Exploring degeneracies in modified gravity with weak lensing

By considering linear-order departures from general relativity, we compute a novel expression for the weak lensing convergence power spectrum under alternative theories of gravity. This comprises an integral over a 'kernel' of general relativistic quantities multiplied by a theory-dependent 'source' term. The clear separation between theory-independent and -dependent terms allows for an explicit understanding of each physical effect introduced by altering the theory of gravity. We take advantage of this to explore the degeneracies between gravitational parameters in weak lensing observations.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures. v2: Minor changes to match version accepted by PR

The legal status of personhood in the wake of genetic editing

Policies and laws regarding human health require continual examination as technologies improve, and genetic editing technologies that have the ability to modify a person’s DNA are unquestionably relevant to examine. The technologies most intriguing to investigate are those with the ability to directly edit the nuclear genes (segments of DNA within the nucleus of cells) through techniques such as CRISPR-Cas9 and Cpf1. This study intends to answer the questions of how should policy develop to accommodate for the improving medical technology of genetic editing and how could genetic editing technologies affect the legal status of personhood for the purposes of international human rights law? In my research, I use the examples of in vitro fertilization (IVF) on health law, specifically its varying interpretations of the legal status of personhood, as a scientific and legal precedent to genetic editing. In relating IVF to the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, an evaluative basis for analysis and future research emerges to advise as technologies continually improve. The second part describes both the ethical and legal considerations that need be considered as the genetic editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 evolves. CRISPR-Cas9 is used as the primary example of gene editing techniques because it is the current leading technique of genetic editing and is cheap, quick, and easy to use. The outcome of this research is the provision of a concise theory as to how law and policy should develop to accommodate advances in the medical technology of genetic editing

A phenomenological inquiry into the patient\u27s experience of the external application of ginger

This Research Study explores the quality of the experience for the patient of the external application of ginger using a Husserllan phenomenological methodology, In this Study the phenomenon Is the patient\u27s experience of the external application of ginger. A group of Anthroposophical Nurses in the Hawkes Bay of New Zealand personally selected seven appropriate consenting adults to receive one external application of ginger. Following their experience, the patients were asked a series of open-ended questions by the researcher, These Interviews were audio taped. The interview data have been transcribed and reduced to themes that have been explored and reflected on alongside relevant literature in the field. Four Interpretative themes capturing the patients experience were identified. These are patient experience: •warmth in the body as increasing In intensity and radiating outwards; •Increasing stimulation of internal activity within their body; •changes In thought-life, sensory perception and bodily tension; •centredness within themselves and a greater sense of personal boundary In relation to the world. The warmth response was slow and subtle initially and experienced externally on the skin beneath the ginger compress. Gradually the heat Intensified and developed into deep inner warmth. Patients were astonished at the strength and depth the heat generated. The warmth penetrated deep within the body spreading as far as the limbs. There was a definite awareness that this internal heat response was caused by the ginger compress, remaining long after the treatment and stimulating internal body activity. Patients experienced an enlivening of internal activity within the digestive, excretory and circulatory organs of the body. The increasing activity within the circulation moved and energised the metabolism. There was an awareness of increased blood flow throughout the body accompanied by a sense of an opening up within. Digestive disturbances and increased energy ware experienced; It was as If the body received something extra that enabled a movement internally. Patients experienced a stimulated thought life, including a transition from a dreamy to a wakeful state, changing sensations within the skin, activation of the senses and a relief of aches and tensions in the body. Following the ginger compress thinking was alert and active along with a general Increase In vitality and a sense of being present. There was a sense of being more centred, more connected to oneself and more aware of one\u27s physical body. Patients experienced the opportunity to revisit their inner self, the inner core of their being. For all the patients the experience of the ginger compress was positive. Some of the patients expressed the wish to have repeated treatments. Future research on the experience of a series of ginger compresses for patients with specific conditions would be significant

THE PROPERTIES OF BRIDGESTONE ECOPIA SOLAR CAR TIRES (FOR THE UMR SOLAR CAR TEAM)

Much of the energy used by a solar car can be attributed to overcoming rolling resistance, and rolling resistance comes predominantly from the tires. The main goal of this project was to better understand the properties of the Bridgestone Ecopia tires used by the UMR Solar Car Team. Experiments were conducted to obtain this objective, measuring the vertical stiffness, lateral stiffness, and contact patch shape and area. As expected, with decreasing pressure and increasing load, the vertical and lateral deflections increased as well as the tire contact patch area. The stiffness parameters of the tire measured experimentally were used in an existing rolling resistance model for tires to measure quantitatively how load, pressure and tire misalignment affects the rolling resistance coefficient (Crr) for the tires. With increasing values of the misalignment angle, the coefficient of rolling resistance increased. It was found that a tire can have a larger misalignment angle at higher loads and higher pressures. It was found that load and pressure had the same effect on the coefficient of rolling resistance. The main conclusion that can be reached from the Crr, results is that the tires should not have a misalignment angle greater than I degree to keep the Crr down

How Vending Machines can Conquer Access to Better Quality Convenience Food

As the food system has evolved it has been forced to include convenience. Changing life styles and big food companies have dictated a switch in expectations from our food. They have made it so that time and energy can be saved when it comes to producing, cooking or eating food. Technology has evolved beside convenience food, to sell or manufacture it and make it more convenient. One of these invention is vending machines. Automated food vending began with the Automat, which served fresh and healthy dishes but has come to dispense food that is mostly considered unhealthy. Vending machines are tools that can changed to increase the amount of healthy food rather than unhealthy food. This project’s research is based around how vending machines can make healthy food more accessible by making it more convenient and abundant

Shh production and Gli signaling is activated in vivo in lung, enhancing the Th2 response during a murine model of allergic asthma

The pathophysiology of allergic asthma is driven by T-helper 2 (Th2) immune responses following aeroallergen inhalation. The mechanisms that initiate, potentiate and regulate airways allergy are incompletely characterized. We have previously shown that Hedgehog (Hh) signaling to T-cells, via downstream Gli transcription factors, enhances T-cell conversion to a Th2 phenotype. Here, we show for the first time that Gli-dependent transcription is activated in T-cells in vivo during murine allergic airways disease (AAD) a model for the immunopathology of asthma; and that genetic repression of Gli signaling in Tcells decreases the differentiation and/or recruitment of Th2 cells to the lung. We report that T-cells are not the only cells capable of expressing activated Gli during AAD. A substantial proportion of eosinophils and lung epithelial cells, both central mediators of the immunopathology of asthma, are also able to undergo Hh/Gli signaling. Finally, we show that Shh increases Il4 expression in eosinophils. We therefore propose that Hh signaling during AAD is complex, involving multiple cell types, signaling in an auto- or paracrine fashion. Improved understanding of the role of this major morphogenetic pathway in asthma may give rise to new drug targets for this chronic condition

Implementing Appreciative Education in a First-Year Seminar

Appreciative Education involves intentionally designing educational approaches that are based on principles of positive psychology and appreciative inquiry. This paper presents findings from a study of the meaning that 15 first-year experience course instructors attributed to implementing positivity interventions in their courses at a large, Midwestern university. The study suggests that these interventions, which fall under the umbrella of Appreciative Education, can disrupt conventional classroom expectations and dynamics. These disruptions can result in spaces of openness and vulnerability among instructors and students. Finally, the applications increase student engagement, support student success, and shape instructors’ thinking about teaching practices

Australian Early Childhood Teachers’ Training in Language and Literacy: A Nation-Wide Review of Pre-Service Course Content

Early childhood teachers are well-positioned to maximise preschoolers’ development in oral language and emergent literacy; both of which are vital predictors of academic success at school. Research investigating their pre-service training in language and emergent literacy remains limited. This issue is addressed in the present study, with the first nation-wide review of the oral language and emergent literacy course content across all 84 Australian early childhood teacher pre-service courses. Qualitative Content Analysis was employed to gain an overview of language and emergent literacy teaching content reported in publicly available course documents. Study findings demonstrated large variation in the oral language and emergent literacy course content reported. The results showed that course content on the structure of language and code-related skills including phonological awareness and concepts of print, do not feature prominently across pre-service course documents. Further, course content on evidence-based strategies to foster children’s oral language and emergent literacy development, such as dialogic book reading, and intentional adult-child interactions were also limited. Findings are discussed with respect to their implications for preparing early childhood teachers to support the oral language and emergent literacy growth of preschooler