An Imperial Revival: Government and Religion under the Reign of Napoleon

About the author Justin Butler is a junior history major at Kentucky Christian University. He hopes to become a history professor in the future

Evaluation of Two Commercially Available Cannabidiol Formulations for Use in Electronic Cigarettes

Since 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana in some form, suppliers of legal marijuana have developed Cannabis sativa products for use in electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Personal battery powered vaporizers, or e-cigarettes, were developed to deliver a nicotine vapor such that smokers could simulate smoking tobacco without the inherent pathology of inhaled tobacco smoke. The liquid formulations used in these devices are comprised of an active ingredient such as nicotine mixed with vegetable glycerin (VG) and/or propylene glycol (PG) and flavorings. A significant active ingredient of C. sativa, cannabidiol (CBD), has been purported to have anti-convulsant, anti-nociceptive, and anti-psychotic properties. These properties have potential medical therapies such as intervention of addictive behaviors, treatments for epilepsy, management of pain for cancer patients, and treatments for schizophrenia. However, CBD extracted from C. sativa remains a DEA Schedule I drug since it has not been approved by the FDA for medical purposes. Two commercially available e-cigarette liquid formulations reported to contain 3.3 mg/mL of CBD as the active ingredient were evaluated. These products are not regulated by the FDA in manufacturing or in labeling of the products and were found to contain 6.5 and 7.6 mg/mL of CBD in VG and PG with a variety of flavoring agents. Presently, while labeled as to content, the quality control of manufacturers and the relative safety of these products is uncertain

Synthetic Efforts Toward Solomonamide B: A Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agent

This poster was presented at the UT Tyler Lyceum in Tyler, Texashttps://scholarworks.uttyler.edu/student_posters/1022/thumbnail.jp

Voices of family- and partner-violent adults in treatment : participants\u27 experience of therapy

This study examines the preferences and opinions of partner- or family-violent adults in rehabilitative therapy and counseling. With the goal of informing and improving treatment approaches for this population, the study seeks to augment the current field of research, based primarily on external measures, with the voices and opinions of participants themselves. A convenience sample of 80 male and female participants at an urban social service agency in the U.S. was selected to complete the mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative) survey. The survey consists of 5 demographic elements, and 38 questions (33 rating-scale and 5 shortanswer). The survey explored participants\u27 opinions about: overall satisfaction, styles of therapeutic engagement, types of therapeutic interventions (directive, nondirective, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, etc.), aspects of the helping alliance, moments of change/growth, and other elements. Quantitative data was analyzed for trends within and across various survey items, and qualitative data was transcribed and coded to examine trends and themes therein. Findings indicated a strong correlation between satisfaction and the working alliance between participant and counselor, a slight preference for CBT and skills-based interventions, a preference for some psychodynamic and non-directive styles, higher satisfaction with longer-term participation, and no significant differences in satisfaction between mandated and non-mandated participants, among other insights into participants\u27 experiences

Quantum Well Structures for Plasma Instability-based Terahertz Radiation Sources

Thesis advisor: Pradip BakshiThis thesis is a theoretical study of the electron transport and response properties of epitaxially grown, low-dimensional semiconductor quantum well heterostructures, under steady-state, current driven (nonequilibrium) conditions. These structures operate in the Terahertz (THz) frequency and submillimeter wavelength range, and are the leading candidates for compact, coherent sources of THz radiation. This work is divided into two parts: Part I consists of an analytical study of the individual quantum well units, and the tunneling transmission characteristics, for which reasonably accurate algebraic expressions are obtained. An underlying philosophy of this work is the desire to describe each of the key components involved, independently, through these simple analytical expressions. In Part II the numerical study of the transport and radiation response of the quantum well structures specially designed to generate THz radiation based on the plasma instability concept is presented. Several models are proposed which describe the overall electron transport and which determine the underlying nonequilibrium steady state. In particular, the key features of the experimental current-voltage (IV) curves for such structures are explained, and the corresponding response properties are determined. The modeling and simulation of these potential optoelectronic devices is a crucial tool for elucidating the precise mechanisms and interplay of the many microscopic processes which give rise to the observed behavior. Key features of the radiation response arise from the intersubband plasma instability which occurs due to the resonant interaction of an emission and an absorption mode, and these features are compared with the experimental observations.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2012.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Physics

Professional Development for Educational Continuity in Emergencies: The Response of Two Urban School Districts During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide disruptor that impacts the foundation of education as professionals know it. The structural soundness and stability of the nation’s public education system was on display, exposing the varying antiquated practices in place and the inability of many school districts to pivot to a digital platform as the nation’s public schools closed their school buildings to K-12 students. Public K-12 schools did not have readily available systems nor protocols in place to continue educating the nation’s kids. Parents, grandparents, older siblings, etc, became the teachers of these children as the teachers attempted to educate via a computer screen. Research dictates that public school districts need to reexamine their educational continuity plans and structure to succeed. The goal of this research was to study two large, urban public school districts in the Southeastern United States for educational continuity during the COVID-19 Pandemic and employ a product that would lend itself to sustainable educational continuity. Based on the research from this study, quantitative and qualitative results, educators are seeking professional development (PD) to implement tools and best practices as well as a systemic approach to educational continuity. Through research and survey results, Educational Continuity Solutions was formed as a digital resource to develop any school district\u27s varied needs throughout the year to mitigate school disruption by a natural disaster, pandemic, school safety, mass school violence, etc. The model ensures that a system for educational continuity is at the forefront of the planning process

Explaining international footballer selection through Poisson modelling

Purpose – Growing evidence suggests regional economic factors impact on individual outcomes, such as life expectancy and well-being. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact that player-specific and regional differences have on the number of senior international appearances football players accumulate over the course of their careers, for six UEFA member countries, from 1993 to 2014. Design/methodology/approach – The research employs a Poisson regression model to analyse the impact of individual and regional factors on the number of senior international caps a footballer receives over the course of their career. Findings – The results indicate that both individual and regional variables can explain the number of caps a player receives over the course of their career. The authors find that an individual’s career length positively influences the number of international caps accrued. Players born in wealthier and more populous regions accumulate a greater number of international appearances. Distance from the capital has no effect, however, the number of youth academies in the player’s region of birth has a significant positive effect. Research limitations/implications – The analysis is limited to regional variations within economically developed states. It would be interesting to test whether the correlation between relative regional development and international success exists in less developed countries. The authors only address mens international football in this study and cannot comment on the generality of the findings across genders or sports. Practical implications – The results can provide insights for local football authorities and policy makers concerned with regional characteristics and those interested in the development of elite talent

Longitudinal Changes in Fat and Lean Mass: Comparisons between 3D-Infrared and Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry Scans in Athletes

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(4): 1587-1599, 2022. The low cost and portability of three-dimensional (3D) infrared body scanners make them an attractive tool for body composition measurement in athletes. The main purpose of this study was to compare total body fat percentage (BF%) and total lean mass (LM in kg), in a cohort of collegiate athletes, using a 3D infrared body scanner versus a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner. Phase I was a pre-season cross-sectional analysis of 61 (39 male) athletes while Phase II was a longitudinal subset analysis of 38 (27 male) student-athletes who returned to the laboratory for post-season scans (Post minus pre-season change). Both the 3D and DXA scans were performed within 20-minutes of one another in the same room, wearing the same clothing. Paired t-tests were used to compare the mean values (BF% and LM) between measurement devices with estimated effects size calculated using Cohen’s d. Data reported as mean±SD. Mean difference (DXA minus 3D) in LM were significantly higher using the 3D scan (5.84 ± 3.55kg; p \u3c 0.001; d = 0.90) compared to the DXA scan, while significantly underestimating BF% (-4.57 ± 4.67%; p \u3c 0.001; d = 1.6) in Phase I analyses. In Phase II analyses, significant differences in the change (post-season minus pre-season change) values were found between methods for LM (4.45 ± 5.04; p \u3c 0.001; d = 0.90), while BF% (-0.41 ± 2.06; p= 0.223; d = 0.2) showed no significant differences. In summary, the 3D and DXA scan values for LM and BF% were not interchangeable in cross-sectional nor longitudinal body composition analyses in collegiate athletes. Close agreement was only observed in longitudinal analyses of BF% and requires further validation with larger cohorts

Association Between High Perceived Stress Over Time and Incident Hypertension in Black Adults: Findings From the Jackson Heart Study.

Background Chronic psychological stress has been associated with hypertension, but few studies have examined this relationship in blacks. We examined the association between perceived stress levels assessed annually for up to 13 years and incident hypertension in the Jackson Heart Study, a community-based cohort of blacks. Methods and Results Analyses included 1829 participants without hypertension at baseline (Exam 1, 2000-2004). Incident hypertension was defined as blood pressure≥140/90 mm Hg or antihypertensive medication use at Exam 2 (2005-2008) or Exam 3 (2009-2012). Each follow-up interval at risk of hypertension was categorized as low, moderate, or high perceived stress based on the number of annual assessments between exams in which participants reported "a lot" or "extreme" stress over the previous year (low, 0 high stress ratings; moderate, 1 high stress rating; high, ≥2 high stress ratings). During follow-up (median, 7.0 years), hypertension incidence was 48.5%. Hypertension developed in 30.6% of intervals with low perceived stress, 34.6% of intervals with moderate perceived stress, and 38.2% of intervals with high perceived stress. Age-, sex-, and time-adjusted risk ratios (95% CI) associated with moderate and high perceived stress versus low perceived stress were 1.19 (1.04-1.37) and 1.37 (1.20-1.57), respectively (P trend<0.001). The association was present after adjustment for demographic, clinical, and behavioral factors and baseline stress (P trend=0.001). Conclusions In a community-based cohort of blacks, higher perceived stress over time was associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension. Evaluating stress levels over time and intervening when high perceived stress is persistent may reduce hypertension risk

Brain Activation in Primary Motor and Somatosensory Cortices during Motor Imagery Correlates with Motor Imagery Ability in Stroke Patients

Aims. While studies on healthy subjects have shown a partial overlap between the motor execution and motor imagery neural circuits, few have investigated brain activity during motor imagery in stroke patients with hemiparesis. This work is aimed at examining similarities between motor imagery and execution in a group of stroke patients. Materials and Methods. Eleven patients were asked to perform a visuomotor tracking task by either physically or mentally tracking a sine wave force target using their thumb and index finger during fMRI scanning. MIQ-RS questionnaire has been administered. Results and Conclusion. Whole-brain analyses confirmed shared neural substrates between motor imagery and motor execution in bilateral premotor cortex, SMA, and in the contralesional inferior parietal lobule. Additional region of interest-based analyses revealed a negative correlation between kinaesthetic imagery ability and percentage BOLD change in areas 4p and 3a; higher imagery ability was associated with negative and lower percentage BOLD change in primary sensorimotor areas during motor imagery