Rural Social Work and Environmental Justice

While social work education and literature includes a growing body of work focused on environmental justice and the role of social work in addressing environmental injustices, limited attention has been paid to the disproportionate impact of these issues in rural areas. Many rural places can be more accurately described as rural-industrial in character. They produce the world’s food through highly mechanized agro-businesses, its timber, and much of its fossil fuels through large mining and drilling operations, each presenting threats to the surrounding environment and local peoples. This work describes environmental issues and injustices common to select large-scale rural industries, discusses social work concerns related to these issues, and presents two case studies that can be used in social work education to promote critical thinking and social work problem solving at the individual, family, and community practice levels

Geology of Van Horn Mountains, Texas

1 fold-out plate with map and text : Geology of Van Horn Mountains, Texas Quadrangle Map No. 23UT Librarie

High lift configuration of a slotted natural laminar flow airfoil

Experiments were performed on a slotted natural laminar flow airfoil, the S414. The slotted natural laminar flow airfoil concept was developed to satisfy design constraints of high maximum lift and low profile drag. A two-element natural laminar flow configuration allows the typical rapid trailing-edge pressure recovery associated with NLF airfoils to be greatly reduced on the fore element, allowing for laminar flow across the entire airfoil upper surface. The slot provides a favorable injection of momentum to the flow over the aft-element upper surface, improving lift generation. However, an unfortunate side effect of the S414 is an abrupt, leading-edge stall type. This investigation focused on the development of a high-lift configuration of the S414 by altering the position of the aft element in order to characterize the feasibility of utilizing the aft element as a high-lift device. Computational analysis was performed on the S414 to determine suitable aft-element positions for high lift. Two basic repositioning approaches were used; one that deflected the aft element to increase the airfoil camber while maintaining the slot width of the original airfoil, and one that targeted the utilization of the fore-element dumping velocity. In addition, a plain flap was incorporated into the aft element. Performance predictions for the new aft-element configurations were generated using the computational flow solver MSES, and four alternative aft-element riggings were selected for experimental testing. Tests were performed in the University of Illinois 2.8 ft × 4 ft wind tunnel at Re = 1.8 × 10^6, M = 0.18. Using knowledge gained from the experimental tests, a fifth, empirically-derived configuration was developed. Both computational and experimental results indicated that effective utilization of the fore-element dumping velocity results in the largest increase in Cl. Orienting the aft element such that the flow off the fore element was discharged into a region of low pressure over the aft-element upper surface reduced the pressure recovery requirements at the fore-element trailing edge, allowing for enhanced lift production. In addition, a momentum injection was provided to the flow over the aft-element upper surface, promoting increased lift generation by the aft element as well. These techniques coupled with the deflection of the aft-element plain flap resulted in a 34% increase in Cl,max

Interpreting scores on multiple sclerosis-specific patient reported outcome measures (the PRIMUS and U-FIS)

BACKGROUND: The PRIMUS is a Multiple Sclerosis (MS)-specific suite of outcome measures including assessments of QoL (PRIMUS QoL, scored 0-22) and activity limitations (PRIMUS Activities, scored 0-30). The U-FIS is a measure of fatigue impact (scored 0-66). These measures have been fully validated previously using an MS sample with mixed diagnoses. The aim of the present study was to validate the measures further in a specifically Relapse Remitting MS (RRMS) sample and to provide preliminary evidence of the responder definitions (RD; also known as minimal important difference) for these instruments. METHODS: Data were derived from a multi-country efficacy trial of MS patients with assessments at baseline and 12 months. Baseline data were used to assess the internal reliability and validity of the measures. Both anchor-based and distribution-based approaches were employed for estimating RD. Anchor-based estimates were based on published RD values for the EQ-5D and were assessed for those improving and deteriorating separately. Distribution-based estimates were based on standard error of measurement (SEM), change score equivalent to 0.30, and change score equivalent to 0.50, effect sizes (ES). RESULTS: The sample included 911 RRMS patients (67.3% female, age mean (SD) 36.2 (8.4) years, duration of MS mean (SD) 4.8 (5.2) years). Results showed that the PRIMUS and U-FIS had good internal consistency. Appropriate correlations were observed with comparator instruments and both measures were able to distinguish between participants based on Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and time since diagnosis. The anchor-based and distribution-based RD estimates were: PRIMUS Activities range = 1.2-2.3, PRIMUS QoL range = 1.0-2.2, and U-FIS range = 2.4-7.0. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the PRIMUS and U-FIS are valid instruments for use with RRMS patients. The analyses provide preliminary information on how to interpret scores on the scales. These data will be useful for assessing treatment efficacy and for powering clinical studies. TRIAL REFERENCE NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00340834

Nano-manipulation of diamond-based single photon sources

The ability to manipulate nano-particles at the nano-scale is critical for the development of active quantum systems. This paper presents a new technique to manipulate diamond nano-crystals at the nano-scale using a scanning electron microscope, nano-manipulator and custom tapered optical fibre probes. The manipulation of a ~ 300 nm diamond crystal, containing a single nitrogen-vacancy centre, onto the endface of an optical fibre is demonstrated. The emission properties of the single photon source post manipulation are in excellent agreement with those observed on the original substrate.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Dynamical stability of infinite homogeneous self-gravitating systems: application of the Nyquist method

We complete classical investigations concerning the dynamical stability of an infinite homogeneous gaseous medium described by the Euler-Poisson system or an infinite homogeneous stellar system described by the Vlasov-Poisson system (Jeans problem). To determine the stability of an infinite homogeneous stellar system with respect to a perturbation of wavenumber k, we apply the Nyquist method. We first consider the case of single-humped distributions and show that, for infinite homogeneous systems, the onset of instability is the same in a stellar system and in the corresponding barotropic gas, contrary to the case of inhomogeneous systems. We show that this result is true for any symmetric single-humped velocity distribution, not only for the Maxwellian. If we specialize on isothermal and polytropic distributions, analytical expressions for the growth rate, damping rate and pulsation period of the perturbation can be given. Then, we consider the Vlasov stability of symmetric and asymmetric double-humped distributions (two-stream stellar systems) and determine the stability diagrams depending on the degree of asymmetry. We compare these results with the Euler stability of two self-gravitating gaseous streams. Finally, we determine the corresponding stability diagrams in the case of plasmas and compare the results with self-gravitating systems

Chapter 14.: Disentangling Neolithic cuisine: archaeological evidence for 9,000-year-old food preparation practices and cooking techniques at Çatalhöyük East

FGW – Publications not associated with a particular research are