Development of a laser scanning system for the inspection of surface defects

The main objective of this project is the development of a low cost laser scanning system for the detection of surface defects The inspection system is based on a laser sensor, power supply unit and an X-Y table All of these components are interfaced with a personal computer The system developed is capable of measuring surface defects within the range of greater than or equal to 1mm For the experiments carried out it was intended to assess the sensors measuring ability under certain headings The two main headings covered were accuracy and repeatability Other important subjects included examining the measuring limits of the system, examining the effect of using materials of different reflection abilities, and the possible cause of errors in the system

The Total and Specific Dimensions of Self Concept Related To Female Participation In Collegiate Athletics

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed between female collegiate sport participation and non-participation, as well as female collegiate individual and team sport participation on the total, the specific dimensions of self-concept and supplementary scores as rendered by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale Second Edition TSCS:2 (Fitts & Warren, 1996). A subject pool of N=190 participants were used. All subjects included in data analysis were female undergraduate students. A multivariate analysis of variance (M ANOVA) was utilized to evaluate effects of sports participation versus non-participation and individual versus team sports participation on self-concept. On sports participation versus non-participation, a statistically significant difference was found on the variables of physical self-concept (M=55.75), family self-concept (M=52.19), and supplementary scores of satisfaction (M=51.80) and behavior (M=52.56). No statistically significant difference was found regarding individual versus team sports participation

Fluctuating asymmetry as a measure of developmental instability in Arikara bioarchaeological assemblages

Dr. R. Lee Lyman, Dissertation Co-Advisor; Dr. Todd VanPool, Dissertation Advisor.Includes vita.Field of study: Anthropology."May 2018."Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) has been advanced as a tool for investigating the developmental instability of human populations and has more recently found its way into bioarchaeological investigations. The research presented here seeks to build upon those investigations and determine whether specific measures of FA can provide meaningful insight into the developmental instability of past Arikara populations represented in archaeological variants of the Coalescent tradition. Specifically, cranial morphometric, cranial nonmetric, and post-cranial metric measurements have been used to determine if meaningful patterns in the magnitude of FA across variants of the Coalescent tradition can be detected. The data that form the basis of this research originate from skeletal assemblages excavated from numerous Arikara archaeological sites along the Missouri River in South Dakota. These assemblages were selected for this study because they represent a single, culturally and genetically affiliated population that can be examined over the course of several centuries during which time the Arikara experienced variability in environmental and social stressors--the suspected cause of developmental instability. Moreover, several of these skeletal assemblages provide rather large samples, which is ideal when assessing FA in order to avoid the possible influences of small samples such as sampling error. Three approaches to data collection and analysis are included in the study. Patterns of FA were assessed for nonmetric traits of the cranium and metric traits of the post-cranial skeleton. In addition, three-dimensional craniometric data were assessed for fluctuating asymmetry through the applications of Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis (EDMA). A hypothesis for the relative ordering of the magnitude of FA was developed based on archaeological/ethnohistorical information regarding potential social stressors, prior studies that have examined the health of the Arikara, and information regarding the changing climatic conditions during the four variants of the Coalescent tradition. The hypothesized ordering of the magnitude of FA, from least to greatest, is: Post-Contact Coalescent, Extended Coalescent, Initial Coalescent, and Disorganized Coalescent. However, the results do not fully support this ordering. While the Disorganized Coalescent did display rather high magnitudes of fluctuating asymmetry in certain measures and dimensions, the Post-Contact Coalescent was found to represent some of the highest magnitudes of fluctuating asymmetry, especially for the craniometric measures. If fluctuating asymmetry is indeed a suitable measure of developmental instability, then the major implication of this study is that a reevaluation of the Coalescent variants may be in order. Specifically, the Post-Contact coalescent may not have been a period of fluorescence and prosperity for the Arikara as has been described elsewhere. Alternatively, it may be that these archaeological variants do not provide an appropriate chronological resolution for assessing fluctuating asymmetry within this population.Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-153)

Characterization of the Subunits of the McrBC Restriction System in Escherichia Coli K12.

The McrBC (Modified Cytosine Restriction) restriction system has the ability to restrict DNA containing 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, N\sp4-methylcytosine, and 5-methylcytosine at specific sequences. The mcrB gene produces two gene products. The complete mcrB open reading frame produces a 53-kDa protein (McrB\sb{\rm L}) and a 35-kDa protein (McrB\sb{\rm S}). The smaller McrB polypeptide is produced from an inframe, internal translational start in the mcrB gene. The mcrC gene produces a single 38-kDa protein. Evidence was presented that McrB\sb{\rm S} regulates the activity of McrBC. When McrB\sb{\rm S} was overproduced in a McrBC\sp+ background, there was dramatic loss of restriction. Underproduction of this protein using antisense RNA caused variable restriction and triggered the SOS response indicating extensive DNA damage. Based on experimental results, McrB\sb{\rm S} was found to have distinct interactions with McrC and McrB\sb{\rm L}. A unique assay, termed the restriction rescue assay, was used to examine McrB\sb{\rm S}-McrC binding. Truncated versions of McrB\sb{\rm S} were used in the McrB\sp* assay to provide evidence that McrB\sb{\rm S} and McrB\sb{\rm L} bind. In some cases, elevated levels of McrB\sp* activity, hyper-restriction, observed in the presence of McrB\sb{\rm S} peptides was accompanied by induction of SOS, slow growth and cell death. Based on findings, we propose that the active restriction complex minimally consists of a McrB\sb{\rm L} homodimer. McrB\sb{\rm S} regulates restriction by binding McrB\sb{\rm L} to form an inactive McrB\sb{\rm L}-McrB\sb{\rm S} heterodimer. McrC associates with the active McrB\sb{\rm L} homodimer to form the McrBC endonuclease and with McrB\sb{\rm S} containing inactive complexes. Protein-DNA binding studies and in vitro cleavage studies allowed us to define specific binding site, cofactor, and subunit requirements for this restriction system. Results of these assays suggest that no subunit alone can bind specifically to DNA containing methylated PvuII sites. Target DNA fragments containing methylated PvuII sites were specifically bound when all three McrBC peptides were present whether these linear DNA fragments contained three, two, or one methylated PvuII sites

Strategic Employment of the Navy; Past, Present and Future

The basic fundamental mission of the Navy in the past and it will continue to be so in the future is to gain and maintain con­trol of the sea lanes vital to our war effort and to deny to the en­emy the sea lanes vital to him

The Naval War College

A Board recently met in the Navy Department to select a group of officers of demonstrated ability to attend the next 10-month course at the Naval War College. This course will start at Newport, Rhode Island, on August 12, 1949

Evaluating the Quality of Electronic Decision Aids for Birth Control and Recommendations for Practice in Primary Care

Aims The aims for this project were to evaluate the quality of electronic decision aids (DAs) for birth control using the International Patient Decision Aids Standards quality criteria checklist and to query primary care providers on current practices around their use of decision aids to assist patients when choosing a method of birth control. Background Since the advent of the internet in the early 2000s and subsequent increase in electronic dissemination of DAs, there has been international awareness highlighting the lack of quality control with their content. This is significant because DAs that provide information on methods of birth control can influence a woman\u27s decision when it comes to reproductive decision making. If the content is of poor quality, then the woman may not be making a well-informed decision when it comes to choosing a birth control. Method First aim: DAs were identified using an online search of published literature through PubMed, google search, iTunes store, and google play store. DAs were evaluated using the International Patient Decision Aids Standards (IPDAS) quality criteria checklist. 7 DAs met the inclusion criteria. Second aim: Primary Care providers were queried around utilization of DAs in practice via an email survey. All providers held an active license and were currently practicing in Primary Care in Washington State. Results were summarized using charts in a presentation format. Results First aim: There was significant variability among the quality scores of the DAs. Interestingly, more common sources of health information such as the Centers for Disease Control and Mayo Clinic were some of the poorest performers. Bedsider.org was the best performing DA and scored the highest on the IPDAS checklist. In addition, websites that focus exclusively on family planning have more comprehensive and high-quality information. Second aim: Six providers provided responses to survey questions. All providers reported using electronic sources to educate women on birth control options during visits and agreed DAs were useful tools. Time was reported as the biggest barrier to using DAs during a patient visit. Conclusion Our evaluation supports the need to establish international quality criteria for DA developers. Providers reported DAs are useful tools to use during a visit to discuss contraception