Latent Prints in the Presence of Ignitable Liquids

There have been inquiries about best practices of packaging and processing for fire debris evidence because in many situations, forensic professionals are faced with the problem of deciding which part of a piece of evidence they are going to use/test knowing that they will likely lose the rest. Through testing, we are determining how destructive ignitable liquids and gaseous fumes are to latent prints and how fast they have to be processed in order to give the detective a time frame to work with to make decisions for a case. Figuring out what limitations there are to preserving a print from these conditions will be extremely helpful in the accuracy of latent examiner’s results as well as increase the probability that forensic teams (and other teams) collect evidence in a way that will prevent damage to possible prints. We are analyzing these limitations through field studies examining temperature changes, surface differences, the chemical makeup of ignitable liquids, plus their reaction to different components of the fingerprint matrix, as well as additional research conducted through literary review and interviews with forensic professionals

Evaluating the Reliability and Accuracy of Three Sensor Prototypes for Enhancing Stair Mobility

Peripheral neuropathy causes sensory deficits, impaired motor control, and instability. One challenge for individuals with neuropathy is stair navigation due to reduced sensory feedback and altered mechanics, increasing fall risk. Few commercial products mitigate sensory issues, creating a need for an affordable and easy to use product for individuals with neuropathy safely navigate stairs. PURPOSE: To evaluate the reliability and accuracy of three sensor prototypes designed to provide assistive feedback through tactile and visual cues during stair navigation. METHODS: 15 healthy adults (22.33 ± 2.87 y) completed the study, consisting of stair ascent and descent with the prototypes placed in their own shoes. Each prototype involves a switch pad on the proximal heel, triggering feedback upon activation: Prototype A provides a vibration at the ankle, Prototype B emits a light cue at the ankle and wrist, and Prototype C emits a light cue on the shoelaces. For each prototype, participants completed 3 ascents and 3 descents onto a 17.8 cm stair with the dominant leg. High speed video (120 Hz) was used to visually identify sensor activation, which was compared with kinetic data from a force platform (1200 Hz). Activation delay (ΔT) between sensor and force platform data was calculated to assess timing accuracy, and miss rates were analyzed to assess reliability. A 3 (device) x 2 (direction) ANOVA compared ΔT between devices and ascent/descent and a one-way ANOVA examined differences in miss rates across devices (α = .05). RESULTS: Based on preliminary results, ΔT was 0.32 ± 0.47 s for A, 0.28 ± 0.42 s for B, and 0.24 ± 0.39 s for C. The two-way ANOVA indicated no interaction (p = .33) or main effects of device (p = .41). There is a main effect of direction (p = .004), with a greater delay during ascent (0.36 s) than descent (0.20 s). Miss rates were not significantly different among devices (A: 15.6%, B: 25.6%, and C: 8.9%, p = .06). CONCLUSION: Early results indicate all three prototypes exhibit notable activation delays (0.24 – 0.32 s) and miss rates (8.9% – 25.6%) without significant differences in accuracy or reliability. The observed delays exceed typical reaction time thresholds for real time gait adjustments, which may limit the feedback effectiveness for immediate correction. However, more data collection is needed to determine if these trends persist and to assess the potential benefits of these prototypes

Narrative and Continuity in Shakespeare\u27s Sonnets

William Shakespeare\u27s poetry has been renowned for centuries, both for its cultural impact on storytelling and its lyrical beauty. Although his plays are the most well-known — in particular the love story of Romeo and Juliet — the only one of his individual sonnets that is publicly known is Sonnet 18, another themed on love and often read at weddings. However, Sonnet 18 is deeply intertwined with the context of the 153 others, and this presentation will cover that context to give more meaning to the poetry already known and revered. It will specifically be analyzing sonnets 5, 6, 12, 15, and 16, and how the first \u27arc\u27 of sonnets function as a whole. Materials will be provided for all analyzed poems with no prior reading required

A Geotechnical Analysis of Soil Sample PP-13 from the Palouse Prairie Restoration Project in Cheney WA

The Palouse is a distinct geographic region covering much of Eastern Washington, parts of Western Idaho, and Northeastern Oregon. The region is characterized by rolling loess hills and originally featured an extensive and diverse prairie ecosystem. Settlement in the late 1800s rapidly led to the prairie being converted into farmland, and today less than one percent of the original ecosystem remains. The Palouse Prairie Restoration Project is currently being undertaken at Eastern Washington University to convert a 120-acre parcel of Palouse farmland back to the original prairie ecosystem. The area will function as a living laboratory and feature amenities like walking trails and outdoor classrooms. For this project, we collected a soil sample (PP-13) from the restoration site and determined its geotechnical engineering properties through a variety of ASTM standard tests. Tests included soil specific gravity, sieve and hydrometer analysis to determine particle size, plastic and liquid limits, optimal water content for compaction, and unconfined compressive strength. It is important to understand these soil properties when undergoing any sort of construction. This information helps minimize risk of structural failure and other natural hazards, and it helps reduce harm to the environment

Preliminary geospatial distribution of PFAS in the West Plains, Spokane County, Washington

Groundwater samples collected in the West Plains, Spokane County by the EPA and EWU were analyzed for PFAS using EPA Method 533. An attempt was made to gather well depths and well logs from the wells sampled, but not all residences had a Water Well Report as many wells pre-date this regulation. Using PFAS results and well depths/aquifers concentration maps were made of the West Plains to show distribution of PFOS and PFHxS to see possible extents of contamination associated with high-temperature firefighting foam (AFFF) as well as PFOA, PFBS, and the PFAS Hazard Index (HI) for contamination associated with general commercial items, eg. automotive fluids, septic systems. Concentration maps were made for each aquifer, as well as a general HI distribution for all aquifers

Examining the effects of wearable technology and biometric coaching on heart rate variability, health related quality of life, and predictors of heart rate variability in collegiate athletes

Objective: To determine the effects of a wearable plus personalized biometric-based coaching on heart rate variability (HRV) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Participants: Student athletes on NCAA Division I Eastern Washington University football team. Methods: A mixed study design including randomization of participants into a wearable without coaching group (WO) and a wearable with coaching group (WC). HRV data were recorded via WHOOP® strap for 14 weeks. WC group received personalized coaching based on HRV data via smart phone application. Student athletes completed a HRQoL survey at start and end of study. Results: A significant effect of time was present for both HRV and HRQoL. A slightly larger increase was seen in both variables for the WC group; however, group means were not significantly different. Conclusions: Access to biometric data alone may imbue an increase in HRV and HRQoL. Such increases may be compounded by a reduction in both training and academic stressors during the summer term off-season. Objective: To determine if sleep metrics and group assignment between wearable plus coaching (WC) and wearable without coaching (WO) are predictive of HRV in NCAA DI football players. Participants: Collegiate student athletes on NCAA Division I football team. Methods: Participants were randomized into WC and WO groups. HRV and restorative sleep stages were recorded via WHOOP® 4.0 strap for 14 weeks. The percentage of sleep duration dubbed restorative sleep (%RESTOR) was calculated. Linear forced entry regression analysis was performed to determine the association between %RESTOR, group assignment, and HRV. Results: %RESTOR and group assignment accounted for 59.3% of the variance seen in HRV. A significant, negative association between %RESTOR and HRV was present. Group assignment was not associated with HRV. Conclusions: Lower %RESTOR was indicative of higher HRV. Less time spent in restorative sleep may indicate less stress and less need for recovery