (4) Conclusions: Aiming to improve family physicians’ awareness of strategies for improving workflows, this simulation study illustrates the effects of strategies that address consultation times and patient arrivals.

Taxonomic diagnostic floral structures can be very informative about details of the floral mechanism, promoting baselines for inferences about pollination system. In a number of species in the milkweed tribe Marsdenieae, the already complex basic asclepiad flower structure is further elaborated by the evolution of one morphological novelty: the anther skirt. Since the functional significance of this trait is poorly understood, we investigate its role in the pollination mechanism on Marsdenia megalantha. We tested the phenotypic integration of anther skirt; we described its functional anatomy; we identified and recorded the function of its nectaries; we described and tested in laboratory its contribution to the pollination mechanism; and we studied the pollination effectiveness of this system. The characteristics of an anther skirt are essential in the noctuid pollination of M. megalantha. This is due to its particular morphological and anatomical features related to its ability both to secrete at night and to contain nectar independently from the stigmatic chamber. The skirt also functions coordinately with the corona as a funnel that directs the noctuid legs to gynostegium. Its effectiveness in producing pollination was confirmed by field observations and manipulative experiments. We suggest that nectar offers at night and mechanical adjustment may be applicable to other representatives of the tribe as a feature that determines noctuid pollination, assigning a functional value for the anther skirt beyond the taxonomy.

The aim of this paper was to compare the perioperative and postoperative results of photoselective vaporization of the prostate with the GreenLight-XPS 180 Watt System (PVP) and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). This retrospective study included 140 men who underwent PVP and 114 men who underwent TURP for symptomatic benign prostate enlargement (BPE) between June 2010 and February 2015. The primary outcome measures were the patient reported outcome, operative results, International Prostate Symptom Score-Quality of Life (IPSS-QoL), complication rates, catheterization time, and length of hospital stay. The median follow-up times were 27 months (range 14–44) for the PVP group and 36 months (range 25–47) for the TURP group. The patient characteristics were well balanced in both groups with a median age of 71 years (PVP group) vs. 70 years (TURP group) and a comparable prostate volume (median 50 mL in the PVP group vs. 45 mL in the TURP group). The IPSS-QoL was significantly higher in the PVP group than in the TURP group (median 22 + 4; range 16–27 + 3−5 vs. median 19 + 3; range 15−23 + 3−4; p = 0.02). Men undergoing PVP were more likely to be on anticoagulants (PVP group n = 23; 16% vs. TURP group n = 2; 2%, p < 0.001). The median operation time (OT; min) for both procedures was comparable with 68 min (PVP group; range 53–91) vs. 67 min (TURP group; range 46–85). The rate of severe intraoperative bleeding was significantly lower in the PVP group than in the TURP group (n = 7; 5% vs. n = 16; 14%; p = 0.01). The postoperative catheterization time and length of hospital stay was significantly lower in the PVP group (median 1–2 days; range 1–4) vs. the TURP group (median 2–4 days; range 2–5; both p < 0.001). Complication rates (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥III) based on the follow-up data showed no statistically significant difference between the PVP group and the TURP group (n = 6; 4% vs. n = 6; 5%; p = 0.28). The IPSS on follow-up showed an equivalent reduction in symptoms for both treatment modalities (IPSS-QoL of 5 + 1; range 2–11 + 0−2 for both). There were no differences concerning urge (PVP group n = 3; 2% vs. TURP group n = 3; 3%; p = 0.90) and men were similarly satisfied with the postoperative outcome (PVP group 92% vs. TURP group 87%; p = 0.43). The PVP group was associated with a shorter hospitalization time and showed a reduced risk of bleeding, despite patients remaining on anticoagulants, without increasing the overall operative time. There was no difference in the patient reported outcome for both procedures.