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Lloyd</title> <meta name="description" content="Search results for: Robert Lloyd"> <meta name="keywords" content="Robert Lloyd"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, minimum-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <link href="https://cdn.waset.org/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" rel="shortcut icon"> <link href="https://cdn.waset.org/static/plugins/bootstrap-4.2.1/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="https://cdn.waset.org/static/plugins/fontawesome/css/all.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="https://cdn.waset.org/static/css/site.css?v=150220211555" rel="stylesheet"> </head> <body> <header> <div class="container"> <nav class="navbar navbar-expand-lg navbar-light"> <a class="navbar-brand" href="https://waset.org"> <img src="https://cdn.waset.org/static/images/wasetc.png" alt="Open Science Research Excellence" title="Open Science Research Excellence" /> </a> <button class="d-block d-lg-none navbar-toggler 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id="custom-search-input"> <div class="input-group"> <i class="fas fa-search"></i> <input type="text" class="search-query" name="q" placeholder="Author, Title, Abstract, Keywords" value="Robert Lloyd"> <input type="submit" class="btn_search" value="Search"> </div> </div> </form> </div> </div> <div class="row mt-3"> <div class="col-sm-3"> <div class="card"> <div class="card-body"><strong>Commenced</strong> in January 2007</div> </div> </div> <div class="col-sm-3"> <div class="card"> <div class="card-body"><strong>Frequency:</strong> Monthly</div> </div> </div> <div class="col-sm-3"> <div class="card"> <div class="card-body"><strong>Edition:</strong> International</div> </div> </div> <div class="col-sm-3"> <div class="card"> <div class="card-body"><strong>Paper Count:</strong> 378</div> </div> </div> </div> <h1 class="mt-3 mb-3 text-center" style="font-size:1.6rem;">Search results for: Robert Lloyd</h1> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">18</span> Self-Selected Intensity and Discounting Rates of Exercise in Comparison with Food and Money in Healthy Adults</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Tamam%20Albelwi">Tamam Albelwi</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Rogers"> Robert Rogers</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Hans-Peter%20Kubis"> Hans-Peter Kubis</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Background: Exercise is widely acknowledged as a highly important health behavior, which reduces risks related to lifestyle diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease. However, exercise adherence is low in high-risk groups and sedentary lifestyle is more the norm than the exception. Expressed reasons for exercise participation are often based on delayed outcomes related to health threats and benefits but also enjoyment. Whether exercise is perceived as rewarding is well established in animal literature but the evidence is sparse in humans. Additionally, the question how stable any reward is perceived with time delays is an important question influencing decision-making (in favor or against a behavior). For the modality exercise, this has not been examined before. We, therefore, investigated the discounting of pre-established self-selected exercise compared with established rewards of food and money with a computer-based discounting paradigm. We hypothesized that exercise will be discounted like an established reward (food and money); however, we expect that the discounting rate is similar to a consumable reward like food. Additionally, we expected that individuals’ characteristics like preferred intensity, physical activity and body characteristics are associated with discount rates. Methods: 71 participants took part in four sessions. The sessions were designed to let participants select their preferred exercise intensity on a treadmill. Participants were asked to adjust their speed for optimizing pleasantness over an exercise period of up to 30 minutes, heart rate and pleasantness rating was measured. In further sessions, the established exercise intensity was modified and tested on perceptual validity. In the last exercise session rates of perceived exertion was measured on the preferred intensity level. Furthermore, participants filled in questionnaires related to physical activity, mood, craving, and impulsivity and answered choice questions on a bespoke computer task to establish discounting rates of their preferred exercise (kex), their favorite food (kfood) and a value-matching amount of money (kmoney). Results: Participants self-selected preferred speed was 5.5±2.24 km/h, at a heart rate of 120.7±23.5, and perceived exertion scale of 10.13±2.06. This shows that participants preferred a light exercise intensity with low to moderate cardiovascular strain based on perceived pleasantness. Computer assessment of discounting rates revealed that exercise was quickly discounted like a consumable reward, no significant difference between kfood and kex (kfood =0.322±0.263; kex=0.223±0.203). However, kmoney (kmoney=0.080±0.02) was significantly lower than the rates of exercise and food. Moreover, significant associations were found between preferred speed and kex (r=-0.302) and between physical activity levels and preferred speed (r=0.324). Outcomes show that participants perceived and discounted self-selected exercise like an established reward (food and money) but was discounted more like consumable rewards. Moreover, exercise discounting was quicker in individuals who preferred lower speeds, being less physically active. This may show that in a choice conflict between exercise and food the delay of exercise (because of distance) might disadvantage exercise as the chosen behavior particular in sedentary people. Conclusion: exercise can be perceived as a reward and is discounted quickly in time like food. Pleasant exercise experience is connected to low to moderate cardiovascular and perceptual strain. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=delay%20discounting" title="delay discounting">delay discounting</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=exercise" title=" exercise"> exercise</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=temporal%20discounting" title=" temporal discounting"> temporal discounting</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=time%20perspective" title=" time perspective"> time perspective</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/86005/self-selected-intensity-and-discounting-rates-of-exercise-in-comparison-with-food-and-money-in-healthy-adults" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/86005.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">270</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">17</span> Implementation of Smart Card Automatic Fare Collection Technology in Small Transit Agencies for Standards Development</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Walter%20E.%20Allen">Walter E. Allen</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20D.%20Murray"> Robert D. Murray</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Many large transit agencies have adopted RFID technology and electronic automatic fare collection (AFC) or smart card systems, but small and rural agencies remain tied to obsolete manual, cash-based fare collection. Small countries or transit agencies can benefit from the implementation of smart card AFC technology with the promise of increased passenger convenience, added passenger satisfaction and improved agency efficiency. For transit agencies, it reduces revenue loss, improves passenger flow and bus stop data. For countries, further implementation into security, distribution of social services or currency transactions can provide greater benefits. However, small countries or transit agencies cannot afford expensive proprietary smart card solutions typically offered by the major system suppliers. Deployment of Contactless Fare Media System (CFMS) Standard eliminates the proprietary solution, ultimately lowering the cost of implementation. Acumen Building Enterprise, Inc. chose the Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (YCIPTA) existing proprietary YCAT smart card system to implement CFMS. The revised system enables the purchase of fare product online with prepaid debit or credit cards using the Payment Gateway Processor. Open and interoperable smart card standards for transit have been developed. During the 90-day Pilot Operation conducted, the transit agency gathered the data from the bus AcuFare 200 Card Reader, loads (copies) the data to a USB Thumb Drive and uploads the data to the Acumen Host Processing Center for consolidation of the data into the transit agency master data file. The transition from the existing proprietary smart card data format to the new CFMS smart card data format was transparent to the transit agency cardholders. It was proven that open standards and interoperability design can work and reduce both implementation and operational costs for small transit agencies or countries looking to expand smart card technology. Acumen was able to avoid the implementation of the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS) which is expensive to develop and costly to operate on a continuing basis. Due to the substantial additional complexities of implementation and the variety of options presented to the transit agency cardholder, Acumen chose to implement only the Directed Autoload. To improve the implementation efficiency and the results for a similar undertaking, it should be considered that some passengers lack credit cards and are averse to technology. There are more than 1,300 small and rural agencies in the United States. This grows by 10 fold when considering small countries or rural locations throughout Latin American and the world. Acumen is evaluating additional countries, sites or transit agency that can benefit from the smart card systems. Frequently, payment card systems require extensive security procedures for implementation. The Project demonstrated the ability to purchase fare value, rides and passes with credit cards on the internet at a reasonable cost without highly complex security requirements. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=automatic%20fare%20collection" title="automatic fare collection">automatic fare collection</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=near%20field%20communication" title=" near field communication"> near field communication</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=small%20transit%20agencies" title=" small transit agencies"> small transit agencies</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=smart%20cards" title=" smart cards"> smart cards</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/63545/implementation-of-smart-card-automatic-fare-collection-technology-in-small-transit-agencies-for-standards-development" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/63545.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">283</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">16</span> Poly (3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene) Prepared by Vapor Phase Polymerization for Stimuli-Responsive Ion-Exchange Drug Delivery</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=M.%20Naveed%20Yasin">M. Naveed Yasin</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Brooke"> Robert Brooke</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Andrew%20Chan"> Andrew Chan</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Geoffrey%20I.%20N.%20Waterhouse"> Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Drew%20Evans"> Drew Evans</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Darren%20Svirskis"> Darren Svirskis</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Ilva%20D.%20Rupenthal"> Ilva D. Rupenthal</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is a robust conducting polymer (CP) exhibiting high conductivity and environmental stability. It can be synthesized by either chemical, electrochemical or vapour phase polymerization (VPP). Dexamethasone sodium phosphate (dexP) is an anionic drug molecule which has previously been loaded onto PEDOT as a dopant via electrochemical polymerisation; however this technique requires conductive surfaces from which polymerization is initiated. On the other hand, VPP produces highly organized biocompatible CP structures while polymerization can be achieved onto a range of surfaces with a relatively straight forward scale-up process. Following VPP of PEDOT, dexP can be loaded and subsequently released via ion-exchange. This study aimed at preparing and characterising both non-porous and porous VPP PEDOT structures including examining drug loading and release via ion-exchange. Porous PEDOT structures were prepared by first depositing a sacrificial polystyrene (PS) colloidal template on a substrate, heat curing this deposition and then spin coating it with the oxidant solution (iron tosylate) at 1500 rpm for 20 sec. VPP of both porous and non-porous PEDOT was achieved by exposing to monomer vapours in a vacuum oven at 40 mbar and 40 °C for 3 hrs. Non-porous structures were prepared similarly on the same substrate but without any sacrificial template. Surface morphology, compositions and behaviour were then characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) respectively. Drug loading was achieved by 50 CV cycles in a 0.1 M dexP aqueous solution. For drug release, each sample was exposed to 20 mL of phosphate buffer saline (PBS) placed in a water bath operating at 37 °C and 100 rpm. Film was stimulated (continuous pulse of ± 1 V at 0.5 Hz for 17 mins) while immersed into PBS. Samples were collected at 1, 2, 6, 23, 24, 26 and 27 hrs and were analysed for dexP by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC Agilent 1200 series). AFM and SEM revealed the honey comb nature of prepared porous structures. XPS data showed the elemental composition of the dexP loaded film surface, which related well with that of PEDOT and also showed that one dexP molecule was present per almost three EDOT monomer units. The reproducible electroactive nature was shown by several cycles of reduction and oxidation via CV. Drug release revealed success in drug loading via ion-exchange, with stimulated porous and non-porous structures exhibiting a proof of concept burst release upon application of an electrical stimulus. A similar drug release pattern was observed for porous and non-porous structures without any significant statistical difference, possibly due to the thin nature of these structures. To our knowledge, this is the first report to explore the potential of VPP prepared PEDOT for stimuli-responsive drug delivery via ion-exchange. The produced porous structures were ordered and highly porous as indicated by AFM and SEM. These porous structures exhibited good electroactivity as shown by CV. Future work will investigate porous structures as nano-reservoirs to increase drug loading while sealing these structures to minimize spontaneous drug leakage. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=PEDOT%20for%20ion-exchange%20drug%20delivery" title="PEDOT for ion-exchange drug delivery">PEDOT for ion-exchange drug delivery</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=stimuli-responsive%20drug%20delivery" title=" stimuli-responsive drug delivery"> stimuli-responsive drug delivery</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=template%20based%20porous%20PEDOT%20structures" title=" template based porous PEDOT structures"> template based porous PEDOT structures</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=vapour%20phase%20polymerization%20of%20PEDOT" title=" vapour phase polymerization of PEDOT"> vapour phase polymerization of PEDOT</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/53346/poly-34-ethylenedioxythiophene-prepared-by-vapor-phase-polymerization-for-stimuli-responsive-ion-exchange-drug-delivery" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/53346.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">231</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">15</span> A Next-Generation Pin-On-Plate Tribometer for Use in Arthroplasty Material Performance Research</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Lewis%20J.%20Woollin">Lewis J. Woollin</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20I.%20Davidson"> Robert I. Davidson</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Paul%20Watson"> Paul Watson</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Philip%20J.%20Hyde"> Philip J. Hyde</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Introduction: In-vitro testing of arthroplasty materials is of paramount importance when ensuring that they can withstand the performance requirements encountered in-vivo. One common machine used for in-vitro testing is a pin-on-plate tribometer, an early stage screening device that generates data on the wear characteristics of arthroplasty bearing materials. These devices test vertically loaded rotating cylindrical pins acting against reciprocating plates, representing the bearing surfaces. In this study, a pin-on-plate machine has been developed that provides several improvements over current technology, thereby progressing arthroplasty bearing research. Historically, pin-on-plate tribometers have been used to investigate the performance of arthroplasty bearing materials under conditions commonly encountered during a standard gait cycle; nominal operating pressures of 2-6 MPa and an operating frequency of 1 Hz are typical. There has been increased interest in using pin-on-plate machines to test more representative in-vivo conditions, due to the drive to test 'beyond compliance', as well as their testing speed and economic advantages over hip simulators. Current pin-on-plate machines do not accommodate the increased performance requirements associated with more extreme kinematic conditions, therefore a next-generation pin-on-plate tribometer has been developed to bridge the gap between current technology and future research requirements. Methodology: The design was driven by several physiologically relevant requirements. Firstly, an increased loading capacity was essential to replicate the peak pressures that occur in the natural hip joint during running and chair-rising, as well as increasing the understanding of wear rates in obese patients. Secondly, the introduction of mid-cycle load variation was of paramount importance, as this allows for an approximation of the loads present in a gait cycle to be applied and to test the fatigue properties of materials. Finally, the rig must be validated against previous-generation pin-on-plate and arthroplasty wear data. Results: The resulting machine is a twelve station device that is split into three sets of four stations, providing an increased testing capacity compared to most current pin-on-plate tribometers. The loading of the pins is generated using a pneumatic system, which can produce contact pressures of up to 201 MPa on a 3.2 mm² round pin face. This greatly exceeds currently achievable contact pressures in literature and opens new research avenues such as testing rim wear of mal-positioned hip implants. Additionally, the contact pressure of each set can be changed independently of the others, allowing multiple loading conditions to be tested simultaneously. Using pneumatics also allows the applied pressure to be switched ON/OFF mid-cycle, another feature not currently reported elsewhere, which allows for investigation into intermittent loading and material fatigue. The device is currently undergoing a series of validation tests using Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight-Polyethylene pins and 316L Stainless Steel Plates (polished to a Ra < 0.05 µm). The operating pressures will be between 2-6 MPa, operating at 1 Hz, allowing for validation of the machine against results reported previously in the literature. The successful production of this next-generation pin-on-plate tribometer will, following its validation, unlock multiple previously unavailable research avenues. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=arthroplasty" title="arthroplasty">arthroplasty</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=mechanical%20design" title=" mechanical design"> mechanical design</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=pin-on-plate" title=" pin-on-plate"> pin-on-plate</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=total%20joint%20replacement" title=" total joint replacement"> total joint replacement</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=wear%20testing" title=" wear testing"> wear testing</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/108967/a-next-generation-pin-on-plate-tribometer-for-use-in-arthroplasty-material-performance-research" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/108967.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">94</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">14</span> A Bioinspired Anti-Fouling Coating for Implantable Medical Devices</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Natalie%20Riley">Natalie Riley</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Anita%20Quigley"> Anita Quigley</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20M.%20I.%20Kapsa"> Robert M. I. Kapsa</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=George%20W.%20Greene"> George W. Greene</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> As the fields of medicine and bionics grow rapidly in technological advancement, the future and success of it depends on the ability to effectively interface between the artificial and the biological worlds. The biggest obstacle when it comes to implantable, electronic medical devices, is maintaining a ‘clean’, low noise electrical connection that allows for efficient sharing of electrical information between the artificial and biological systems. Implant fouling occurs with the adhesion and accumulation of proteins and various cell types as a result of the immune response to protect itself from the foreign object, essentially forming an electrical insulation barrier that often leads to implant failure over time. Lubricin (LUB) functions as a major boundary lubricant in articular joints, a unique glycoprotein with impressive anti-adhesive properties that self-assembles to virtually any substrate to form a highly ordered, ‘telechelic’ polymer brush. LUB does not passivate electroactive surfaces which makes it ideal, along with its innate biocompatibility, as a coating for implantable bionic electrodes. It is the aim of the study to investigate LUB’s anti-fouling properties and its potential as a safe, bioinspired material for coating applications to enhance the performance and longevity of implantable medical devices as well as reducing the frequency of implant replacement surgeries. Native, bovine-derived LUB (N-LUB) and recombinant LUB (R-LUB) were applied to gold-coated mylar surfaces. Fibroblast, chondrocyte and neural cell types were cultured and grown on the coatings under both passive and electrically stimulated conditions to test the stability and anti-adhesive property of the LUB coating in the presence of an electric field. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays were conducted as a directly proportional cell population count on each surface along with immunofluorescent microscopy to visualize cells. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc Tukey’s test was used to test for statistical significance. Under both passive and electrically stimulated conditions, LUB significantly reduced cell attachment compared to bare gold. Comparing the two coating types, R-LUB reduced cell attachment significantly compared to its native counterpart. Immunofluorescent micrographs visually confirmed LUB’s antiadhesive property, R-LUB consistently demonstrating significantly less attached cells for both fibroblasts and chondrocytes. Preliminary results investigating neural cells have so far demonstrated that R-LUB has little effect on reducing neural cell attachment; the study is ongoing. Recombinant LUB coatings demonstrated impressive anti-adhesive properties, reducing cell attachment in fibroblasts and chondrocytes. These findings and the availability of recombinant LUB brings into question the results of previous experiments conducted using native-derived LUB, its potential not adequately represented nor realized due to unknown factors and impurities that warrant further study. R-LUB is stable and maintains its anti-fouling property under electrical stimulation, making it suitable for electroactive surfaces. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=anti-fouling" title="anti-fouling">anti-fouling</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=bioinspired" title=" bioinspired"> bioinspired</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=cell%20attachment" title=" cell attachment"> cell attachment</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=lubricin" title=" lubricin"> lubricin</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/111652/a-bioinspired-anti-fouling-coating-for-implantable-medical-devices" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/111652.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">124</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">13</span> Solar-Electric Pump-out Boat Technology: Impacts on the Marine Environment, Public Health, and Climate Change</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Joy%20Chiu">Joy Chiu</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Colin%20Hemez"> Colin Hemez</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Emma%20Ryan"> Emma Ryan</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Jia%20Sun"> Jia Sun</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Dubrow"> Robert Dubrow</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Michael%20Pascucilla"> Michael Pascucilla</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The popularity of recreational boating is on the rise in the United States, which raises numerous national-level challenges in the management of air and water pollution, aquatic habitat destruction, and waterway access. The need to control sewage discharge from recreational vessels underlies all of these challenges. The release of raw human waste into aquatic environments can lead to eutrophication and algal blooms; can increase human exposure to pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and parasites; can financially impact commercial shellfish harvest/fisheries and marine bathing areas; and can negatively affect access to recreational and/or commercial waterways to the detriment of local economies. Because of the damage that unregulated sewage discharge can do to environments and human health/marine life, recreational vessels in the United States are required by law to 'pump-out' sewage from their holding tanks into sewage treatment systems in all designated 'no discharge areas'. Many pump-out boats, which transfer waste out of recreational vessels, are operated and maintained using funds allocated through the Federal Clean Vessel Act (CVA). The East Shore District Health Department of Branford, Connecticut is protecting this estuary by pioneering the design and construction of the first-in-the-nation zero-emissions, the solar-electric pump-out boat of its size to replace one of its older traditional gasoline-powered models through a Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection CVA Grant. This study, conducted in collaboration with the East Shore District Health Department, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, States Organization for Boating Access and Connecticut’s CVA program coordinators, had two aims: (1) To perform a national assessment of pump-out boat programs, supplemented by a limited international assessment, to establish best pump-out boat practices (regardless of how the boat is powered); and (2) to estimate the cost, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental and public health impacts of solar-electric versus traditional gasoline-powered pump-out boats. A national survey was conducted of all CVA-funded pump-out program managers and selected pump-out boat operators to gauge best practices; costs associated with gasoline-powered pump-out boat operation and management; and the regional, cultural, and policy-related issues that might arise from the adoption of solar-electric pump-out boat technology. We also conducted life-cycle analyses of gasoline-powered and solar-electric pump-out boats to compare their greenhouse gas emissions; production of air, soil and water pollution; and impacts on human health. This work comprises the most comprehensive study into pump-out boating practices in the United States to date, in which information obtained at local, state, national, and international levels is synthesized. This study aims to enable CVA programs to make informed recommendations for sustainable pump-out boating practices and identifies the challenges and opportunities that remain for the wide adoption of solar-electric pump-out boat technology. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=pump-out%20boat" title="pump-out boat">pump-out boat</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=marine%20water" title=" marine water"> marine water</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=solar-electric" title=" solar-electric"> solar-electric</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=zero%20emissions" title=" zero emissions"> zero emissions</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/93883/solar-electric-pump-out-boat-technology-impacts-on-the-marine-environment-public-health-and-climate-change" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/93883.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">128</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">12</span> Use of Pheromones, Active Surveillance and Treated Cattle to Prevent the Establishment of the Tropical Bont Tick in Puerto Rico and the Americas</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Miller">Robert Miller</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Fred%20Soltero"> Fred Soltero</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Sandra%20Allan"> Sandra Allan</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Denise%20Bonilla"> Denise Bonilla</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The Tropical Bont Tick (TBT), Amblyomma variegatum, was introduced to the Caribbean in the mid-1700s. Since it has spread throughout the Caribbean dispersed by cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis). Tropical Bont Ticks vector many pathogens to livestock and humans. However, only the livestock diseases heartwater, Ehrlichia (Cowdria) ruminantium, and dermatophilosis, Dermatophilus congolensis, are associated with TBT in the Caribbean. African tick bite fever (Rickettsia africae) is widespread in Caribbean TBT but human cases are rare. The Caribbean Amblyomma Programme (CAP) was an effort led by the Food and Agricultural Organization to eradicate TBTs from participating islands. This 10-year effort successfully eradicated TBT from many islands. However, most are reinfested since its termination. Pheromone technology has been developed to aid in TBT control. Although not part of the CAP treatment scheme, this research established that pheromones in combination with pesticide greatly improves treatment efficiencies. Additionally, pheromone combined with CO₂ traps greatly improves active surveillance success. St. Croix has a history of TBT outbreaks. Passive surveillance detected outbreaks in 2016 and in May of 2021. Surveillance efforts are underway to determine the extent of TBT on St Croix. Puerto Rico is the next island in the archipelago and is at a greater risk of re-infestation due to active outbreaks in St Croix. Tropical Bont Ticks were last detected in Puerto Rico in the 1980s. The infestation started on the small Puerto Rican island of Vieques, the closest landmass to St Croix, and spread to the main island through cattle movements. This infestation was eradicated with the help of the Tropical Cattle Tick (TCT), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, eradication program. At the time, large percentages of Puerto Rican cattle were treated for ticks along with the necessary material and manpower mobilized for the effort. Therefore, a shift of focus from the TCT to TBT prevented its establishment in Puerto Rico. Currently, no large-scale treatment of TCTs occurs in Puerto Rico. Therefore, the risk of TBT establishment is now greater than it was in the 1980s. From Puerto Rico, the risk of TBT movement to the American continent increases significantly. The establishment of TBTs in the Americas would cause $1.2 billion USD in losses to the livestock industry per year. The USDA Agricultural Research Service recently worked with the USDA Animal Health Inspection Service and the Puerto Rican Department of Agriculture to modernize the management of the TCT. This modernized program uses safer pesticides and has successfully been used to eradicate pesticide-susceptible and -resistant ticks throughout the island. The objective of this work is to prevent the infestation of Puerto Rico by TBTs by combining the current TCT management efforts with TBT surveillance in Vieques. The combined effort is designed to eradicate TCT from Vieques while using the treated cattle as trap animals for TBT using pheromone impregnated tail tags attached to treated animals. Additionally, active surveillance using CO₂-baited traps combined with pheromone will be used to actively survey the environment for free-living TBT. Knowledge gained will inform TBT control efforts in St. Croix. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Amblyomma%20variegatum" title="Amblyomma variegatum">Amblyomma variegatum</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=caribbean" title=" caribbean"> caribbean</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=eradication" title=" eradication"> eradication</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Rhipicephalus%20%28boophilus%29%20microplus" title=" Rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus"> Rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=pheromone" title=" pheromone"> pheromone</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/139758/use-of-pheromones-active-surveillance-and-treated-cattle-to-prevent-the-establishment-of-the-tropical-bont-tick-in-puerto-rico-and-the-americas" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/139758.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">174</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">11</span> Invisible to Invaluable - How Social Media is Helping Tackle Stigma and Discrimination Against Informal Waste Pickers of Bengaluru</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Varinder%20Kaur%20Gambhir">Varinder Kaur Gambhir</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Neema%20Gupta"> Neema Gupta</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Sonal%20Tickoo%20Chaudhuri"> Sonal Tickoo Chaudhuri</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Bengaluru, a rapidly growing metropolis in India, with a population of 12.5 million citizens, generates 5,757 metric tonnes of solid waste per day. Despite their invaluable contribution to waste management, society and the economy, waste pickers face significant stigma, suspicion and contempt and are left with a sense of shame about their work. In this context, BBC Media Action was funded by the H&M Foundation to develop a 3-year multi-phase social media campaign to shift perceptions of waste picking and informal waste pickers amongst the Bengaluru population. Research has been used to inform project strategy and adaptation, at all stages. Formative research to inform campaign strategy used mixed methods– 14 focused group discussions followed by 406 online surveys – to explore people’s knowledge of, and attitudes towards waste pickers, and identify potential barriers and motivators to changing perceptions. Use of qualitative techniques like metaphor maps (using bank of pictures rather than direct questions to understand mindsets) helped establish the invisibility of informal waste pickers, and the quantitative research enabled audience segmentation based on attitudes towards informal waste pickers. To pretest the campaign idea, eight I-GDs (individual interaction followed by group discussions) were conducted to allow interviewees to first freely express their feelings individually, before discussing in a group. Robert Plucthik’s ‘wheel of emotions’ was used to understand audience’s emotional response to the content. A robust monitoring and evaluation is being conducted (baseline and first phase of monitoring already completed) using a rotating longitudinal panel of 1,800 social media users (exposed and unexposed to the campaign), recruited face to face and representative of the social media universe of Bengaluru city. In addition, qualitative in-depth interviews are being conducted after each phase to better understand change drivers. The research methodology and ethical protocols for impact evaluation have been independently reviewed by an Institutional Review Board. Formative research revealed that while waste on the streets is visible and is of concern to the public, informal waste pickers are virtually ‘invisible’, for most people in Bengaluru Pretesting research revealed that the creative outputs evoked emotions like acceptance and gratitude towards waste-pickers, suggesting that the content had the potential to encourage attitudinal change. After the first phase of campaign, social media analytics show that #Invaluables content reached at least 2.6 million unique people (21% of the Bengaluru population) through Facebook and Instagram. Further, impact monitoring results show significant improvements in spontaneous awareness of different segments of informal waste pickers ( such as sorters at scrap shops or dry waste collection centres -from 10% at baseline to 16% amongst exposed and no change amongst unexposed), recognition that informal waste pickers help the environment (71% at baseline to 77% among exposed and no change among unexposed) and greater discussion about informal waste pickers among those exposed (60%) as against not exposed (49%). Using the insights from this research, the planned social media intervention is designed to increase the visibility of and appreciation for the work of waste pickers in Bengaluru, supporting a more inclusive society. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=awareness" title="awareness">awareness</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=discussion" title=" discussion"> discussion</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=discrimination" title=" discrimination"> discrimination</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=informal%20waste%20pickers" title=" informal waste pickers"> informal waste pickers</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=invisibility" title=" invisibility"> invisibility</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=social%20media%20campaign" title=" social media campaign"> social media campaign</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=waste%20management" title=" waste management"> waste management</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/153128/invisible-to-invaluable-how-social-media-is-helping-tackle-stigma-and-discrimination-against-informal-waste-pickers-of-bengaluru" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/153128.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">107</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">10</span> Made on Land, Ends Up in the Water "I-Clare" Intelligent Remediation System for Removal of Harmful Contaminants in Water using Modified Reticulated Vitreous Carbon Foam</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Sabina%20%C5%BBo%C5%82%C4%99dowska">Sabina Żołędowska</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Tadeusz%20Ossowski"> Tadeusz Ossowski</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Bogdanowicz"> Robert Bogdanowicz</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Jacek%20Ryl"> Jacek Ryl</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Pawe%C5%82%20Rostkowski"> Paweł Rostkowski</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Micha%C5%82%20Kruczkowski"> Michał Kruczkowski</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Micha%C5%82%20Sobaszek"> Michał Sobaszek</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Zofia%20Cebula"> Zofia Cebula</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Grzegorz%20Skowierzak"> Grzegorz Skowierzak</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Pawe%C5%82%20Jak%C3%B3bczyk"> Paweł Jakóbczyk</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Lilit%20Hovhannisyan"> Lilit Hovhannisyan</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Pawe%C5%82%20%C5%9Alepski"> Paweł Ślepski</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Iwona%20Kaczmarczyk"> Iwona Kaczmarczyk</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Mattia%20Pierpaoli"> Mattia Pierpaoli</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Bart%C5%82omiej%20Dec"> Bartłomiej Dec</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Dawid%20Nidzworski"> Dawid Nidzworski</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The circular economy of water presents a pressing environmental challenge in our society. Water contains various harmful substances, such as drugs, antibiotics, hormones, and dioxides, which can pose silent threats. Water pollution has severe consequences for aquatic ecosystems. It disrupts the balance of ecosystems by harming aquatic plants, animals, and microorganisms. Water pollution poses significant risks to human health. Exposure to toxic chemicals through contaminated water can have long-term health effects, such as cancer, developmental disorders, and hormonal imbalances. However, effective remediation systems can be implemented to remove these contaminants using electrocatalytic processes, which offer an environmentally friendly alternative to other treatment methods, and one of them is the innovative iCLARE system. The project's primary focus revolves around a few main topics: Reactor design and construction, selection of a specific type of reticulated vitreous carbon foams (RVC), analytical studies of harmful contaminants parameters and AI implementation. This high-performance electrochemical reactor will be build based on a novel type of electrode material. The proposed approach utilizes the application of reticulated vitreous carbon foams (RVC) with deposited modified metal oxides (MMO) and diamond thin films. The following setup is characterized by high surface area development and satisfactory mechanical and electrochemical properties, designed for high electrocatalytic process efficiency. The consortium validated electrode modification methods that are the base of the iCLARE product and established the procedures for the detection of chemicals detection: - deposition of metal oxides WO3 and V2O5-deposition of boron-doped diamond/nanowalls structures by CVD process. The chosen electrodes (porous Ferroterm electrodes) were stress tested for various parameters that might occur inside the iCLARE machine–corosis, the long-term structure of the electrode surface during electrochemical processes, and energetic efficacy using cyclic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (before and after electrolysis) and dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (DEIS). This tool allows real-time monitoring of the changes at the electrode/electrolyte interphase. On the other hand, the toxicity of iCLARE chemicals and products of electrolysis are evaluated before and after the treatment using MARA examination (IBMM) and HPLC-MS-MS (NILU), giving us information about the harmfulness of using electrode material and the efficiency of iClare system in the disposal of pollutants. Implementation of data into the system that uses artificial intelligence and the possibility of practical application is in progress (SensDx). <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=waste%20water%20treatement" title="waste water treatement">waste water treatement</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=RVC" title=" RVC"> RVC</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=electrocatalysis" title=" electrocatalysis"> electrocatalysis</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=paracetamol" title=" paracetamol"> paracetamol</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/168387/made-on-land-ends-up-in-the-water-i-clare-intelligent-remediation-system-for-removal-of-harmful-contaminants-in-water-using-modified-reticulated-vitreous-carbon-foam" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/168387.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">88</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">9</span> La0.80Ag0.15MnO3 Magnetic Nanoparticles for Self-Controlled Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Marian%20Mihalik">Marian Mihalik</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Kornel%20Csach"> Kornel Csach</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Martin%20Kovalik"> Martin Kovalik</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Mat%C3%BA%C5%A1%20Mihalik"> Matúš Mihalik</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Martina%20Kubov%C4%8D%C3%ADkov%C3%A1"> Martina Kubovčíková</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Maria%20Zentkov%C3%A1"> Maria Zentková</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Martin%20Vavra"> Martin Vavra</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Vladim%C3%ADr%20Girman"> Vladimír Girman</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Jaroslav%20Brian%C4%8Din"> Jaroslav Briančin</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Marija%20Perovic"> Marija Perovic</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Marija%20Bo%C5%A1kovic"> Marija Boškovic</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Magdalena%20Fitta"> Magdalena Fitta</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Pelka"> Robert Pelka</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Current nanomaterials for use in biomedicine are based mainly on iron oxides and on present knowledge on magnetic nanostructures. Manganites can represent another material which can be used optionally. Manganites and their unique electronic properties have been extensively studied in the last decades not only due to fundamental interest but to possible applications of colossal magnetoresistance, magnetocaloric effect, and ferroelectric properties. It was found that the oxygen-reduction reaction on perovskite oxide is intimately connected with metal ion e.g., orbital occupation. The effect of oxygen deviation from the stoichiometric composition on crystal structure was studied very carefully by many authors on LaMnO₃. Depending on oxygen content, the crystal structure changes from orthorhombic one to rhombohedric for oxygen content 3.1. In the case of hole-doped manganites, the change from the orthorhombic crystal structure, which is typical for La1-xCaxMnO3 based manganites, to the rhombohedric crystal structure (La1-xMxMnO₃ where M = K, Ag, and Sr based materials) results in an enormous increase of the Curie temperature. In our paper, we study the effect of oxygen content on crystal structure, thermal, and magnetic properties (including magnetocaloric effect) of La1-xAgxMnO₃nano particle system. The content of oxygen in samples was tuned by heat treatment in different thermal regimes and in various environment (air, oxygen, argon). Water nanosuspensions based on La0.80Ag0.15MnO₃ magnetic particles with the Curie temperature of about 43oC were prepared by two different approaches. First, by using a laboratory circulation mill for milling of powder in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and subsequent centrifugation. Second nanosuspension was prepared using an agate bowl, etching in citric acid and HNO3, ultrasound homogeniser, centrifugation, and dextran 40 kDA or 15 kDA as surfactant. Electrostatic stabilisation obtained by the first approach did not offer long term kinetic and aggregation colloidal stability and was unable to compensate for attractive forces between particles under a magnetic field. By the second approach, we prepared suspension oversaturated by dextran 40 kDA for steric stabilisation, with evidence of the presence of superparamagnetic behaviour. Low concentration of nanoparticles and not ideal coverage of nanoparticles impacting the stability of ferrofluids was the disadvantage of this approach. Strong steric stabilisation was observable at alcaic conditions under pH = ~10. Application of dextran 15 kDA leads to relatively stable ferrofluid with pH around physiological conditions, but desegregation of powder by HNO₃ was not effective enough, and the average size of fragments was to large of about 150 nm, and we did not see any signature of superparamagnetic behaviour. The prepared ferrofluids were characterised by scanning and transition microscope method, thermogravimetry, magnetization, and AC susceptibility measurements. Specific Absorption Rate measurements were undertaken on powder as well on ferrofluids in order to estimate the potential application of La₀.₈₀Ag₀.₁₅MnO₃ magnetic particles based ferrofluid for hyperthermia. Our complex study contains an investigation of biocompatibility and potential biohazard of this material. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=manganites" title="manganites">manganites</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=magnetic%20nanoparticles" title=" magnetic nanoparticles"> magnetic nanoparticles</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=oxygen%20content" title=" oxygen content"> oxygen content</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=magnetic%20phase%20transition" title=" magnetic phase transition"> magnetic phase transition</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=magnetocaloric%20effect" title=" magnetocaloric effect"> magnetocaloric effect</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=ferrofluid" title=" ferrofluid"> ferrofluid</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=hyperthermia" title=" hyperthermia"> hyperthermia</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/155810/la080ag015mno3-magnetic-nanoparticles-for-self-controlled-magnetic-fluid-hyperthermia" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/155810.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">89</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">8</span> Evolution of Fluvial-Deltaic System Recorded in Accumulation of Organic Material: From the Example of the Kura River in the South Caspian Basin</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Dadash%20Huseynov">Dadash Huseynov</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Elmira%20Aliyeva"> Elmira Aliyeva</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Hoogendoorn"> Robert Hoogendoorn</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Salomon%20Kroonenberg"> Salomon Kroonenberg</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The study of organic material in bottom sediments together with lithologic and biostratigraphic data improves our understanding of the evolution of fluvial and deltaic systems. The modern Kura River delta is located in the Southwest Caspian Sea and is fluvial-dominated. The river distributes its sediment load through three channels oriented North-East, South-East, and South-West. The offshore modern delta consists of thinly bedded or laminated silty clays and dark grey clays. Locally sand and shell-rich horizons occur. Onshore delta is composed of channel-levee sands and floodplain silts and clays. Overall sedimentation rates in the delta determined by the 210Pb method range between 1.5-3.0 cm/yr. We investigated the distribution of organic material in the deltaic sediments in 300 samples selected from 3m deep piston cores. The studies of transparent sections demonstrate that deltaic sediments are enriched in terrestrial debris. It is non-transparent and has an irregular, isometric, or elongated shape, angular edges, black or dark-brown colour, and a clearly expressed fabric. Partially it is dissolved at the edges and is replaced by iron sulphides. Fragments of marine algae have more smooth edges, brown colour. They are transparent; the fabric is rarely preserved. The evidences of dissolution and gelification are well observed. Iron sulphides are common. The recorded third type of organic material has a round, drop-like, or oval shape and belongs to planktonic organisms. Their initial organic material is strongly transformed or replaced by dark organic compounds, probably, neoplasms. The particles are red-brown and transparent. The iron sulphides are not observed. The amount of Corg in the uppermost portion of sediments accumulated in the offshore Kura River delta varies from 0.2 to 1.22%, with median values of 0.6-0.8%. In poorly sorted sediments Corg content changes from 0.24 to 0.97% (average 0.69%), silty-sandy clay - 0.45 to 1.22% (average 0.77%), sandy-silty clay - 0.5 to 0.97% (average 0.67%), silty clay - 0.52 to 0.95% (average 0.70%). The data demonstrate that in sediments deposited during Caspian Sea high stand in 1929, the minimum of Corg content is localised near the mouth of the main south-eastern distributary channel and coincides with the minimum of the clay fraction. At the same time, the maximum of organic matter content locates near the mouth of the eastern channel, which was inactive at that time. In sediments accumulated during the last Caspian Sea low stand in 1977, the area of Corg minimum is attached to the north-eastern distributary’s mouth. It indicates the high activity of this distributary during the Caspian Sea fall. The area of Corg minimum is also recorded around the mouth of the main channel and eastern part of the delta. Maximums of Corg and clay fraction shift towards the basin. During the Caspian high stand in 1995, the minimum of Corg content is again observed in the mouth of the main south-eastern channel. The distribution of organic matter in the modern sediments of the Kura river delta displays the strong time dependence and reflects progradational-retrogradational cycles of evolution of this fluvial-deltaic system. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=high%20and%20low%20stands" title="high and low stands">high and low stands</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Kura%20River%20delta" title=" Kura River delta"> Kura River delta</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=South%20Caspian%20Sea" title=" South Caspian Sea"> South Caspian Sea</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=organic%20matter" title=" organic matter"> organic matter</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/126080/evolution-of-fluvial-deltaic-system-recorded-in-accumulation-of-organic-material-from-the-example-of-the-kura-river-in-the-south-caspian-basin" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/126080.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">126</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">7</span> A Modular Solution for Large-Scale Critical Industrial Scheduling Problems with Coupling of Other Optimization Problems</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Ajit%20Rai">Ajit Rai</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Hamza%20Deroui"> Hamza Deroui</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Blandine%20Vacher"> Blandine Vacher</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Khwansiri%20Ninpan"> Khwansiri Ninpan</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Arthur%20Aumont"> Arthur Aumont</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Francesco%20Vitillo"> Francesco Vitillo</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Plana"> Robert Plana</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Large-scale critical industrial scheduling problems are based on Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problems (RCPSP), that necessitate integration with other optimization problems (e.g., vehicle routing, supply chain, or unique industrial ones), thus requiring practical solutions (i.e., modular, computationally efficient with feasible solutions). To the best of our knowledge, the current industrial state of the art is not addressing this holistic problem. We propose an original modular solution that answers the issues exhibited by the delivery of complex projects. With three interlinked entities (project, task, resources) having their constraints, it uses a greedy heuristic with a dynamic cost function for each task with a situational assessment at each time step. It handles large-scale data and can be easily integrated with other optimization problems, already existing industrial tools and unique constraints as required by the use case. The solution has been tested and validated by domain experts on three use cases: outage management in Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), planning of future NPP maintenance operation, and application in the defense industry on supply chain and factory relocation. In the first use case, the solution, in addition to the resources’ availability and tasks’ logical relationships, also integrates several project-specific constraints for outage management, like, handling of resource incompatibility, updating of tasks priorities, pausing tasks in a specific circumstance, and adjusting dynamic unit of resources. With more than 20,000 tasks and multiple constraints, the solution provides a feasible schedule within 10-15 minutes on a standard computer device. This time-effective simulation corresponds with the nature of the problem and requirements of several scenarios (30-40 simulations) before finalizing the schedules. The second use case is a factory relocation project where production lines must be moved to a new site while ensuring the continuity of their production. This generates the challenge of merging job shop scheduling and the RCPSP with location constraints. Our solution allows the automation of the production tasks while considering the rate expectation. The simulation algorithm manages the use and movement of resources and products to respect a given relocation scenario. The last use case establishes a future maintenance operation in an NPP. The project contains complex and hard constraints, like on Finish-Start precedence relationship (i.e., successor tasks have to start immediately after predecessors while respecting all constraints), shareable coactivity for managing workspaces, and requirements of a specific state of "cyclic" resources (they can have multiple states possible with only one at a time) to perform tasks (can require unique combinations of several cyclic resources). Our solution satisfies the requirement of minimization of the state changes of cyclic resources coupled with the makespan minimization. It offers a solution of 80 cyclic resources with 50 incompatibilities between levels in less than a minute. Conclusively, we propose a fast and feasible modular approach to various industrial scheduling problems that were validated by domain experts and compatible with existing industrial tools. This approach can be further enhanced by the use of machine learning techniques on historically repeated tasks to gain further insights for delay risk mitigation measures. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=deterministic%20scheduling" title="deterministic scheduling">deterministic scheduling</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=optimization%20coupling" title=" optimization coupling"> optimization coupling</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=modular%20scheduling" title=" modular scheduling"> modular scheduling</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=RCPSP" title=" RCPSP"> RCPSP</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/146139/a-modular-solution-for-large-scale-critical-industrial-scheduling-problems-with-coupling-of-other-optimization-problems" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/146139.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">198</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">6</span> Shifting Contexts and Shifting Identities: Campus Race-related Experiences, Racial Identity, and Achievement Motivation among Black College Students during the Transition to College</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Tabbye%20Chavous">Tabbye Chavous</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Felecia%20Webb"> Felecia Webb</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Bridget%20Richardson"> Bridget Richardson</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Gloryvee%20Fonseca-Bolorin"> Gloryvee Fonseca-Bolorin</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Seanna%20Leath"> Seanna Leath</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Sellers"> Robert Sellers</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> There has been recent renewed attention to Black students’ experiences at predominantly White U.S. universities (PWIs), e.g., the #BBUM (“Being Black at the University of Michigan”), “I too am Harvard” social media campaigns, and subsequent student protest activities nationwide. These campaigns illuminate how many minority students encounter challenges to their racial/ethnic identities as they enter PWI contexts. Students routinely report experiences such as being ignored or treated as a token in classes, receiving messages of low academic expectations by faculty and peers, being questioned about their academic qualifications or belonging, being excluded from academic and social activities, and being racially profiled and harassed in the broader campus community due to race. Researchers have linked such racial marginalization and stigma experiences to student motivation and achievement. One potential mechanism is through the impact of college experiences on students’ identities, given the relevance of the college context for students’ personal identity development, including personal beliefs systems around social identities salient in this context. However, little research examines the impact of the college context on Black students’ racial identities. This study examined change in Black college students’ (N=329) racial identity beliefs over the freshman year at three predominantly White U.S. universities. Using cluster analyses, we identified profile groups reflecting different patterns of stability and change in students’ racial centrality (importance of race to overall self-concept), private regard (personal group affect/group pride), and public regard (perceptions of societal views of Blacks) from beginning of year (Time 1) to end of year (Time 2). Multinomial logit regression analyses indicated that the racial identity change clusters were predicted by pre-college background (racial composition of high school and neighborhood), as well as college-based experiences (racial discrimination, interracial friendships, and perceived campus racial climate). In particular, experiencing campus racial discrimination related to high, stable centrality, and decreases in private regard and public regard. Perceiving racial climates norms of institutional support for intergroup interactions on campus related to maintaining low and decreasing in private and public regard. Multivariate Analyses of Variance results showed change cluster effects on achievement motivation outcomes at the end of students’ academic year. Having high, stable centrality and high private regard related to more positive outcomes overall (academic competence, positive academic affect, academic curiosity and persistence). Students decreasing in private regard and public regard were particularly vulnerable to negative motivation outcomes. Findings support scholarship indicating both stability in racial identity beliefs and the importance of critical context transitions in racial identity development and adjustment outcomes among emerging adults. Findings also are consistent with research suggesting promotive effects of a strong, positive racial identity on student motivation, as well as research linking awareness of racial stigma to decreased academic engagement. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=diversity" title="diversity">diversity</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=motivation" title=" motivation"> motivation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=learning" title=" learning"> learning</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=ethnic%20minority%20achievement" title=" ethnic minority achievement"> ethnic minority achievement</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=higher%20education" title=" higher education"> higher education</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/33576/shifting-contexts-and-shifting-identities-campus-race-related-experiences-racial-identity-and-achievement-motivation-among-black-college-students-during-the-transition-to-college" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/33576.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">517</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">5</span> Production, Characterisation, and in vitro Degradation and Biocompatibility of a Solvent-Free Polylactic-Acid/Hydroxyapatite Composite for 3D-Printed Maxillofacial Bone-Regeneration Implants</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Carlos%20Amnael%20Orozco-Diaz">Carlos Amnael Orozco-Diaz</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20David%20Moorehead"> Robert David Moorehead</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Gwendolen%20Reilly"> Gwendolen Reilly</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Fiona%20Gilchrist"> Fiona Gilchrist</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Cheryl%20Ann%20Miller"> Cheryl Ann Miller</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The current gold-standard for maxillofacial reconstruction surgery (MRS) utilizes auto-grafted cancellous bone as a filler. This study was aimed towards developing a polylactic-acid/hydroxyapatite (PLA-HA) composite suitable for fused-deposition 3D printing. Functionalization of the polymer through the addition of HA was directed to promoting bone-regeneration properties so that the material can rival the performance of cancellous bone grafts in terms of bone-lesion repair. This kind of composite enables the production of MRS implants based off 3D-reconstructions from image studies – namely computed tomography – for anatomically-correct fitting. The present study encompassed in-vitro degradation and in-vitro biocompatibility profiling for 3D-printed PLA and PLA-HA composites. PLA filament (Verbatim Co.) and Captal S hydroxyapatite micro-scale HA powder (Plasma Biotal Ltd) were used to produce PLA-HA composites at 5, 10, and 20%-by-weight HA concentration. These were extruded into 3D-printing filament, and processed in a BFB-3000 3D-Printer (3D Systems Co.) into tensile specimens, and were mechanically challenged as per ASTM D638-03. Furthermore, tensile specimens were subjected to accelerated degradation in phosphate-buffered saline solution at 70°C for 23 days, as per ISO-10993-13-2010. This included monitoring of mass loss (through dry-weighing), crystallinity (through thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis), molecular weight (through gel-permeation chromatography), and tensile strength. In-vitro biocompatibility analysis included cell-viability and extracellular matrix deposition, which were performed both on flat surfaces and on 3D-constructs – both produced through 3D-printing. Discs of 1 cm in diameter and cubic 3D-meshes of 1 cm3 were 3D printed in PLA and PLA-HA composites (n = 6). The samples were seeded with 5000 MG-63 osteosarcoma-like cells, with cell viability extrapolated throughout 21 days via resazurin reduction assays. As evidence of osteogenicity, collagen and calcium deposition were indirectly estimated through Sirius Red staining and Alizarin Red staining respectively. Results have shown that 3D printed PLA loses structural integrity as early as the first day of accelerated degradation, which was significantly faster than the literature suggests. This was reflected in the loss of tensile strength down to untestable brittleness. During degradation, mass loss, molecular weight, and crystallinity behaved similarly to results found in similar studies for PLA. All composite versions and pure PLA were found to perform equivalent to tissue-culture plastic (TCP) in supporting the seeded-cell population. Significant differences (p = 0.05) were found on collagen deposition for higher HA concentrations, with composite samples performing better than pure PLA and TCP. Additionally, per-cell-calcium deposition on the 3D-meshes was significantly lower when comparing 3D-meshes to discs of the same material (p = 0.05). These results support the idea that 3D-printable PLA-HA composites are a viable resorbable material for artificial grafts for bone-regeneration. Degradation data suggests that 3D-printing of these materials – as opposed to other manufacturing methods – might result in faster resorption than currently-used PLA implants. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=bone%20regeneration%20implants" title="bone regeneration implants">bone regeneration implants</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=3D-printing" title=" 3D-printing"> 3D-printing</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=in%20vitro%20testing" title=" in vitro testing"> in vitro testing</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=biocompatibility" title=" biocompatibility"> biocompatibility</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=polymer%20degradation" title=" polymer degradation"> polymer degradation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=polymer-ceramic%20composites" title=" polymer-ceramic composites"> polymer-ceramic composites</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/95371/production-characterisation-and-in-vitro-degradation-and-biocompatibility-of-a-solvent-free-polylactic-acidhydroxyapatite-composite-for-3d-printed-maxillofacial-bone-regeneration-implants" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/95371.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">155</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">4</span> Comparing Implications of Manual and ROSA-assisted Total Knee Replacements on Patients and Physicians: A Scoping Review</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Bassem%20M.%20Darwish">Bassem M. Darwish</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20H.%20Ablove"> Robert H. Ablove</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Introduction: Total knee arthroscopy (TKA) is a commonly performed procedure in patients with end-stage osteoarthritis and inaccuracy of component alignment in TKA has been shown to have many adverse post-operative outcomes such as accelerated implant wear, reduced functional outcomes, and shorter overall implant survival. Robotic surgical systems have been introduced to try and improve joint alignment and functional outcomes in knee arthroscopy, one recent iteration is the ROSA knee system, released to the market in 2019. The objective of this scoping review is to map the available evidence, identify the current types of evidence, and identify knowledge gaps to guide future studies on patient outcomes following ROSA-assisted total knee arthroplasties. Methods: An electronic search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews. Search terms included ROSA, knee arthroscopy, osteoarthritis, robotic, and malalignment. Types of study participants included patients with osteoarthritis, ages 18 and older, male or female, who received manual TKA (mTKA) or ROSA-assisted TKA (rTKA), and human patients or cadavers. Published, peer-reviewed controlled trials, observational studies, and case series were included. Case reports were not included in article review. Resulting articles were first screened based on title and abstract. Articles meeting inclusion criteria based on title and abstract review then underwent full-text review by the same reviewer. Results: This scoping review identified 11 total studies, 3 prospective observational studies, and 8 retrospective observational studies - a total of 970 rTKA patients and 1745 mTKA patients. There were no case series or randomized controlled trials comparing rTKA and mTKA. Patient-centered outcomes showed promise for rTKA, where it frequently showed significantly favorable functional outcomes, measured via KOOS-JR, VAS, KSS, OKS, FJS, and PROMIS scores, at various times postoperatively. However, there was much discrepancy about which score yielded significance at which postoperative follow-up. Complication rates, reoperation rates, and LOS were very similar between mTKA and rTKA groups. Studies also showed rTKA had more accurate joint alignment within the 0 ± 3o corridor and had significantly higher rates of achieving postoperative joint angles similar to the preoperative plan. Finally, there was major agreement that rTKA cases take significantly longer time at the start, however, there is a rapid learning curve. Once past the learning curve, rTKA cases are performed in a similar time to mTKA and reduced physician stress and strain. Conclusion: The ROSA knee system represents a promising option for the management of osteoarthritis via total knee arthroscopy. The studies reviewed in this paper favor the patient-centered function outcomes, joint alignments, and physician health implications of the ROSA knee system to conventional total knee arthroscopy. Further study is warranted, however, to better understand recovery periods, longer-term functional outcomes, operative fatigue, and reduction in radiation exposure. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=arthroplasty" title="arthroplasty">arthroplasty</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=knee" title=" knee"> knee</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=robotics" title=" robotics"> robotics</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=malalignment" title=" malalignment"> malalignment</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/189192/comparing-implications-of-manual-and-rosa-assisted-total-knee-replacements-on-patients-and-physicians-a-scoping-review" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/189192.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">29</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">3</span> Ensemble Sampler For Infinite-Dimensional Inverse Problems</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Jeremie%20Coullon">Jeremie Coullon</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20J.%20Webber"> Robert J. Webber</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> We introduce a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sam-pler for infinite-dimensional inverse problems. Our sam-pler is based on the affine invariant ensemble sampler, which uses interacting walkers to adapt to the covariance structure of the target distribution. We extend this ensem-ble sampler for the first time to infinite-dimensional func-tion spaces, yielding a highly efficient gradient-free MCMC algorithm. Because our ensemble sampler does not require gradients or posterior covariance estimates, it is simple to implement and broadly applicable. In many Bayes-ian inverse problems, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) meth-ods are needed to approximate distributions on infinite-dimensional function spaces, for example, in groundwater flow, medical imaging, and traffic flow. Yet designing efficient MCMC methods for function spaces has proved challenging. Recent gradi-ent-based MCMC methods preconditioned MCMC methods, and SMC methods have improved the computational efficiency of functional random walk. However, these samplers require gradi-ents or posterior covariance estimates that may be challenging to obtain. Calculating gradients is difficult or impossible in many high-dimensional inverse problems involving a numerical integra-tor with a black-box code base. Additionally, accurately estimating posterior covariances can require a lengthy pilot run or adaptation period. These concerns raise the question: is there a functional sampler that outperforms functional random walk without requir-ing gradients or posterior covariance estimates? To address this question, we consider a gradient-free sampler that avoids explicit covariance estimation yet adapts naturally to the covariance struc-ture of the sampled distribution. This sampler works by consider-ing an ensemble of walkers and interpolating and extrapolating between walkers to make a proposal. This is called the affine in-variant ensemble sampler (AIES), which is easy to tune, easy to parallelize, and efficient at sampling spaces of moderate dimen-sionality (less than 20). The main contribution of this work is to propose a functional ensemble sampler (FES) that combines func-tional random walk and AIES. To apply this sampler, we first cal-culate the Karhunen–Loeve (KL) expansion for the Bayesian prior distribution, assumed to be Gaussian and trace-class. Then, we use AIES to sample the posterior distribution on the low-wavenumber KL components and use the functional random walk to sample the posterior distribution on the high-wavenumber KL components. Alternating between AIES and functional random walk updates, we obtain our functional ensemble sampler that is efficient and easy to use without requiring detailed knowledge of the target dis-tribution. In past work, several authors have proposed splitting the Bayesian posterior into low-wavenumber and high-wavenumber components and then applying enhanced sampling to the low-wavenumber components. Yet compared to these other samplers, FES is unique in its simplicity and broad applicability. FES does not require any derivatives, and the need for derivative-free sam-plers has previously been emphasized. FES also eliminates the requirement for posterior covariance estimates. Lastly, FES is more efficient than other gradient-free samplers in our tests. In two nu-merical examples, we apply FES to challenging inverse problems that involve estimating a functional parameter and one or more scalar parameters. We compare the performance of functional random walk, FES, and an alternative derivative-free sampler that explicitly estimates the posterior covariance matrix. We conclude that FES is the fastest available gradient-free sampler for these challenging and multimodal test problems. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Bayesian%20inverse%20problems" title="Bayesian inverse problems">Bayesian inverse problems</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Markov%20chain%20Monte%20Carlo" title=" Markov chain Monte Carlo"> Markov chain Monte Carlo</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=infinite-dimensional%20inverse%20problems" title=" infinite-dimensional inverse problems"> infinite-dimensional inverse problems</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=dimensionality%20reduction" title=" dimensionality reduction"> dimensionality reduction</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/136397/ensemble-sampler-for-infinite-dimensional-inverse-problems" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/136397.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">154</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">2</span> Addressing Primary Care Clinician Burnout in a Value Based Care Setting During the COVID-19 Pandemic</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20E.%20Kenney">Robert E. Kenney</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Efrain%20Antunez"> Efrain Antunez</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Samuel%20Nodal"> Samuel Nodal</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Ameer%20Malik"> Ameer Malik</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Richard%20B.%20Aguilar"> Richard B. Aguilar</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Physician burnout has gained much attention during the COVID pandemic. After-hours workload, HCC coding, HEDIS metrics, and clinical documentation negatively impact career satisfaction. These and other influences have increased the rate of physicians leaving the workforce. In addition, roughly 1% of the entire physician workforce will be retiring earlier than expected based on pre-pandemic trends. The two Medical Specialties with the highest rates of burnout are Family Medicine and Primary Care. With a predicted shortage of primary care physicians looming, the need to address physician burnout is crucial. Commonly reported issues leading to clinician burnout are clerical documentation requirements, increased time working on Electronic Health Records (EHR) after hours, and a decrease in work-life balance. Clinicians experiencing burnout with physical and emotional exhaustion are at an increased likelihood of providing lower quality and less efficient patient care. This may include a lack of suitable clinical documentation, medication reconciliation, clinical assessment, and treatment plans. While the annual baseline turnover rates of physicians hover around 6-7%, the COVID pandemic profoundly disrupted the delivery of healthcare. A report found that 43% of physicians switched jobs during the initial two years of the COVID pandemic (2020 and 2021), tripling the expected average annual rate to 21.5 %/yr. During this same time, an average of 4% and 1.5% of physicians retired or left the workforce for a non-clinical career, respectively. The report notes that 35.2% made career changes for a better work-life balance and another 35% reported the reason as being unhappy with their administration’s response to the pandemic. A physician-led primary care-focused health organization, Cano Health (CH), based out of Florida, sought to preemptively address this problem by implementing several supportive measures. Working with >120 clinics and >280 PCPs from Miami to Tampa and Orlando, managing nearly 120,000 Medicare Advantage lives, CH implemented a number of changes to assist with the clinician’s workload. Supportive services such as after hour and home visits by APRNs, in-clinic care managers, and patient educators were implemented. In 2021, assistive Artificial Intelligence Software (AIS) was integrated into the EHR platform. This AIS converts free text within PDF files into a usable (copy-paste) format facilitating documentation. The software also systematically and chronologically organizes clinical data, including labs, medical records, consultations, diagnostic images, medications, etc., into an easy-to-use organ system or chronic disease state format. This reduced the excess time and documentation burden required to meet payor and CMS guidelines. A clinician Documentation Support team was employed to improve the billing/coding performance. The effects of these newly designed workflow interventions were measured via analysis of clinician turnover from CH’s hiring and termination reporting software. CH’s annualized average clinician turnover rate in 2020 and 2021 were 17.7% and 12.6%, respectively. This represents a 30% relative reduction in turnover rate compared to the reported national average of 21.5%. Retirement rates during both years were 0.1%, demonstrating a relative reduction of >95% compared to the national average (4%). This model successfully promoted the retention of clinicians in a Value-Based Care setting. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=clinician%20burnout" title="clinician burnout">clinician burnout</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=COVID-19" title=" COVID-19"> COVID-19</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=value-based%20care" title=" value-based care"> value-based care</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=burnout" title=" burnout"> burnout</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=clinician%20retirement" title=" clinician retirement"> clinician retirement</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/163774/addressing-primary-care-clinician-burnout-in-a-value-based-care-setting-during-the-covid-19-pandemic" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/163774.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">82</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">1</span> Development Programmes Requirements for Managing and Supporting the Ever-Dynamic Job Roles of Middle Managers in Higher Education Institutions: The Espousal Demanded from Human Resources Department; Case Studies of a New University in United Kingdom</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Mohamed%20Sameer%20Mughal">Mohamed Sameer Mughal</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Andrew%20D.%20Ross"> Andrew D. Ross</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Damian%20J.%20Fearon"> Damian J. Fearon</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Background: The fast-paced changing landscape of UK Higher Education Institution (HEIs) is poised by changes and challenges affecting Middle Managers (MM) in their job roles. MM contribute to the success of HEIs by balancing the equilibrium and pass organization strategies from senior staff towards operationalization directives to junior staff. However, this study showcased from the data analyzed during the semi structured interviews; MM job role is becoming more complex due to changes and challenges creating colossal pressures and workloads in day-to-day working. Current development programmes provisions by Human Resources (HR) departments in such HEIs are not feasible, applicable, and matching the true essence and requirements of MM who suggest that programmes offered by HR are too generic to suit their precise needs and require tailor made espousal to work effectively in their pertinent job roles. Methodologies: This study aims to capture demands of MM Development Needs (DN) by means of a conceptual model as conclusive part of the research that is divided into 2 phases. Phase 1 initiated by carrying out 2 pilot interviews with a retired Emeritus status professor and HR programmes development coordinator. Key themes from the pilot and literature review subsidized into formulation of 22 set of questions (Kvale and Brinkmann) in form of interviewing questionnaire during qualitative data collection. Data strategy and collection consisted of purposeful sampling of 12 semi structured interviews (n=12) lasting approximately an hour for all participants. The MM interviewed were at faculty and departmental levels which included; deans (n=2), head of departments (n=4), subject leaders (n=2), and lastly programme leaders (n=4). Participants recruitment was carried out via emails and snowballing technique. The interviews data was transcribed (verbatim) and managed using Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis using Nvivo ver.11 software. Data was meticulously analyzed using Miles and Huberman inductive approach of positivistic style grounded theory, whereby key themes and categories emerged from the rich data collected. The data was precisely coded and classified into case studies (Robert Yin); with a main case study, sub cases (4 classes of MM) and embedded cases (12 individual MMs). Major Findings: An interim conceptual model emerged from analyzing the data with main concepts that included; key performance indicators (KPI’s), HEI effectiveness and outlook, practices, processes and procedures, support mechanisms, student events, rules, regulations and policies, career progression, reporting/accountability, changes and challenges, and lastly skills and attributes. Conclusion: Dynamic elements affecting MM includes; increase in government pressures, student numbers, irrelevant development programmes, bureaucratic structures, transparency and accountability, organization policies, skills sets… can only be confronted by employing structured development programmes originated by HR that are not provided generically. Future Work: Stage 2 (Quantitative method) of the study plans to validate the interim conceptual model externally through fully completed online survey questionnaire (Bram Oppenheim) from external HEIs (n=150). The total sample targeted is 1500 MM. Author contribution focuses on enhancing management theory and narrow the gap between by HR and MM development programme provision. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=development%20needs%20%28DN%29" title="development needs (DN)">development needs (DN)</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=higher%20education%20institutions%20%28HEIs%29" title=" higher education institutions (HEIs)"> higher education institutions (HEIs)</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=human%20resources%20%28HR%29" title=" human resources (HR)"> human resources (HR)</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=middle%20managers%20%28MM%29" title=" middle managers (MM)"> middle managers (MM)</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/75641/development-programmes-requirements-for-managing-and-supporting-the-ever-dynamic-job-roles-of-middle-managers-in-higher-education-institutions-the-espousal-demanded-from-human-resources-department-case-studies-of-a-new-university-in-united-kingdom" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/75641.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">232</span> </span> </div> </div> <ul class="pagination"> <li class="page-item"><a class="page-link" href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Lloyd&page=12" rel="prev">&lsaquo;</a></li> <li class="page-item"><a class="page-link" href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Robert%20Lloyd&page=1">1</a></li> <li class="page-item"><a class="page-link" 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