A Hybrid Artificial Reputation Model

Agent interaction in a community such as an online buyer-seller scenario is often risky and uncertain. An agent interacts with other agents where initially they know nothing about each other. Currently many reputation models are developed that help consumers select more reputable and reliable service providers. Reputation models also help agents to make a decision on who they should trust and transact with in the future. These reputation models are either built on interaction trust that involves direct experience as a source of information, or they are built upon witness information, also known as word-of-mouth, that involves the reports provided by others. Neither the interaction trust nor the witness information models alone fully succeed in such uncertain interactions. This thesis research introduces the hybrid reputation model combining both interaction trust and witness information to address the shortcomings of existing reputation models when taken separately. Experiments reveal that the hybrid approach leads to better selection of trustworthy agents where consumers select more reputed service providers, eventually lead to more gains by the consumer. Furthermore, the trust model developed is used in calculating trust values of service providers for the case study with a live website ecommerce

A Watershed Scale Evaluation of Selected Second Generation Biofeedstocks on Water Quality

This study compares a novel simulation approach to the conventional Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) modeler\u27s approach for targeting biofuel crop production on marginal lands. In conventional SWAT modeling approach, non-spatial definition of hydrological response units (HRUs) results in the simulation of biofuel crops on both marginal and non-marginal land. This study provides an alternative approach in which a marginal-land raster was integrated into the land use and land cover (LULC) raster in such a way that the land uses were divided into marginal and non-marginal components. This modified LULC was used for model setup which resulted in marginal and non-marginal HRUs. This approach was evaluated for the L\u27Anguille River watershed (LRW) by calibrating and validating for total flow, surface flow, base flow, sediment, total phosphorus, and nitrate-nitrogen followed by the simulation of biofuel crops only on marginal HRUs. The results were analyzed for two cellulosic (second generation) biofuel crops: switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus). Compared to novel modeling approach, simulations using the conventional approach showed an increase in sediments by 20% and 61%, total phosphorus by 17% and 53%, and total nitrogen by 25% and 65% for the switchgrass and miscanthus, respectively. Compared to simulated pollutant losses from a mix of baseline row crops, switchgrass and miscanthus showed 94% and 78% decrease in sediment, 96% and 90% decrease in total phosphorus, and 80% and 67% decrease in total nitrogen, respectively. This study provided a novel approach to incorporate marginal land into the SWAT model and the model outputs suggest that producing perennial grass biofuel crops on marginal lands of the LRW resulted in lower sediment, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen losses than that obtained by conventional SWAT modeling. Pollutant losses from the non-targeted marginal HRUs explained the differences in the sediment, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen losses. The simulation results also suggested that substantial reduction in pollutant losses could be achieved by replacing baseline row crops with perennial grass crops on marginal lands in the LRW

Mental Health Services: Reaching the Homeless

Abstract Background: Serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorder (SUD) are two common findings among the majority of those experiencing homelessness in the Stanislaus County. Local Problem: Emergency shelters typically do not provide mental health services on-site, however, a collaboration between First Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center (FBH) and We Care Program Turlock (WCPT) was established to provide mental health services on-site. Method: The WCPT case manager as part of a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project implemented Assertive Outreach Model interventions to increase utilization of mental health services and established long-term relationships. Interventions: Frequent contact with clients; screening for SMI and SUD; and conducting team meetings with key stakeholders were elements implemented within the workflow. Measures: Client encounter data; number of screenings and referrals completed compared to prevalence of SMI/SUD in Stanislaus County, and semi-structured interviews from key stakeholders were collected between Fall 2021-2022. Results: 103 individuals connected with the WCPT case manager; 55 of 103 individuals were screened positive for either SMI/SUD; and 75% of referred clients met with the mental health clinician. Key stakeholders believed that the project established consistency because “it ties things together so these guys don’t slip through the cracks.” Conclusion: Assertive Outreach interventions in emergency shelters is a feasible option to promoting mental health service utilization. Keywords: mental health, services, utilization, screening, homeless, shelter, assertive outreach, social suppor

Mental Health Services: Improving Utilization in Homeless Populations

Emergency shelters provide a unique location to offer easily accessible services for unhoused individuals experiencing mental distress and serious mental illness. Housing First interventions do not improve mental health or social integration. It is important to consider alternative approaches to providing care for homeless individuals. This integrated review was undertaken to evaluate existing evidence of interventions that improve mental health awareness and utilization of mental health services among unhoused populations living in shelters. Assertive outreach is an important strategy that was shown to improve effectiveness of mental health programs in shelters; reconnect individuals with family; and help with psychological integration. Screening, as a component of the assertive outreach strategy, has an enabling effect on the promotion of mental health awareness and utilization of mental health services. The process of screening individuals was informal and semi-structured; conducted by both clinical and shelter staff; but used validated screening instruments. Initiative taken by clinicians and outreach workers to seek out individuals about mental health changed the context of care. Incorporation of shelter staff helped to expand social networks, rather than establish traditional patient-provider relationships, which improved self-efficacy through social support. The synthesis of evidence recommends that a non-traditional approach to mental health care, which emphasizes outreach and social network building, be implemented within shelters to improve on-site utilization of mental health services

Studies towards the synthesis of the core structure of sarains A, B, and C

Sarains A-C are marine alkaloids produced by the sponge Reniera sarai, which exhibit antitumor, antibacterial, and insecticidal activities. Sarains A-C have a complex structure, which comprises of a 1,5-diazatetracyclo[6.2.1.1³,⁹.0⁴,¹¹]dodecane tricyclic core surrounded by two macrocycles. To date four groups have communicated the construction of the tricyclic core, however the total synthesis of sarains A-C has yet to be reported. This thesis describes the work undertaken towards the synthesis of a tricycle that contains the core structure of sarains A-C, by the use of a novel carbene mediated ylide rearrangement reaction. The initial objective was to construct the precursor for this rearrangement, a cis-fused octahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrrole ring system bearing an endo acetic acid substituent in the three position. A number of strategies towards the construction of the desired octahydropyrrolo[2,3-b)]pyrrole ring system were investigated, these included: The electrophilic azidation of a cis-fused hexahydro-isoindole. The cyclisation of α-amino-(β-iodopyrrolidines). The formation of cyclic amidines. The Diels-Alder reaction between 2-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)buta-1,3-diene and an N-protected-pyrrolin-2-one dienophile. However, these approaches were unsuccessful. Following this, two closely related strategies were pursued, which gave promising results. A non-stereoselective strategy to the bicyclic system by the ring opening of butadiene monoxide with a lactam enolate was investigated. A cis-fused octahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrrole ring system was formed using a model system based on an azido-lactam synthesised in this strategy. Finally, the use of a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement provided a stereoselective method for construction of the required octahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrrole ring system

Branes and Geometry in String and M-Theory

This thesis is based on two papers by the author and consists of two parts. We review the recent developments in the theory of multiple M2-branes and 3-algebras leading to multiple D2-brane theories. The inclusion of flux terms for the supersymmetric BLG and ABJM theories of closed M2-branes is discussed and then generalised to open M2-branes. Here the boundary condition is derived and different BPS configurations are examined where we find a mass deformed Basu-Harvey equation for the M2-M5 system. The Lorentzian 3-algebra is then employed for obtaining a theory of D2-branes in a flux background, we then obtain the new fuzzy funnel solution of the system of D2-D4 branes in a flux. Matrix theories and their compactifications as well as noncommutative geometry and noncommutative gauge theories are reviewed with a discussion of their generalisations to three dimensions to be used to describe the M-theory three form potential $C_3$. A new feature of string theory is then obtained called the quantum Nambu geometry (QNG). It is found by considering the action for D1-strings in a RR flux background and we demonstrate that there is a large flux double scaling limit where the action is dominated by a Chern-Simons-Myers coupling term. A classical solution to this is the quantised spacetime known as the quantum Nambu geometry. Various matrix models are obtained from this action, these are the large flux dominated terms of the full actions for the corresponding matrix models. The QNG gives rise to an expansion of D1-strings to D4-branes in the IIA theory, so we obtain an action for the large flux terms for this action which is verified by a dimensional reduction of the PST action describing M5-branes. We make a generalisation of the D4-brane action to describe M5-branes using a duality. We are describing the 3-form self-dual field strength of a non-abelian generalisation of the PST action.Comment: PhD Thesis, 143 page