Engineering Functional Partial Joint Replacements: A Soft Solution To A Hard Problem

Arthritis often leads to joint replacement, where metal and plastic or ceramic components are used to restore function. While effective, these replacements can fail over time, leading to complex and unpredictable revision surgeries. In many cases, arthritis affects only one side of the joint, making partial joint replacement (hemiarthroplasty or focal cartilage repair) a less invasive alternative. However, replacing soft cartilage with hard metallic surfaces in current hemiarthroplasty devices often results in poor outcomes, as the stiff implants reduce contact area and increase stress on the remaining cartilage, potentially causing further degeneration. This thesis explores the use of polyelectrolyte functionalised biomaterials as cartilage interfacing surfaces, focusing on SPMK-g-PEEK — a biomimetic interface composed of 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt (SPMK) tethered to a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) substrate, inspired by the natural biopolyelectrolytes in synovial fluid. SPMK-g-PEEK surfaces form a highly hydrated, compliant layer (~ 5 μm thick) due to their dense coverage of hydrophilic sulphonic acid groups, which supports aqueous boundary lubrication and promotes cartilage interstitial fluid recovery. Under aqueous conditions, SPMK-g-PEEK exhibits ultra-low friction coefficients (μ < 0.02), consistent across physiologically relevant speeds (0.1 – 200 mm/s) and contact pressures (0.25 – 2 MPa), mimicking the tribological properties of natural cartilage. Additionally, these surfaces facilitate a novel mechanism of polyelectrolyte-enhanced tribological rehydration (PETR), promoting cartilage interstitial fluid recovery even in static contact areas. This mechanism supports continuous lubrication and contrasts with conventional theories that attribute cartilage rehydration to hydrodynamic fluid entrainment facilitated by convergent cartilage contact geometries. PETR is attributed to the combined effects of fluid confinement within the contact gap and the enhanced elastohydrodynamic behaviour of surface tethered polyelectrolytes. This work not only enhances the understanding of cartilage tribology but also offers a promising strategy for developing joint replacement materials that more effectively replicate the natural function of cartilage. The implications extend to advancing the design of next-generation implants for focal cartilage repair, offering new potential for improved patient outcomes in orthopaedic applications

The sweet spot in sustainability: a framework for corporate assessment in sugar manufacturing

The assessment of corporate sustainability has become an increasingly important topic, both within academia and in industry. For manufacturing companies to conform to their commitments to sustainable development, a standard and reliable measurement framework is required. There is, however, a lack of sector-specific and empirical research in many areas, including the sugar industry. This paper presents an empirically developed framework for the assessment of corporate sustainability within the Thai sugar industry. Multiple case studies were conducted, and a survey using questionnaires was also employed to enhance the power of generalisation. The developed framework is an accurate and reliable measurement instrument of corporate sustainability, and guidelines to assess qualitative criteria are put forward. The proposed framework can be used for a company’s self-assessment and for guiding practitioners in performance improvement and policy decision-maki

Stakeholder Theory and Marketing: Moving from a Firm-Centric to a Societal Perspective

This essay is inspired by the ideas and research examined in the special section on “Stakeholder Marketing” of the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing in 2010. The authors argue that stakeholder marketing is slowly coalescing with the broader thinking that has occurred in the stakeholder management and ethics literature streams during the past quarter century. However, the predominant view of stakeholders that many marketers advocate is still primarily pragmatic and company centric. The position advanced herein is that stronger forms of stakeholder marketing that reflect more normative, macro/societal, and network-focused orientations are necessary. The authors briefly explain and justify these characteristics in the context of the growing “prosociety” and “proenvironment” perspectives—orientations that are also in keeping with the public policy focus of this journal. Under the “hard form” of stakeholder theory, which the authors endorse, marketing managers must realize that serving stakeholders sometimes requires sacrificing maximum profits to mitigate outcomes that would inflict major damage on other stakeholders, especially society

Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher Education : The Practical Handbook Series

I. Sharing ContentII. Student CreationIII. Collaborative LearningIV. Enhancing InteractivityV. Online AssessmentThis second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher education also highlights the benefits of international collaboration to create a piece of work that can be used by Educators all over the world. The demand for the first edition that was released as a hard copy was overwhelming with requests coming from Educators who are constantly looking for new methods and approaches to integrate active learning into their teaching environments

The effect of service evaluations on behavioral intentions and quality of life

Understanding the contribution of marketing to economic and social outcomes is fundamental to broadening the focus of marketing. The authors develop a comprehensive model that integrates the impact of service quality and service satisfaction on both economic and societal outcomes. The model is validated using two random samples involving intensive health services. The results indicate that service quality and service satisfaction significantly enhance quality of life and behavioral intentions, highlighting that customer service has social as well as economic outcomes. This is an important finding given the movement toward recognizing social and environmental outcomes, such as emphasized through triple bottom-line reporting. The findings have important implications for managing service processes, for improving the quality of life of customers, and for enhancing customers' behavioral intentions toward the organization