Changing the focus: worker-centric optimization in human-in-the-loop computations

A myriad of emerging applications from simple to complex ones involve human cognizance in the computation loop. Using the wisdom of human workers, researchers have solved a variety of problems, termed as “micro-tasks” such as, captcha recognition, sentiment analysis, image categorization, query processing, as well as “complex tasks” that are often collaborative, such as, classifying craters on planetary surfaces, discovering new galaxies (Galaxyzoo), performing text translation. The current view of “humans-in-the-loop” tends to see humans as machines, robots, or low-level agents used or exploited in the service of broader computation goals. This dissertation is developed to shift the focus back to humans, and study different data analytics problems, by recognizing characteristics of the human workers, and how to incorporate those in a principled fashion inside the computation loop. The first contribution of this dissertation is to propose an optimization framework and a real world system to personalize worker’s behavior by developing a worker model and using that to better understand and estimate task completion time. The framework judiciously frames questions and solicits worker feedback on those to update the worker model. Next, improving workers skills through peer interaction during collaborative task completion is studied. A suite of optimization problems are identified in that context considering collaborativeness between the members as it plays a major role in peer learning. Finally, “diversified” sequence of work sessions for human workers is designed to improve worker satisfaction and engagement while completing tasks

Informal Payments in Healthcare: A Case Study of Kerman Province in Iran

Background: Informal payments for health care, which are common in many countries, can have negative effects on health care access, equity and health status as they lead people to forgo or delay seeking care, or to sell assets to pay for care. Many countries are putting reforms in place with the aim of reducing informal payments. In order to be successful, such policies should be informed by the underlying causes of such payments. This study attempts to explore why, how, and in what ways informal payments occur. Methods: We conducted face-to-face interviews with a purposeful sample of 45 participants, including patients, healthcare providers and officials, in Kerman province in Iran, in 2010. The research participants were asked about the nature of informal payments, the reasons behind both asking and making those payments. We analysed the data using content analysis. Results: We found that people make informal payments for several reasons, namely cultural, quality- related and legal. Providers ask for informal payments because of tariffs, structural and moral reasons, and to demonstrate their competence. Informal payments were found to be more prevalent for complex procedures and are usually asked for directly. Conclusion: Informal payments are present in Iran’s health system as in other countries. What makes Iran’s condition slightly different from other countries is the peculiarity of reasons behind asking informal payments and the disadvantages associated with these kinds of payments. Iran could overcome this dilemma by precise investigation of the reasons to inform appropriate policy formulation. Some policies such as raising salaries, justifying the tariffs and cost-sharing, defining a benefits package of services, and improving accountability and transparency in the health system could be taken by the government to alleviate the proble

Does a socially well integrated university have anything to do with faculty retention? A study on Kerman University of Medical Sciences-2011

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to measure the relationship between organizational social capital and retention of faculty members in Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2011. Design/methodology/approach – Using a stratified multistage sampling, 120 faculty members were recruited to fill the questionnaire. Findings – There were a direct and positive bilateral (r¼0.65) relationship between social capital and retention of faculty members. Originality/value – The university officials and policy makers need to pay closer attention to some issues such as providing welfare facilities, salary and wages, benefits, interests and appreciation for faculty members. Keywords Socia

Informal Payments in Healthcare: A Case Study of Kerman Province in Iran

Background: Informal payments for health care, which are common in many countries, can have negative effects on health care access, equity and health status as they lead people to forgo or delay seeking care, or to sell assets to pay for care. Many countries are putting reforms in place with the aim of reducing informal payments. In order to be successful, such policies should be informed by the underlying causes of such payments. This study attempts to explore why, how, and in what ways informal payments occur. Methods: We conducted face-to-face interviews with a purposeful sample of 45 participants, including patients, healthcare providers and officials, in Kerman province in Iran, in 2010. The research participants were asked about the nature of informal payments, the reasons behind both asking and making those payments. We analysed the data using content analysis. Results: We found that people make informal payments for several reasons, namely cultural, qualityrelated and legal. Providers ask for informal payments because of tariffs, structural and moral reasons, and to demonstrate their competence. Informal payments were found to be more prevalent for complex procedures and are usually asked for directly. Conclusion: Informal payments are present in Iran’s health system as in other countries. What makes Iran’s condition slightly different from other countries is the peculiarity of reasons behind asking informal payments and the disadvantages associated with these kinds of payments. Iran could overcome this dilemma by precise investigation of the reasons to inform appropriate policy formulation. Some policies such as raising salaries, justifying the tariffs and cost-sharing, defining a benefits package of services, and improving accountability and transparency in the health system could be taken by the government to alleviate the problem

Explicit Preference Elicitation for Task Completion Time

International audienc

Crowdsourcing Analytics With CrowdCur

International audienc

Optimizing Peer Learning in Online Groups with Affinities

International audienc

Induction of chondrogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells by low frequency electric field

Background: Since when the cartilage damage (e.g., with the osteoarthritis) it could not be repaired in the body, hence for its reconstruction needs cell therapy. For this purpose, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) is one of the best cell sources because by the tissue engineering techniques it can be differentiated into chondrocytes. Chemical and physical inducers is required order to stem cells to chondrocytes differentiating. We have decided to define the role of electric field (EF) in inducing chondrogenesis process. Materials and Methods: A low frequency EF applied the ADSCs as a physical inducer for chondrogenesis in a 3D micromass culture system which ADSCs were extracted from subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue. Also enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium, real time polymerase chain reaction and flowcytometry techniques were used for this study. Results: We found that the 20 minutes application of 1 kHz, 20 mv/cm EF leads to chondrogenesis in ADSCs. Although our results suggest that application of physical (EF) and chemical (transforming growth factor-β3) inducers at the same time, have best results in expression of collagen type II and SOX9genes. It is also seen EF makes significant decreased expression of collagens type I and X genes. Conclusion: The low frequency EF can be a good motivator to promote chondrogenic differentiation of human ADSCs

The Relationship between Organizational Social Capital and Retention of Faculty Members in Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Year 2011

Introduction: Faculty members are considered the most important elements of higher educational systems so their recruitment and retention is one of the success factors for universities. Theoretically, social capital is one of the factors that may affect on faculty retention. This study was aimed to study the relation between organizational social capital and retention of faculty members in Kerman University of Medical Sciences during year 2011. Methods: This was a cross- sectional and descriptive-analytical study. It was conducted in all colleges of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. A sample of 150 faculty members was selected via multistage sampling. They completed two valid and reliable questionnaires already developed by others. Data were analysed by regression models and path analysis. Results: In this study, the mean of social capital and retention among the faculty members of Kerman University of Medical Sciences were 3.16±.96 and 3.13±.61 respectively (out of 5). The results showed that there is a direct and positive bilateral (r=0.65) correlation between social capital and retention of faculty members in Kerman University Medical Sciences. Conclusion: There are positive and significant relashionship between social capital and retention of fculty members in other words, the increse of social capital among faculty members will accompany an increase in the probability of their retention. Social capital is one of the factors that may strongly affect faculty retention, so managers can rely on the factors affecting the improvement of social capital to increase their retention, but other factors should not be neglected at all

The effect of high frequency electric field on enhancement of chondrogenesis in human adipose-derived stem cells

Objective(s):Osteoarthritis (OA) is globally one of the most common diseases from the middle age onwards. Cartilage is an avascular tissue therefore it cannot be repaired in the body. Conservative treatments have failed as a good remedy and cell therapy as a decisive cure is needed. One of the best and easily accessible cell sources for this purpose is adipose-derived stem cells which can be differentiated into chondrocytes by tissue engineering techniques. Chemical and physical inducers have a key role in stem cell – chondrocyte differentiation. We have tried to determine the role of electric fields (EF) in promoting this kind of chondrogenesis process. Materials and Methods: Human adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) were extracted from subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue during cesarean section. A high frequency (60 KHz) EF (20 mv/cm), as a physical inducer for chondrogenesis in a 3D micromass culture system of ADSCs was utilized. Also, MTT, ELISA, flow cytometry, and real-time PCR techniques were used for this study. Results: We found that using physical electric fields leads to chondrogenesis. Furthermore, results show that using both physical (EF) and chemical (TGFβ3) inducers simultaneously, has best outcomes in chondrogenesis, and expression of SOX9 andtype II collagen genes. It also causes significant decreased expression of type I and X collagen genes in pure EF group compared with control group. Conclusion:The EF was found as a proper effective inducer in chondrogenic differentiation of human ADSCs micromass culture