Study to investigate factors influencing adoption of mobile devices in the healthcare environment

In this research project, modified graphene was employed as filler to enhance the electrical conductivity and to reinforce mechanical properties of natural rubber (NR). The defect sites in the graphene sheets were investigated for further modification. The latex mixing and mechanical mixing methods to load functional graphene sheets into the NR matrix, improved the mechanical and electrical properties of the composite material. Graphene was prepared by a chemical oxidation-reduction approach to fill the NR matrix. The oxidation approaches were employed in progress, which will induce various defects in the final product. It is known that these defects decrease the properties of the graphene and graphene/natural rubber composites, which are prepared by traditional method as well. However, these defects could cause improvements in performance of the graphene composites with re-designed methods, the main focus of this thesis. Before loading into NR matrix, the defect information of graphene oxide (GO) prepared using Hummers method was examined through positron testing, which is known to be highly effective in the study of the defects in graphite and its derivatives. The different types of defects were detectable, which revealed that the vacancy clusters and vacancy-oxygen group complexes were present on the GO sheets. No large open-volume hole was detected in GO. The reduction of GO by potassium carbonate (K2CO3) as a green noble preparation approach was developed, and the oxygen groups dispersion status in the GO sheet was further investigated. K2CO3 was used as a reusable reduction agent to convert GO to reduced graphene oxide (RGO) in two steps, based on the conversion of the different types of oxygen groups detected. Carbon dioxide was the only by-product of this process, which was absorbed by K2CO3. In addition, the study further elucidates the structure of GO sheets. The oxygen groups on the GO sheets not only aligned but also randomly dispersed in different areas. Antistatic NR nanocomposites with partly interconnected graphene architectures offer significant enhancement in various properties. RGO/NR composites were prepared using latex mixing and in-situ reduction process. The oxygen groups on the GO played a key role in attaching GO sheets to the surface of NR particles. Segregated current transfer routes were partly constructed in an NR matrix with an electrical conductivity of 0.1 S/m and reinforcing the tensile strength and elongation-at-break as well. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were used to decorate GO, which further increased the electrical conductivity of NR nanocomposites. Electrically conductive AgNPs/RGO filled NR with well-organized three-dimensional (3D) microstructures were prepared through electrostatic self-assembly integrated latex mixing. The oxygen groups in GO acted as an anchor for AgNPs growth, resulting in the electrical conductivity of 31000 S/m for the AgNPs/RGO. A honeycomb-like AgNPs/RGO 3D network was constructed in the NR matrix after freeze-drying and hot compression moulding. The AgNPs/RGO/NR nanocomposites show a percolation threshold of 0.63 vol.% and electrical conductivity of 196 S/m at AgNPs/RGO content of 4.03 vol.%. The oxygen groups can not only be used to improve the electrical conductivity of NR but also used to reinforce mechanical properties. The effect of functionalized GO on the mechanical properties of NR was investigated through two strategies. In the first strategy, one layer of silica particles were attached to the GO surface through hydrogen bonds. The strength were reinforced because of well-dispersed SiO2/GO in the NR matrix. GO acted as a surfactant dispersed by silica into the NR matrix to reinforce the mechanical properties using latex mixing. Oxygen groups on the graphene sheets banded with silica to achieve the target. In the second strategy, the strength reinforcement of NR nanocomposites was achieved by construction of an interpenetrating network between the NR molecules and porous graphene. In this project, porous graphene loaded NR nanocomposites were prepared through an ultrasonically assisted latex mixing and in-situ reduction process. The oxygen groups showed chemo-selectivity etched by potassium permanganate (KMnO4), forming pores possessing suitable dimensions in graphene sheets. Porous graphene/NR nanocomposites show strong interactions between the NR molecules and porous graphene than RGO/NR, which contributed to an increase in tensile strength compared to the RGO/NR nanocomposites. Furthermore, the scorch time compared to RGO/NR was decreased, and density of cross-linking was increased, which demonstrate the pores on the graphene sheets formed a mass transfer route, indicating an interpenetrating network was constructed

Developing an Instrument to Measure the Adoption of Mobile Devices in the Telehealth Environment

The aim of this paper is to develop and describe the design process of an integrative tool to measure perceptions and experiences of health professionals for the use of mobile devices in healthcare. Prior researchers used three phases (from 2-4 mentioned in next line) of instrument development, however, this research used four phases to develop an integrative instrument to measure perceptions and experiences of health professionals for the use of mobile devices in telehealth. These four phases are: 1. Themes and factors selection, 2. Item creation, 3. Item refinement and 4. Item testing. The process followed to develop the instrument can be used to develop instruments in other domains. Also, service providers, service designers, management and researchers for understanding perceptions and experiences of health professionals for the use of mobile devices can use the instrument developed in this research

What factors determine healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) acceptance of mobile devices for telehealth: a qualitative study conducted in Queensland, Australia

Background: The introduction of telehealth has transformed the way of health delivery. Using telehealth, travel time and distance barriers are virtually eliminated for patients who live in remote areas where access to a hospital or clinician is limited (Coach 2013). Despite the various benefits of telehealth, the static model of telehealth services is preferred globally. In Australia, for telehealth consultations, the patients arrive at the health facility 30 minutes before the teleconsultation begins so that staff can take the necessary observations and can send the results to the hospital, even though mobile device based telehealth has potential to monitor patients in the home bed side environment. Yet most of mobile device based telehealth services are used in text messaging and in calling globally. The use of mobile device based telehealth services in many health activities such as telemedicine, patients’ records, treatment and monitoring is slow. Tamrat and Kachnowski (2012) claimed sustainable adoption of prenatal and neonatal mobile device based telehealth services remains under-developed. Therefore, the aim of this research is to explore the perceptions and experiences of health care professionals’ (HCPs) for the acceptance of mobile devices in telehealth. Methods: This research is conducted using the qualitative approach. Six focus group discussions, each group having 5-7 members and 2 interview were used to collect qualitative data. The target population was healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians and oral health practioners involved with the provision of telehealth services. Results: In Queensland, health care professionals intention, self-efficacy, compatibility, relative advantages, education and training, management support, network coverage, privacy and security, resource issues, trialability, age and experience with technology use were found to be important factors for the use of mobile devices whereas social influences, functional features of mobile devices and complexity were found to be conflicting factors among various HCPs for the use of mobile devices in the Australian telehealth environment. Discussion; This study findings add to the stream of knowledge and provided factors that has policy an empirical implications. In policy and practice terms, this study makes a significant contribution towards an understating of factors for the use of mobile devices in telehealth. These factors can serve as a guide to policy makers and mangers to implement mobile devices in telehealth. Further, the results obtained from this research study can be applied in other states of Australia and the rest of the world to understand the use of mobile devices in the telehealth environment. The paper also indicated age and experience as moderating variables which can further be considered and can be investigated in other studies such as survey. Further, the factors and the items obtained in this research study can be used to design a survey questionnaire to conduct this research study using the quantitative approach

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good

Search for stop and higgsino production using diphoton Higgs boson decays

Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top-quark (stop) and the Higgs boson (higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7 inverse femtobarns of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the stop mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the higgsino mass

Severe early onset preeclampsia: short and long term clinical, psychosocial and biochemical aspects

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific disorder commonly defined as de novo hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks gestational age. It occurs in approximately 3-5% of pregnancies and it is still a major cause of both foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide1. As extensive research has not yet elucidated the aetiology of preeclampsia, there are no rational preventive or therapeutic interventions available. The only rational treatment is delivery, which benefits the mother but is not in the interest of the foetus, if remote from term. Early onset preeclampsia (<32 weeks’ gestational age) occurs in less than 1% of pregnancies. It is, however often associated with maternal morbidity as the risk of progression to severe maternal disease is inversely related with gestational age at onset2. Resulting prematurity is therefore the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in patients with severe preeclampsia3. Although the discussion is ongoing, perinatal survival is suggested to be increased in patients with preterm preeclampsia by expectant, non-interventional management. This temporising treatment option to lengthen pregnancy includes the use of antihypertensive medication to control hypertension, magnesium sulphate to prevent eclampsia and corticosteroids to enhance foetal lung maturity4. With optimal maternal haemodynamic status and reassuring foetal condition this results on average in an extension of 2 weeks. Prolongation of these pregnancies is a great challenge for clinicians to balance between potential maternal risks on one the eve hand and possible foetal benefits on the other. Clinical controversies regarding prolongation of preterm preeclamptic pregnancies still exist – also taking into account that preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the Netherlands5 - a debate which is even more pronounced in very preterm pregnancies with questionable foetal viability6-9. Do maternal risks of prolongation of these very early pregnancies outweigh the chances of neonatal survival? Counselling of women with very early onset preeclampsia not only comprises of knowledge of the outcome of those particular pregnancies, but also knowledge of outcomes of future pregnancies of these women is of major clinical importance. This thesis opens with a review of the literature on identifiable risk factors of preeclampsia

Search for anomalous production of events with three or more leptons in pp collisions at √s = 8TeV

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published articles title, journal citation, and DOI.A search for physics beyond the standard model in events with at least three leptons is presented. The data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5fb-1 of proton-proton collisions with center-of-mass energy s=8TeV, was collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC during 2012. The data are divided into exclusive categories based on the number of leptons and their flavor, the presence or absence of an opposite-sign, same-flavor lepton pair (OSSF), the invariant mass of the OSSF pair, the presence or absence of a tagged bottom-quark jet, the number of identified hadronically decaying τ leptons, and the magnitude of the missing transverse energy and of the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta. The numbers of observed events are found to be consistent with the expected numbers from standard model processes, and limits are placed on new-physics scenarios that yield multilepton final states. In particular, scenarios that predict Higgs boson production in the context of supersymmetric decay chains are examined. We also place a 95% confidence level upper limit of 1.3% on the branching fraction for the decay of a top quark to a charm quark and a Higgs boson (t→cH), which translates to a bound on the left- and right-handed top-charm flavor-violating Higgs Yukawa couplings, λtcH and λctH, respectively, of |λtcH|2+|λctH|2<0.21