scholarly journals The challenges of predicting pipe failures in clean water networks: a view from current practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Barton ◽  
S. H. Hallett ◽  
S. R. Jude
Keyword(s):  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Pipe Failure ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Proactive Management ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
Failure Models ◽  
Failure Predictions

Abstract Pipe failure models can aid proactive management decisions and help target pipes in need of preventative repair or replacement. Yet, there are several uncertainties and challenges that arise when developing models, resulting in discord between failure predictions and those observed in the field. This paper aims to raise awareness of the main challenges, uncertainties, and potential advances discussed in key themes, supported by a series of semi-structured interviews undertaken with water professionals. The main discussion topics include data management, data limitations, pre-processing difficulties, model scalability and future opportunities and challenges. Improving data quality and quantity is key in improving pipe failure models. Technological advances in the collection of continuous real-time data from ubiquitous smart networks offer opportunities to improve data collection, whilst machine learning and data analytics methods offer a chance to improve future predictions. In some instances, technological approaches may provide better solutions to tackling short term proactive management. Yet, there remains an opportunity for pipe failure models to provide valuable insights for long-term rehabilitation and replacement planning.

scholarly journals Entrepreneurship Education with Companies: Teachers Organizing School-Company Interaction

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 268
Author(s):  
Kaarina Sommarström ◽  
Elena Oikkonen ◽  
Timo Pihkala
Keyword(s):  
Basic Education ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Education Level ◽  
The Other ◽  
School Level ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning

Previous research into entrepreneurial learning has focused mainly on defining its aims; however, there seems to be little discussion on understanding the barriers or incentives involved when carrying out the pedagogical solutions that would enable entrepreneurial learning. In this study, we examine basic education level schools’ cooperation with outside partners, especially from the school principals’ and teachers’ viewpoints. The study aims to understand the perspectives of teachers and principals on planning and organizing school-company interaction. To do this, content analysis was used in this qualitative study. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews with school teachers and principals, involving a total of 35 people working in basic education. The findings of the study show that principals and teachers intentionally select long-term cooperation methods to meet the aims of entrepreneurial learning. On the other hand, teachers that have chosen to apply short-term school-company cooperation methods have highlighted the ease of these methods rather than learning. Finally, our findings suggest that planning and organizing entrepreneurial learning would benefit from school-level commitment where collaboration between teachers and between teachers and company representatives is valued. We believe that would lead to more satisfied teachers and longer-term school-company cooperation, and also believe that short-term school-company cooperation methods would better meet the aims of entrepreneurial learning.

Social work interventions for human trafficking victims’ in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
pp. 002087281990116
Author(s):  
Solomon Amadasun
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Social ◽  
Trafficking Victims ◽  
Social Work Interventions

Human trafficking victims require holistic and long-term services if their social conditions are to be improved. This study aims to explore the nature of social work services for human trafficking survivors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cohort of social workers in a statutory anti-trafficking organization in southern Nigeria and the results were analyzed using thematic analysis. While the social workers reported providing services to trafficking survivors, these services were mainly rehabilitation-driven and short-term-focused. Although the research relates to a small-scale study, it has far-reaching implications for social work professionals and the Nigerian political leadership.

scholarly journals Semiparametric Odds Rate Model for Modeling Short-Term and Long-Term Effects with Application to a Breast Cancer Genetic Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengdie Yuan ◽  
Guoqing Diao
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Genetic Study ◽  
Failure Time ◽  
Proportional Odds Model ◽  
Failure Time Data ◽  
Rate Model ◽  
Proportional Odds ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Short Term

AbstractThe proportional odds model is commonly used in the analysis of failure time data. The assumption of constant odds ratios over time in the proportional odds model, however, can be violated in some applications. Motivated by a genetic study with breast cancer patients, we propose a novel semiparametric odds rate model for the analysis of right-censored survival data. The proposed model incorporates the short-term and long-term covariate effects on the failure time data and includes the proportional odds model as a nested model. We develop efficient likelihood-based inference procedures and establish the large sample properties of the proposed nonparametric maximum likelihood estimators. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed methods perform well in practical settings. An application to the motivating example is provided.

scholarly journals THE SCALE OF THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN GEORGIA AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PREVENTIVE MEASURES IMPLIMENTED BY THE GOVERNMENT – WHAT DO MODELS SAY?

2020 ◽  
pp. 49-57
Author(s):  
IURI ANANIASHVILI ◽  
LEVAN GAPRINDASHVILI
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Optimal Level ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Machine Learning Methods ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
The Government ◽  
Different Characteristics

. In this article we present forecasts of the spread of COVID-19 virus, obtained by econometric and machine learning methods. Furthermore, by employing modelling method, we estimate effectiveness of preventive measures implemented by the government. Each of the models discussed in this article is modelling different characteristics of the COVID-19 epidemic’s trajectory: peak and end date, number of daily infections over different forecasting horizons, total number of infection cases. All these provide quite clear picture to the interested reader of the future threats posed by COVID-19. In terms of existing models and data, our research indicates that phenomenological models do well in forecasting the trend, duration and total infections of the COVID- 19 epidemic, but make serious mistakes in forecasting the number of daily infections. Machine learning models, deliver more accurate short –term forecast of daily infections, but due to data limitations, they struggle to make long-term forecasts. Compartmental models are the best choice for modelling the measures implemented by the government for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and determining optimal level of restrictions. These models show that until achieving herd immunity (i.e. without any epidemiological or government implemented measures), approximate number of people infected with COVID-19 would be 3 million, but due to preventive measures, expected total number of infections has reduced to several thousand (1555-3189) people. This unequivocally indicates the effectiveness of the preventive measures.

scholarly journals Engaging interaction and long-term engagement with WhatsApp in an everyday life context: exploratory study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan-Antonio Martinez-Comeche ◽  
Ian Ruthven
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Online Application ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe aim of this exploratory study is to analyze if the most used factors related to the engaging interaction and long-term engagement with online applications can be applied to WhatsApp in a context of everyday life in Madrid and to investigate what parameters would best describe the engagement with WhatsApp in this context.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative method was employed to explore the cognitive, emotional and behavioral factors that mainly comprise the experience of a user with an online application, both at a point in time and over time. Data from 30 semi-structured interviews and questionnaires from six group chats were collected and analyzed. The sample was made up of people aged from 13 to 58 years old.FindingsFindings suggest that the factors used in this study to evaluate long-term engagement and engaging interactions with WhatsApp are relevant, except for cognitive factors related to engaging interactions, indicating that the cognitive point of view is more difficult to apply in the engaging interaction analysis. Other attributes related to information retrieval are suggested, best suited to the informative use of this tool.Originality/valueLong-term engagement studies are scarcer concerning Mobile Instant Messaging applications. Regarding engagement interaction, its analysis focusing on WhatsApp has not been approached. This study suggests the convenience of using parameters related to information to evaluate the engaging interaction, according to the informative use of the application.

scholarly journals Adopting and implementing nutrition guidelines in recreational facilities: tensions between public health and corporate profitability

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 815-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Lee Olstad ◽  
Kim D Raine ◽  
Linda J McCargar
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Voluntary Action ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Recreational Facilities ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Financial Gain ◽  
Health Goals ◽  
Nutrition Guidelines

AbstractObjectiveLittle is known about how public entities can partner with industry to achieve public health goals. We investigated industry's perspective of factors that influenced their adoption and implementation of voluntary, government-issued nutrition guidelines (Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth, ANGCY) in recreational facilities.DesignIn-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were analysed using directed content analysis.SettingFood services in recreational facilities.SubjectsSeven managers from industry participated; five from companies that had adopted and implemented the ANGCY (adopters) in recreational facilities and two from companies that had not (non-adopters).ResultsIndustry views nutrition guidelines through the lens of profitability. Non-adopters were unwilling to implement the ANGCY for fear of sacrificing short-term profitability, whereas adopters adhered to them in an attempt to position themselves for long-term profitability. Adopters faced barriers including few resources, no training, complex guidelines, low availability of and demand for ANGCY-compliant products, competitive pressures and substantial declines in revenue. Managers believed widespread voluntary adoption of the ANGCY was unlikely without government incentives and/or a mandate, as the environmental context for voluntary action was poor. All managers supported government-mandated implementation of the ANGCY to level the playing field upon which companies compete.ConclusionsPublic–private partnerships in recreational facilities can embrace public health goals in the short term, provided industry perceives potential for long-term financial gain. Widespread uptake of voluntary nutrition guidelines in this setting is unlikely, however, as market mechanisms do not encourage industry to sell and promote healthier options. Government legislation may therefore be warranted.

Smartcities

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Lim
Keyword(s):  
Social Space ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
First Century ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Housing Choice ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Conservation Of Energy ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Blank Slate

What is a ‘Smartcity’? [1] The Smartcity differentiates itself from the ‘Eco-city’ by embracing new paradigms of programme, form and sociological interaction. It is neither a fixed place nor a singular approach but rather a manifesto for the production of a space relevant for the twenty-first century.The Smartcity is not a creation from a blank slate, but an evolution of long-standing sustainable principles that intertwine with contemporary desires for a healthier physical, mental and social existence in an increasingly alienating world. It aims to preserve and enhance natural and cultural resources, expand the range of eco-transportation, employment and housing choice, and values long-term regional sustainability over short-term focus. The currency of an ‘eco-’ prefix has become devalued through overuse and abuse, and ‘sustainability’ is a blanket expression – clearly, some aspects of our lifestyle are worth sustaining and others are not. Deciding and acting on which category they fall into, however, is not as straightforward as it appears. Conservation of energy and the environment are key priorities, but so too is the conservation of heritage, tradition and human interaction. Each generation is the proprietor of its own values, and the current zeitgeist has reacted against the mass-produced and anodyne, whether in the guise of housing, jobs and clothing or fruit and vegetables. Without ignoring technological advances, the Smartcity embraces leanness and the low-tech by adopting an operating system that filters out excess and reboots our social space. Smartcity living does not ask for ‘more’ but determines how to use less in the creation of a healthier mental and physical existence [2].

scholarly journals Doctor at Your Fingertips: An Exploration of Digital Visits from Stakeholders’ Perspectives

Life ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Selina Demi ◽  
Samir Hilmy ◽  
Christina Keller
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Real Time Data

Technological advances and the evolution of mobile technologies enable patients to meet their doctors through their smartphones. While offering the opportunity of digital visits to patients, there are also challenges for this development. The purpose of this study is to enhance the understanding of digital visits, as perceived by experts working in telemedicine companies. To serve this purpose, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with managers and employees in eight telemedicine companies. The analysis of the empirical data confirmed the importance of digital visits and their efficiency. The potential of digital visits is expected to increase significantly, should they make use of remote devices to transfer real-time data from patients to physicians. In such a case, digital visits are expected to cover approximately 70–75% of medical cases. However, the use of remote devices must be taken with caution and specific conditions need to be taken into account. We encourage researchers to perform research on promising technologies such as artificial intelligence and remote diagnostic devices, which could make more diagnoses and conditions possible to be treated by digital visits. This is even more important in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

A subtle kind of certainty

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-106
Author(s):  
Patrick F. Parnaby
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
The Other ◽  
Symbiotic Relationship ◽  
Economic Uncertainty ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Financial Planners ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Using data collected from 42 semi-structured interviews with professional financial planners and eight recorded meetings between planners and clients, this paper examines two interrelated social phenomena from a Bourdieusian (1977, 1991) perspective. First, it examines how professional financial planners legitimize their expertise by constructing and maintaining a distinction between short-term economic uncertainty on one hand, and the inevitability of long-term economic growth on the other. Second, it conceptualizes those legitimation practices in terms of their symbiotic relationship to broader structural conditions. The analysis concludes by reflecting on the significance of misrecognition as it relates to industry claims about the future.

scholarly journals WEATHER FORECASTING IN THE PRACTICE OF REINDEER HERDERS FROM THE SUBPOLAR URALS

2019 ◽  
pp. 195-201
Author(s):  
N.A. Liskevich ◽  
I.Yu. Kopyltsova ◽  
L.S. Porshunova
Keyword(s):  
Weather Forecasting ◽  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Smoke Movement ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Subpolar Urals ◽  
Rainy Weather ◽  
Weather Changes

The present article considers a complex of various signs used for predicting significant weather phenomena in the practice of reindeer herders from the Subpolar Urals. The authors obtained empirical data in the course of ethnographic expeditions (2007, 2012 and 2018) by conducting semi-structured interviews with hereditary reindeer herders, managers and specialists from the reindeer herding company of Saranpaul village (Beryozovsky District, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area — Yugra). Systematisation along with the thematic classification of the field data revealed that the practical knowledge and skills of reindeer herders include prompt and long-term weather observation, experience in predicting and evaluating changes in hydrometeorological conditions, the ability to determine their impact on the food supply, as well as on the behaviour and health of deer. A complex of various signs helps to predict short-term weather changes or seasonal prospects: incoming of spring / summer / winter, rainy weather and summer temperature, snow depth in winter, bad weather, rain, snow, snowstorm, wind, cold, frost, heat and other meteorological changes. For making a short-term forecast, the following points are taken into account: wind direction in the mountains; presence and location of fog in the mountains; colour of sunset; twinkling of stars; halo around the moon; beauty of Northern Lights; quality of carried sounds (voiced and voiceless); fire draught and smoke movement; cloud form; bird cries; and animal behaviour (deer, dogs, insects). For the most part, these signs are rationally explained by changes in atmospheric pressure and humidity. As a result of long-term weather observations, reindeer herders have noted certain climate mitigation, as well as an increase in the number of anomalous weather phenomena, which are uncharacteristic of their seasons.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document