A Transcendental Phenomenological Study of the Motivations of Minority Police Recruits Participating in an Entrance-Level Police Academy

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of minority police recruits who were participating in an entrance-level police academy. The central research question of the study was what were the lived experiences of minority police recruits who were participating in an entrance-level police academy? Data was collected using interviews, a questionnaire, and records analysis. The interviews were transcribed with the initial results being preliminarily grouped. Once the groups were established, the researcher reviewed the records for inclusion in the groupings. Participants completed a questionnaire designed to elicit information about their motivations to become police officers. The process of reduction and elimination was completed. The results of the research contributed to an increased understanding about minority recruits’ motivations to become police officers and their motivations to graduate from the academy. The results of the research were consistent with existing research while expanding on the desire of the recruits to improve police and community relations

Functionalized PEG-4MAL Hydrogels for Delivery of Dendritic Cells in Tolerogenic Applications

Traditional pharmaceutical and biological treatments suffer from shortcomings in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) due to being non-specific, systemic, and causing serious side effects such as complete immunosuppression and increased risk of other pathologies. Recently, the use of dendritic cells (DCs) as a cell therapy to treat autoimmunity has been investigated, but inadequate delivery to the target site and cell activation due to widespread inflammation has limited their efficacy. To overcome these limitations, biophysical and biochemical cell-biomaterial interactions between DCs and 4-arm maleimide functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-4MAL) hydrogels were characterized and hydrogels were optimized to support viability and immaturity in encapsulated DCs. PEG-4MAL hydrogels were subsequently functionalized with modified IL-10, which resulted in prolonged support and protection against inflammation. In a murine model of MS, prophylactic treatment with DCs delayed the onset of symptoms in mice, regardless of delivery method. However, hydrogel-delivered DCs significantly ameliorated symptoms of paralysis compared to therapeutic DCs injected subcutaneously, indicating a more durable tolerogenic response. Post-processing of murine tissues and in vitro co-culture studies showed marked infiltration of endogenous lymphocytes into the immunosuppressive biomaterial niche, where DCs tolerize host cells through induction of CD25+FoxP3+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) and exhaustion of CD8+ T cells mediated by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). A significant reduction of maturation markers amongst CD11b+ APCs in the CNS illustrates that the immunomodulatory effects of this treatment reach the anatomical site of injury. Overall, these results suggest that the tolerogenic biomaterial delivery system developed herein significantly improves the robustness of a DC therapy in a mouse model of MS. Additionally, the DC-biomaterial interactions characterized herein accentuate the flexibility in tuning PEG-4MAL hydrogels for other tolerogenic applications.Ph.D

Biomarkers of exposure and effect—interpretation in human risk assessment

The effect of exposure to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed onto respirable air particles (PM2.5, diameter < 2.5 μm) on DNA adducts and chromosomal aberrations was repeatedly studied in Prague, Czech Republic, in groups of policemen working in the downtown area and in bus drivers. Personal exposure was evaluated using personal samplers during working shifts. DNA adducts were analyzed in lymphocytes by the 32P-postlabeling assay and chromosomal aberrations were analyzed by conventional cytogenetic analysis and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The impact of environmental pollution on DNA adducts and chromosomal aberrations was studied in a total of 950 subjects. Our results suggest that the environmental exposure of nonsmokers to concentrations higher than 1 ng benzo[a]pyrene/m3 represents a risk of DNA damage, as indicated by an increase in DNA adducts and the genomic frequency of translocations determined by FISH

Design and Testing of Amphibious AUV

This project invovled the design, manufacturing, and testing of an autonomous quadrotor vehicle capable of both aerial flight and underwater locomotion. Our novel vehicle called "PoseiDrone" consists of a quadrotor frame with a waterproof enclosure containing the electronics and flight computer. A servo actuated ballast system is utilized for achieving air to water transitions and for active buoyancy control during underwater maneuvers. The vehicle's Teensy 4.0 based flight controller performs state estimation and control using custom software developed in C++. The craft may be piloted manually, or set to execute an autonomous mission which makes use of a sensor arrray to perform navigation and localization. Our team completed several design iterations of PoseiDrone to improve performance

název v českém jazyce není uveden

nezařazení_neaktivníFirst Faculty of Medicine1. lékařská fakult

Multigenerational Communication Preferences in the Workplace

Over the years, the forms of communication have changed drastically due to always changing technology. Where face-to-face or phone interactions used to be the only way to communicate with one another, workplaces now can email, post communications on a company-wide portal, or hold virtual meetings. With four generations currently in the workplace, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z, research shows there are differences in the way all generations prefer to communicate. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a statistical difference in preferred communication methods, what the preferred channel is, if there is a difference in preference based on the context of what is being delivered, if there is a preference in the technology used for workplace trainings, and whether the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions caused a change in preferences among generations. A quantitative study was performed to analyze the research questions. All participants filled out a survey and questionnaire through SurveyMonkey. ANOVA analysis and comparisons of means and standard deviations were used to analyze the results. While differences were found among the means and standard deviations, only two statistically significant differences were found. This study found valuable information organizations can use to better the communication for all employees. Organizations can utilize this information to create effective communication and trainings across the workplace. Creating a more effective communication method will help keep employees motivated and engaged