Tests of a single tube-in-shell water-boiling heat exchanger with a helical-wire insert and several inlet flow-stabilizing devices

Single tube-in-shell water-boiling heat exchanger performance with helical wire insert and flow stabilizing device

Economic Impacts and Implications of Foreign-Born Labor Reductions in Agriculture - Emphasis on Dairy Farms

Giving consideration to the bills and laws being discussed in Congress during the last few years regarding immigration reform, the need has arisen to study the effects of immigrant labor on the dairy industry. The objective of this study is to consider the economic impacts of reducing the availability of immigrant workers in the United States. This analysis utilizes the IMPLAN model, developed and maintained by the Minnesota IMPLAN Group, for analyzing the effects of 20 percent, 50 percent and 100 percent reductions in immigrant labor within the dairy industry. IMPLAN maps the economy using an input/output structure that “describes commodity flows from producers to intermediate and final consumers”. The employment and production data used as inputs into the model were gathered using a national survey of 5,005 dairy farms with respondents from 47 states and a response rate of 41.4 percent. Approximately 50 percent of the 5,005 dairy farms surveyed use immigrant labor. Results of the analysis estimate baseline nationwide economic activity, employment, and total value added impacts attributable to dairy farming to be $48.1 billion, 301,300 jobs, and$19.6 billion, respectively. With a 20 percent reduction in immigrant labor, the values fall to $43.6 billion, 274,800 jobs, and$17.8 billion. Under a 50 percent reduction in immigrant labor the values are $36.9 billion, 235,000 jobs, and$15.1 billion. Under a 100 percent reduction in immigrant labor scenario, the values fall to an estimated $25.7 billion, 168,700 jobs, and$10.5 billion. These reported figures include the impacts directly linked to the dairy industry as well as those to the rest of the economy. This analysis reports both intra- and inter-industry impacts but gives special attention to the inter-industry impacts within the economy.impact analysis, dairy, immigrant labor, Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade,

Differences in treatment for substance use disorders by insurance status: Self-help only versus outpatient medical treatment

Background: The role of insurance on substance use disorders (SUD) treatment utilization generally is poorly understood and still less is known on how insurance status relates to the use of evidence-based treatment (i.e., medicalization approach) compared to other treatments, like single self-help groups, where the research on effectiveness is less supportive. This study examines associations between health insurance and any SUD treatment utilization as well as use of single self- help versus medicalization approach. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. Data were from the 2015-2017, public use National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Adjusted logistic regressions were used to examine the associations controlling for socio-demographics, recent major depressive episode, and survey year. All analyses used survey weights to be representative of the US population and account for the NSDUH’s complex survey design. Results: After adjustment for covariates, those with publicly insured remained more likely to use any SUD treatment in the past year (odd ratio [OR] 1.82; 95% CI: 1.36-2.43), compared to those without insurance. Further, compared with uninsured, those with public insurance reported lower odds of using only self-help treatment (OR 0.42; 95% CI: 0.23-0.74) versus medicalization approach utilization. Conclusions: Publicly insured persons with SUD are more likely to use SUD treatment in the past year than the uninsured. Uninsured people with SUD are more likely to use single self-help as a substitute for medicalization approach.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/gradposters/1098/thumbnail.jp

The Assessment Characteristic of ZnO Material for Optical Sensing Layer Probe Using Average Scanning of FFT (ASFFT) Method

ZnO material characterization was done to be used as optical probes from the plastic optical fiber. Characterization of ZnO materials by processing data obtained from scanning probe microscope (SPM) NTEGRA-AURA. The obtained data is in the form of images with different distance observations. It will be processed by 11 simulated images of proceeds image analysis (IA Analysis). Methodology of data processing is using average scanning Fast Fourier Transformation (ASFFT). This method consists of five characterization data processing techniques, i.e., power spectral density techniques, power spectral technique, magnitude spectrum technique, square root magnitude spectrum techniques and logarithmic spectrum techniques. The goal of average scanning FFT is determines a value of special characterization, because the result of surface morphology from SPM images cannot give exact information . Each techniques in this method will be used to see the details of each ZnO layer surface morphology of in units of frequency or frequency. The observation study of ZnO characterization is made by Atomic Force Microscopy without doing renovation materials. The treatment material as a layer probe of plastic optical fiber sensor was studied for detecting various chemical vapor and air pressure. Based on the detection method called interferometric Fabry – Perot, Plastic Optical Fiber probes will detect the changes of ZnO layer refractive index causes by environments

The Aurora Report

The Aurora Women and Girls Foundation commissioned the first comprehensive study of women and girls in Hartford County. The study examines the opportunities and challenges for Hartford County females in education, economic security, leadership, health and well being, and crime and safety, as well as the demographic composition of women and girls and their philanthropic giving. This research will inform and advise the Aurora Foundation's future grant making efforts and strategic initiatives. It will also serve as a resource for other groups in the non-profit, corporate and government sectors