Tuning the Mechanical and Geometric Properties of Electrochemically Aligned Collagen Threads Towards Applications in Biohybrid Robotics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenhuan Sun ◽  
Jason Paulovich ◽  
Victoria Webster-Wood
Keyword(s):  
Tensile Modulus ◽  
Solution Concentration ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Geometric Properties ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Crosslinker Concentration ◽  
High Degree ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Fabrication Parameters ◽  
Manufacturing Parameters

Abstract Electrochemically Aligned Collagen (ELAC) threads fabricated by the isoelectric focusing (IF) of collagen have previously shown potential in tissue engineering and more recently in the fabrication of biohybrid robot structures. For applications in biohybrid robotics, ELAC structures are needed that are both robust and compliant enough to facilitate muscle actuation. However, studies on the effects of IF parameters, and the interactions of such fabrication parameters, on the mechanical and geometric properties of resulting ELAC threads have not been previously found in literature. Understanding the impact of these manufacturing parameters on the material properties is critical to facilitate biohybrid robot design. In this study, the effects of IF duration, IF voltage, and collagen solution concentration were investigated and showed statistically significant effects on adjusting ELAC properties via single-factor experiments. The interactions between parameters exhibited significant joint effects on ELAC property tuning through two-factor experiments. Scanning electron microscopy and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic assays revealed the correlation between high mechanical properties and a combination of low porosity and high degree of crosslinking. By simply tuning IF parameters without changing other fabrication steps, such as crosslinker concentration, ELAC threads with a wide range of mechanical and geometric properties were fabricated. The average tensile modulus of the resulting ELAC threads ranged from 198±90 to 758±138 MPa. The average cross-sectional area ranged from 7756±1000 to 1775±457 µm2. The resultant mapping between IF parameters and ELAC thread properties enabled the production of strong and flexible threads with customizable properties.

Assessing the Preparedness of Healthcare Facilities for Disasters and Emergencies in Damghan, Iran

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Behrad Pourmohammadi ◽  
Ahad Heydari ◽  
Farin Fatemi ◽  
Ali Modarresi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives: Iran is exposed to a wide range of natural and man-made hazards. Health-care facilities can play a significant role in providing life-saving measures in the minutes and hours immediately following the impact or exposure. The aim of this study was to determine the preparedness of health-care facilities in disasters and emergencies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Damghan, Semnan Province, in 2019. The samples consisted of all the 11 health-care facilities located in Damghan County. A developed checklist was used to collect the data, including 272 questions in 4 sections: understanding threatening hazards, functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability of health-care facilities. The data were analyzed using SPSS 21. Results: The results revealed that the health-care facilities were exposed to 22 different natural and man-made hazards throughout the county. The total level of preparedness of the health-care centers under assessment was 45.8%. The average functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability was assessed at 49.3%, 31.6%, and 56.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Conducting mitigation measures is necessary for promoting the functional and structural preparedness. Disaster educational programs and exercises are recommended among the health staff in health-care facilities.

Business Ethics is Socio-Political, or Not at All

2015 ◽  
pp. 251-281
Author(s):  
Ana-Maria Pascal
Keyword(s):  
Business Ethics ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Kantian Ethics ◽  
Political Responsibility ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Mining Project ◽  
Public Ethics ◽  
High Degree ◽  
The Impact

This chapter explores the moral aspects of commercial deals that allegedly democratic governments enter into with foreign investors. These are discussed against a twofold theoretical background – where the philosophical ideal of public ethics based on truth and transparency meets business ethics theories. The Kantian ethics of duty proves to be the key link between these, as particularly relevant for cases where the impact on a wide range of stakeholders is considerable. The main case under consideration is the controversial USD $2 billion Romanian mining project at Rosia Montana, which highlights the need for accountability mentioned above and lends itself well to a multi-fold business ethics analysis. The role of the civil society in effectively stopping the project is a good illustration of the stakeholder theory. The chapter concludes with the thesis that a high degree of socio-political responsibility may be best achieved when trying to combine principle-based and utilitarian thinking.

scholarly journals Regional Integration: Do Intra-African Trade and Migration Improve Income in Africa?

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 587-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blaise Gnimassoun
Keyword(s):  
Regional Integration ◽  
Capita Income ◽  
Per Capita Income ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Migration Flows ◽  
And Migration ◽  
The Impact

Regional integration in Africa is a subject of great interest, but its impact on income has not been studied sufficiently. Using cross-sectional and panel estimations, this article examines the impact of African integration on real per capita income in Africa. Accordingly, we consider intra-African trade and migration flows as quantitative measures reflecting the intensity of regional integration. To address the endogeneity concerns, we use a gravity-based, two-stage least-squares strategy. Our results show that, from a long-term perspective, African integration has not been strong enough to generate a positive, significant, and robust impact on real per capita income in Africa. However, it does appear to be significantly income-enhancing in the short and medium terms but only through intercountry migration. These results are robust to a wide range of specifications.

Changes in Hospital Financing and Organization and Their Impact on Hospital Performance

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Schreyögg
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Hospital Performance ◽  
Unintended Effects ◽  
Natural Experiments ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Improve Hospital ◽  
The Impact

Since the 1980s policymakers have identified a wide range of policy interventions to improve hospital performance. Some of these have been initiated at the level of government, whereas others have taken the form of decisions made by individual hospitals but have been guided by regulatory or financial incentives. Studies investigating the impact that some of the most important of these interventions have had on hospital performance can be grouped into four different research streams. Among the research streams, the strongest evidence exists for the effects of privatization. Studies on this topic use longitudinal designs with control groups and have found robust increases in efficiency and financial performance. Evidence on the entry of hospitals into health systems and the effects of this on efficiency is similarly strong. Although the other three streams of research also contain well-conducted studies with valuable findings, they are predominantly cross-sectional in design and therefore cannot establish causation. While the effects of introducing DRG-based hospital payments and of specialization are largely unclear, vertical and horizontal cooperation probably have a positive effect on efficiency and financial performance. Lastly, the drivers of improved efficiency or financial performance are very different depending on the reform or intervention being investigated; however, reductions in the number of staff and improved bargaining power in purchasing stand out as being of particular importance. Several promising avenues for future investigation are identified. One of these is situated within a new area of research examining the link between changes in the prices of treatments and hospitals’ responses. As there is evidence of unintended effects, future studies should attempt to distinguish between changes in hospitals’ responses at the intensive margin (e.g., upcoding) versus the extensive margin (e.g., increase in admissions). When looking at the effects of entering into a health system and of privatizations, there is still considerable need for research. With privatizations, in particular, the underlying processes are not yet fully understood, and the potential trade-offs between increases in performance and changes in the quality of care have not been sufficiently examined. Lastly, there is substantial need for further papers in the areas of multi-institutional arrangements and cooperation, as well as specialization. In both research streams, natural experiments carried out using program evaluation design are lacking. One of the main challenges here, however, is that cooperation and specialization cannot be directly observed but rather must be constructed based on survey or administrative data.

scholarly journals Needleless Electrospinning Using a Flat Wheel Spinneret

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 155892501701200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usman Ali ◽  
Amir Abbass ◽  
Furqan Khurshid ◽  
Sarmad Aslam ◽  
Abdul Waqar
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
Production Rate ◽  
Mass Production ◽  
Solution Concentration ◽  
Poly Vinyl Alcohol ◽  
Operating Parameters ◽  
Fiber Morphology ◽  
Sequence Generation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Nanofibers have a wide range of applications, however; the mass production of nanofibers is still an obstacle to wider industrial application. In this paper, a flat wheel was used as a spinneret for production of poly (vinyl) alcohol nanofibers. Electric field comparative analysis was done between the flat wheel and other spinnerets such as a cylinder, disk and ring. It was found the flat wheel falls between the cylinder and disk and ring spinnerets. Sequence generation of polymer jets was observed from the both edges of the wheel and as well as from the surface of the wheel. The impact of operating parameters on fiber morphology was studied and it was found that smooth, uniform nanofibers with diameter around 350nm could be produced by using this spinneret. Influence of strength of applied electric field and solution concentration on the production rate was also examined and it was noted that the production rate of nanofibers using a flat wheel spinneret is several times higher than that obtained using a conventional needle electrospinning setup.

scholarly journals Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions on genetically modified mosquitoes: Case for sterile mosquito release in Grenada

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Anjali Ghodasara ◽  
Marisa Deliso ◽  
Satesh Bidaisee
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes ◽  
The Impact

This study assessed knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of various stakeholders in Grenada regarding genetically modified organisms and the release of genetically modified mosquitoes. The study adopted a cross sectional design with a study population that comprised of members from seven stakeholder groups of civil society in Grenada. The sample population was obtained through a snowballing strategy and data collection for the study consisted of a semi-structured interview. Data was managed through the collection and reviewing of data from transcribed interview notes, as well as observations and interpretations made during the field collection. Interview recordings were analyzed to identify emerging themes. These themes were ranked according to the frequency with which they appeared, and main concepts identified by linking related themes. Most groups supported the use of genetically modified mosquitoes against Zika, but there were several varying concerns, including environmental worries and the impact of these organisms on humans. Many questioned the characteristics of Zika itself, and some believed Zika is a man-made virus created in a lab. Others doubted the link of Zika virus to microcephaly and other birth defects, and some were unsure if Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes. There is a wide range of differing knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions towards genetically modifying technology in general and towards mosquitoes in response to Zika.

Business Ethics is Socio-Political, or Not at All

2016 ◽  
pp. 1560-1590
Author(s):  
Ana-Maria Pascal
Keyword(s):  
Business Ethics ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Kantian Ethics ◽  
Political Responsibility ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Mining Project ◽  
Public Ethics ◽  
High Degree ◽  
The Impact

This chapter explores the moral aspects of commercial deals that allegedly democratic governments enter into with foreign investors. These are discussed against a twofold theoretical background – where the philosophical ideal of public ethics based on truth and transparency meets business ethics theories. The Kantian ethics of duty proves to be the key link between these, as particularly relevant for cases where the impact on a wide range of stakeholders is considerable. The main case under consideration is the controversial USD $2 billion Romanian mining project at Rosia Montana, which highlights the need for accountability mentioned above and lends itself well to a multi-fold business ethics analysis. The role of the civil society in effectively stopping the project is a good illustration of the stakeholder theory. The chapter concludes with the thesis that a high degree of socio-political responsibility may be best achieved when trying to combine principle-based and utilitarian thinking.

scholarly journals Predicting Mathematical Performance: The Effect of Cognitive Processes and Self-Regulation Factors

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariel Musso ◽  
Eva Kyndt ◽  
Eduardo Cascallar ◽  
Filip Dochy
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Mathematical Performance ◽  
Future Performance ◽  
Mathematics Test ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ann Models ◽  
Motivation And Learning ◽  
High Degree ◽  
The Impact

A substantial number of research studies have investigated the separate influence of working memory, attention, motivation, and learning strategies on mathematical performance and self-regulation in general. There is still little understanding of their impact on performance when taken together, understanding their interactions, and how much each of them contributes to the prediction of mathematical performance. With the emergence of new methodologies and technologies, such as the modelling with predictive systems, it is now possible to study these effects with approaches which use a wide range of data, including student characteristics, to estimate future performance without the need of traditional testing (Boekaerts and Cascallar, 2006). This research examines the different cognitive patterns and complex relations between cognitive variables, motivation, and background variables associated with different levels of mathematical performance using artificial neural networks (ANNs). A sample of 800 entering university students was used to develop three ANN models to identify the expected future level of performance in a mathematics test. These ANN models achieved high degree of precision in the correct classification of future levels of performance, showing differences in the pattern of relative predictive weight amongst those variables. The impact on educational quality, improvement, and accountability is highlighted.

Children and war: Risk, resilience, and recovery

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 553-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmy E. Werner
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Multiple Informants ◽  
Risk And Resilience ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis article reviews and reflects on studies that have explored the effects of war on children around the world. Most are cross-sectional and based on self-reports. They describe a range of mental health problems, related to dose effects and to the negative impact of being a victim or witness of violent acts, threats to and loss of loved ones, prolonged parental absence, and forced displacement. The more recent the exposure to war, and the older the child, the higher was the likelihood of reported posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Especially vulnerable to long-term emotional distress were child soldiers, children who were raped, and children who had been forcibly displaced. In adulthood, war-traumatized children displayed significantly increased risks for a wide range of medical conditions, especially cardiovascular diseases. Among protective factors that moderated the impact of war-related adversities in children were a strong bond between the primary caregiver and the child, the social support of teachers and peers, and a shared sense of values. Among the few documented intervention studies for children of war, school-based interventions, implemented by teachers or locally trained paraprofessionals, proved to be a feasible and low-cost alternative to individual or group therapy. More longitudinal research with multiple informants is needed to document the trajectories of risk and resilience in war-affected children, to assess their long-term development and mental health, and to identify effective treatment approaches.

scholarly journals Medicolegal Significance of Torture Under Police Custody on Prisoners’ Health and Recommendations for Prevention of Violence Against Torture

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 16-20
Author(s):  
Sayed Muhammad Yadain ◽  
Aftab Alam Tanoli ◽  
Riffat Masood ◽  
Shagufta Shafi ◽  
Rizwan Zafar Ansari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Physical Assault ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Police Custody ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Istanbul Protocol ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Impact

OBJECTIVES:The aim of the study was to determine (a) most common sites of torture, nature of injuries and their complications and (b) psychological and physical effects of torture on the prisoner’s mental and physical health. METHODOLOGY: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study was conducted on 193 prisoners admitted at District Police Hospital Peshawar over a period of one year. These prisoners were the victims of torture under police captivity. Majority of the victims were prisoners. The data was collected on a Performa mentioning age, duration of captivity; nature of injuries (simple, grievous), weapon used for physical torture (blunt, sharp) and prisoners were interviewed and examined by the medical officers and co-authors. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty (93.2%) of the 193 subjects were male. Average age was 27.4 ±4 years. Hundred (51.8%) prisoners were physically tortured and 92 cases (47.6%) were due to physical assault among prisoners. Out of 92 cases 12 (13.04%) prisoners showed injuries due to strenuous physical work, mostly on palms and soles in the form of blisters. These injuries were carefully examined and correlated with history. Torture methods observed in this study were beating with hands on face (35.6%), whipping with rod (61.6%), kicking on buttock and abdomen (16.4%), forceful dragging (16.4%), burning with cigarettes (12.3%), hanging with hand cuffs (13.7%) and whipping on palms and sole (6.9%). Majority of the cases (74%) were tortured in custody, (12.3%) in prisons, (9.6%) on the street and (4.1%) at home. The impact of physical and psychological torture was variable depending upon the duration of captivity and nature of torture. Patients kept for a longer period 42 (42%) had developed post captivity psychosocial stress syndrome. Physical torture has taken 07 (3%) lives and 24 (12.4%) victims were permanently disabled in this year. CONCLUSION: A wide range of different types of injuries were observed on various parts of the body. Blunt trauma was most frequent. Violation of Istanbul Protocol for violence against torture under police custody was also clear.

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