Decision-maker Trade-offs In Multiple Response Surface Optimization

The focus of this dissertation is on improving decision-maker trade-offs and the development of a new constrained methodology for multiple response surface optimization. There are three key components of the research: development of the necessary conditions and assumptions associated with constrained multiple response surface optimization methodologies; development of a new constrained multiple response surface methodology; and demonstration of the new method. The necessary conditions for and assumptions associated with constrained multiple response surface optimization methods were identified and found to be less restrictive than requirements previously described in the literature. The conditions and assumptions required for a constrained method to find the most preferred non-dominated solution are to generate non-dominated solutions and to generate solutions consistent with decision-maker preferences among the response objectives. Additionally, if a Lagrangian constrained method is used, the preservation of convexity is required in order to be able to generate all non-dominated solutions. The conditions required for constrained methods are significantly fewer than those required for combined methods. Most of the existing constrained methodologies do not incorporate any provision for a decision-maker to explicitly determine the relative importance of the multiple objectives. Research into the larger area of multi-criteria decision-making identified the interactive surrogate worth trade-off algorithm as a potential methodology that would provide that capability in multiple response surface optimization problems. The ISWT algorithm uses an ε-constraint formulation to guarantee a non-dominated solution, and then interacts with the decision-maker after each iteration to determine the preference of the decision-maker in trading-off the value of the primary response for an increase in value of a secondary response. The current research modified the ISWT algorithm to develop a new constrained multiple response surface methodology that explicitly accounts for decision-maker preferences. The new Modified ISWT (MISWT) method maintains the essence of the original method while taking advantage of the specific properties of multiple response surface problems to simplify the application of the method. The MISWT is an accessible computer-based implementation of the ISWT. Five test problems from the multiple response surface optimization literature were used to demonstrate the new methodology. It was shown that this methodology can handle a variety of types and numbers of responses and independent variables. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the methodology can be successful using a priori information from the decision-maker about bounds or targets or can use the extreme values obtained from the region of operability. In all cases, the methodology explicitly considered decision-maker preferences and provided non-dominated solutions. The contribution of this method is the removal of implicit assumptions and includes the decision-maker in explicit trade-offs among multiple objectives or responses

PATRIMÔNIO ARQUEOLÓGICO HURON-WENDAT: CONSTRUINDO RELAÇÕES PARA A COLABORAÇÃO

L’intérêt universitaire pour la population Huron-Wendat du dix-septième siècle en Ontario est loin d’être nouveau. Malgré cela, ce n’est que très récemment que les archéologues et autres chercheurs travaillent avec la communauté Huron-Wendat autour des excavations de sites Huron-Wendat en Ontario. Cette implication est un premier pas, mais ne peut être vue comme une réelle collaboration car dans la plupart des cas les investigations ne sont pas des partenariats et ne répondent pas à de questions directement posées par les membres de la Nation. En 2015, pour le quatre-centième anniversaire de l’arrivée de Champlain en Ontario, les membres de la Nation Huron-Wendat et des archéologues ont co-organisé un colloque autour de sujets significatifs pour la nation, parmi lesquels la relation avec les « Iroquoiens du Saint-Laurent », les Wendat et l’histoire Wyandot après 1650, ainsi que les analyses bio-archéologiques. Cet article présente une brève histoire de la recherche archéologique sur le passé Huron-Wendat et dégage de nouvelles et plus collaboratives voies de recherche présentes et à venir.There is a long history of academic interest in the Huron-Wendat people of the seventeenth century in Ontario. Despite this interest, archaeologists and other academics have only recently begun to engage with the Huron-Wendat community regarding excavations of Huron-Wendat sites in Ontario. This engagement is a first step, and it does not represent true collaboration, because in most cases investigations are not partnerships and do not arise from questions posed by members of the Nation. In 2015, to mark the four-hundredth anniversary of the arrival of Champlain in Ontario, members of the Huron-Wendat Nation and archaeologists co-organized a conference focussed on subjects of interest to the Nation, including their relationship with the “St. Lawrence Iroquoians,” Wendat and Wyandot history after 1650, and bioarchaeological analyses. This paper presents a brief history of archaeological research on the Huron-Wendat past and outlines some new, more collaborative avenues of present and future research.Existe uma história longa de estudo acadêmico do povo Huron-Wendat no século dezessete no Ontario. Apesar disso, é muito recente o engajamento dos arqueólogos e de outros acadêmicos com a comunidade Huron-Wendat em relação às escavações de sítios Huron-Wendat no Ontario. Este engajamento constitui um primeiro passo, porém não representa uma verdadeira colaboração considerando que na maioria dos casos as investigações não são parcerias e não se baseiam em perguntas diretamente formuladas pelos membros da Nação. Em 2015, para marcar o aniversario de quatrocentos anos da chegada de Champlain no Ontario, membros da Nação Huron-Wendat e arqueólogos co-organizaram um colóquio sobre temas de grande interesse para a Nação, incluindo a relação com os “St. Lawrence Iroquoians,” os Wendat e a história dos Wyandot depois de 1650, assim como análises bio-arqueológicas. Este artigo apresenta uma breve história da pesquisa arqueológica sobre o passado dos Huron-Wendat e revela alguns novos, e mais colaborativos, caminhos de pesquisas presentes e futuras

Florida Cut-Crystal Beads in Ontario

Faceted rock-crystal beads attributed to ca. 1550-1630 have been found at a number of North American archaeological sites, principally in the southeastern United Sates where they are generally termed Florida Cut-Crystal. Finds further to the north are rare. It was, therefore, of great interest to discover three different examples in the bead collections of two 17th-century Huron-Wendat sites in southern Ontario: Le Caron (BeGx-15) and Warminster (BdGv-1). The beads are investigated using a multi-disciplinary approach in an effort to determine how and where they were produced

Nueva Cadiz Beads in the Americas: A Preliminary Compositional Comparison

Nueva Cadiz and associated beads are among the earliest categories of European glass beads found in the Americas. Named after the site in Venezuela where they were first identified, these tubular, square-sectioned beads occur in regions of 16th-century Spanish colonial trade. A similar style occurs around Lake Ontario in northeastern North America in areas of 17th-century Dutch and French colonial trade. We compare the chemical composition of beads from South America and Ontario, Canada, to explore their provenience and technology. Differences in key trace elements (Hf, Zr, Nd) strongly indicate separate sand origins for the two bead groups. Comparison with soda-lime glass made in Venice and Antwerp reveals chemical similarities between the South American beads and Venetian glass, and between the Ontario beads and Antwerp glass. The analysis also sheds light on beadmaking technologies

Aboriginal people's perceptions of patient-reported outcome measures in the assessment of diabetes health-related quality of life

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide clinicians and consumers a platform to inform and improve healthcare planning and management. Aboriginal people experience disproportionately high rates of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Treatment and management require holistic approaches that draw on culturally relevant resources and assessment tools. This study explored perceptions of Aboriginal people about two diabetes management-related PROMs (PROMIS-29, PAID Scale). Methods: Twenty-nine Aboriginal people living with diabetes in the Shoalhaven discussed two PROMs in one of four focus groups or at an individual interview. Preliminary data coding was conducted by clinician researchers, with thematic analysis overseen by Aboriginal co-researchers. Subsequent individual interviews with participants were undertaken to seek further feedback and articulate what is needed to improve methods of evaluating Aboriginal people's self-reported quality of life and diabetes management. Results: The PROMs did not capture information or knowledge that Aboriginal people considered relevant to their diabetes-related health care. Participants' recommendations included adapting survey materials to be more culturally sensitive; for example, by improving the alignment of measures with common day-to-day activities. This study also describes a genuine collaborative, Aboriginal community-guided approach to evaluate 'fit-for-purpose' diabetes management tools. Conclusions: Appropriate evaluation methods are paramount to address the disproportionate burden of diabetes experienced by Aboriginal peoples and overcome inverse diabetes care. Our learnings will contribute to development of tools, resources or methods that capture culturally tailored outcome measures. Study findings are relevant to clinicians and researchers using and/or developing Patient Reported Measures, particularly in relation to the practicality of tools for First Nations peoples

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance and prognosis in cardiac amyloidosis

Background: Cardiac involvement is common in amyloidosis and associated with a variably adverse outcome. We have previously shown that cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can assess deposition of amyloid protein in the myocardial interstitium. In this study we assessed the prognostic value of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and gadolinium kinetics in cardiac amyloidosis in a prospective longitudinal study.Materials and methods: The pre-defined study end point was all-cause mortality. We prospectively followed a cohort of 29 patients with proven cardiac amyloidosis. All patients underwent biopsy, 2D-echocardiography and Doppler studies, I-123-SAP scintigraphy, serum NT pro BNP assay, and CMR with a T-1 mapping method and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).Results: Patients with were followed for a median of 623 days (IQ range 221, 1436), during which 17 (58%) patients died. The presence of myocardial LGE by itself was not a significant predictor of mortality. However, death was predicted by gadolinium kinetics, with the 2 minute post-gadolinium intramyocardial T1 difference between subepicardium and subendocardium predicting mortality with 85% accuracy at a threshold value of 23 ms (the lower the difference the worse the prognosis). Intramyocardial T1 gradient was a better predictor of survival than FLC response to chemotherapy (Kaplan Meier analysis P = 0.049) or diastolic function (Kaplan-Meier analysis P = 0.205).Conclusion: In cardiac amyloidosis, CMR provides unique information relating to risk of mortality based on gadolinium kinetics which reflects the severity of the cardiac amyloid burden

VCU Internal Alignment Project

The purpose of this project was to see how many projects were actually implemented fully throughout the years of the program. The group members contacted others who they personally knew on the project teams of six prior projects that related to VCU Infrastructure (VCU Internal Alignment projects). Interestingly, in many cases these alumni volunteered input and constructive feedback on the institute as well. The projects included Campus Pride (2005), VCU Center for Research Excellence (2005), Monroe Park Fall Festival (2006), MERCI (2006), University Link Tank (2008), and The Next Generation (2009). All of the projects were drafted and presented in completion at the end of GEHLI. We found that only one project, Monroe Park Festival, was subsequently implemented in full

Clinton Street MAX Visioning

This report documents the initial analysis and visioning process performed in the area surrounding the Clinton Street Station, which is nestled between Hosford-Abernethy and Brooklyn neighborhoods and the Central Eastside Industrial District. This project focuses on the future of the Clinton Street Station and how its development will impact the surrounding area over the next 50 years. This task involved acknowledging and balancing the current needs of the various stakeholders. The purpose of this report is to act as a tool for the Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood Association (HAND) to more adequately understand the opportunities and constraints that the future station area holds. In order to begin imagining the future of the area, a thorough understanding and analysis is presented. Following this, design principles that shape the vision for the future are described. The document concludes with next steps and implementation recommendations. This project was conducted under the supervision of Donald J. Stastny and Edward Starkie

ChIP-seq analysis reveals distinct H3K27me3 profiles that correlate with transcriptional activity

Transcriptional control is dependent on a vast network of epigenetic modifications. One epigenetic mark of particular interest is tri-methylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3), which is catalysed and maintained by Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2). Although this histone mark is studied widely, the precise relationship between its local pattern of enrichment and regulation of gene expression is currently unclear. We have used ChIP-seq to generate genome-wide maps of H3K27me3 enrichment, and have identified three enrichment profiles with distinct regulatory consequences. First, a broad domain of H3K27me3 enrichment across the body of genes corresponds to the canonical view of H3K27me3 as inhibitory to transcription. Second, a peak of enrichment around the transcription start site (TSS) is commonly associated with ‘bivalent’ genes, where H3K4me3 also marks the TSS. Finally and most surprisingly, we identified an enrichment profile with a peak in the promoter of genes that is associated with active transcription. Genes with each of these three profiles were found in different proportions in each of the cell types studied. The data analysis techniques developed here will be useful for the identification of common enrichment profiles for other histone modifications that have important consequences for transcriptional regulation