Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Photoacoustic (PA) Detector of Terahertz (THz) Radiation for Chemical Sensing

In this research effort, a Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) cantilever pressure sensor was designed, modeled, and fabricated to investigate the photoacoustic (PA) response of gases to terahertz (THz) radiation under low vacuum conditions. Previous efforts in this project were improved upon, to include lowering resting out-of-plane curvature to improve sensitivity of devices. Dimensional analysis is taken into consideration and altered dimensions also serve to boost sensitivity while improving fragility of devices. All devices were fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers and tested in a custom designed THz vacuum chamber. Fabricated devices have a minimum normalized noise equivalent absorption (NNEA) coefficient of 4.28x10(-10), an improvement of 69% on prior 10micro devices

United States-Mexico border: rights of the dead, forensic anthropologists, and families of the victims

From 1998-2018, over 6,000 migrants have been found dead after attempting to cross into the United States through its southern border; most of the deaths are due to harsh environmental conditions found through the crossing areas. Migrant remains are often found with no belongings or evidence to use to identify the deceased. Forensic anthropologists, medicolegal examiners, and non-governmental organizations such as Humane Borders, Águilas del Desierto [Eagles of the Desert], and the Colibrí Center for Human Rights have worked to recover, identify, and repatriate these remains. To understand the many facets of this process, this thesis explored the relationships between forensic anthropologists, nongovernmental organizations, medicolegal examiners, and migrants. Methods included ethnography, surveys, and secondary data analysis. The results exposed some of the gaps between forensic anthropologists, non-profit organizations, migrants, and the families of victims. The findings suggest that a crossdisciplinary approach may best aid in successful retrieval, identification, and repatriation of migrant remains. Such an approach necessitates the inclusion of methods from forensic anthropology and across the broader discipline of anthropology (biological, cultural, archaeological, and linguistics), as well as other methods beyond the discipline, such as social work, to interact with families of victims and properly serve and protect the rights of the dead

Teacher Perceptions of Student Developmental Needs: It’s all Emotional

Previous research has suggested that emotional and social developmental domains configure most prominently for adolescents in the classroom. In this qualitative study, we first aimed to explore teachers’ perspectives of students’ needs, then to explore the ways that teachers came to understand those needs, and how that understanding informed their practice of attending to student needs in the classroom. Findings suggest that teachers, also, are more attuned to the emotional domain, interpreting all needs displayed by students through an emotional lens. Additionally, teachers used emotion as an entry point to connect with students and sought to support student development through attending to personal relationships, creating safe learning spaces, and showing care for students. Teachers’ sources of emotional awareness varied through personal histories and experiences in the profession. Implications for teacher preparation programs are discussed, including the need for greater focus to prepare teachers for the emotion needs of their students

Isolated lymphoid follicles are dynamic reservoirs for the induction of intestinal IgA

IgA is one of the most important molecules in the regulation of intestinal homeostasis. Peyer’s patches have been traditionally recognized as sites for the induction of intestinal IgA responses, however more recent studies demonstrate that isolated lymphoid follicles (ILFs) can perform this function as well. ILF development is dynamic, changing in response to the luminal microbial burden, suggesting that ILFs play an important role providing an expandable reservoir of compensatory IgA inductive sites. However, in situations of immune dysfunction, ILFs can over-develop in response to uncontrollable enteric flora, resulting in ILF hyperplasia. The ability of ILFs to expand and respond to help control the enteric flora makes this dynamic reservoir an important arm of IgA inductive sites in intestinal immunity

The effects of classic and variant infectious bursal disease viruses on lymphocyte populations in specific-pathogen-free White Leghorn chickens

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a pathogen that primarily infects B lymphocytes in domestic avian species. This viral infection has been associated with immunosuppression, clinical disease/mortality, and enteric malabsorption effects. The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effects of a classic (USDA-STC) and a new variant IBDV (RB-4, known to induce primarily the enteric disease) on immune cell populations in lymphoid organs. Seventeen-dayold specific-pathogen-free (SPF) White Leghorn chickens were either not infected (control) or inoculated with either USDA-STC or RB-4 IBD viral isolate. On days 3 and 5 post-inoculation (PI), lymphoid tissues were collected to prepare cell suspensions for immunofluorescent staining and cell population analysis by flow cytometry. Portions of the tissues were snap frozen for immunohistochemistry to localize various immune cells and IBD virus in the tissues. Tissue homogenates were prepared to test for IBDV by quantitative MTT assay. Both the USDA-STC and RB-4 viruses greatly altered lymphocyte populations in the spleen and bursa. At 5 d PI, bursal B cells were approximately 25% and 60% of lymphocytes in chicks infected with USDA-STC and RB-4, respectively, whereas in control birds, B cells constituted 99% of bursal lymphocytes. This reduction in the proportions of bursal B cells was associated with an infiltration of T cells. In the spleen, IBDV infection also reduced the percentage of B cells and increased the percentage of T cells. The differential effects of classic and variant IBDV infection on immune cell populations in lymphoid organs may explain the differences in clinical effects induced by these viruse

Model-Based Ultrasonic NDE System Qualification Methodology

The use of computer models of ultrasonic NDE inspections is a convenient and cost-effective alternative and/or companion to experimental reliability trials used for qualifying the detection reliability of a given inspection system applied to a given inspection task. In addition, the use of such models permits qualification of ultrasonic inspection of new component designs even before such components exist. This paper presents the current status of the implementation of a model-based software package for these system qualification applications. A brief overview of the model elements and assumptions will be followed by a discussion of the detection system qualification methodology and, finally, by model-predicted qualification results with associated experimental data

Hospital fall prevention: a systematic review of implementation, components, adherence, and effectiveness.

ObjectivesTo systematically document the implementation, components, comparators, adherence, and effectiveness of published fall prevention approaches in U.S. acute care hospitals.DesignSystematic review. Studies were identified through existing reviews, searching five electronic databases, screening reference lists, and contacting topic experts for studies published through August 2011.SettingU.S. acute care hospitals.ParticipantsStudies reporting in-hospital falls for intervention groups and concurrent (e.g., controlled trials) or historic comparators (e.g., before-after studies).InterventionFall prevention interventions.MeasurementsIncidence rate ratios (IRR, ratio of fall rate postintervention or treatment group to the fall rate preintervention or control group) and ratings of study details.ResultsFifty-nine studies met inclusion criteria. Implementation strategies were sparsely documented (17% not at all) and included staff education, establishing committees, seeking leadership support, and occasionally continuous quality improvement techniques. Most interventions (81%) included multiple components (e.g., risk assessments (often not validated), visual risk alerts, patient education, care rounds, bed-exit alarms, and postfall evaluations). Fifty-four percent did not report on fall prevention measures applied in the comparison group, and 39% neither reported fidelity data nor described adherence strategies such as regular audits and feedback to ensure completion of care processes. Only 45% of concurrent and 15% of historic control studies reported sufficient data to compare fall rates. The pooled postintervention incidence rate ratio (IRR) was 0.77 (95% confidence interval = 0.52-1.12, P = .17; eight studies; I(2) : 94%). Meta-regressions showed no systematic association between implementation intensity, intervention complexity, comparator information, or adherence levels and IRR.ConclusionPromising approaches exist, but better reporting of outcomes, implementation, adherence, intervention components, and comparison group information is necessary to establish evidence on how hospitals can successfully prevent falls

Optical Observations of PSR J0205+6449

PSR J0205+6449 is a X-ray and radio pulsar in supernova remnant 3C 58. We report on observations of the central region of 3C 58 using the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope with the intention of identifying the optical counterpart of PSR J0205+6449 and characterising its pulsar wind nebula. Around the pulsar position we identified extended emission with a magnitude of B = 23 \fm 97 \pm 0.10, V = 22 \fm 95 \pm 0.05 and R = 22 \fm 15 \pm 0.03 consistent with a pulsar wind nebula. From the R-band image we identified three knots with $m_R$ = 24 \fm 08 \pm 0.07 (o1), 24 \fm 15 \pm 0.07 (o2) and 24 \fm 24 \pm 0.08 (o3). We confirm the presence of an optical pulsar wind nebula around PSR J0205+6449 and give an upper limit of $m_R \approx$ 24 for the optical magnitude of the pulsar. Furthermore we make the tentative suggestion that our object o1, with an $m_R \approx$ 24.08 is the optical counterpart. If confirmed the pulsar would have an $L_R/L_x\approx 0.004$ and an optical efficiency of about 5% of the Crab pulsar. Such a low efficiency is more consistent with the characteristic age of the pulsar rather than that of SN 1181.Comment: The paper contains 3 figures and 3 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA