Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationX-ray computed tomography (CT) is a widely popular medical imaging technique that allows for viewing of in vivo anatomy and physiology. In order to produce high-quality images and provide reliable treatment, CT imaging requires the precise knowledge of t

The effects of predisposition and direction on ankle sprain risk predictive factors during jump landing

Ankle sprains are regarded as one of the most common lower extremity injury in sports. Previous research studying ankle sprain risk factors has examined the role of anticipation on dynamic movements such as cutting and jump landing. However, no previous research has examined the role of predisposition on ankle sprain risk during jump landing. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of jump direction and predisposition on ankle sprain risk predictive factors during jump landing. Seventeen participants participated in a jump-land-jump task in which the direction of the second jump was indicated before the task, with the possibility of the direction changing at initial landing. This produced four total conditions for the study: correct predisposed dominant (CPD), correct predisposed non-dominant, incorrect predisposed dominant (IPD), and incorrect predisposed non-dominant (IPN). Ground reaction forces were shown to be significantly different when predisposition was incorrect. Ankle dorsiflexion significantly decreased when predisposition went from correct to incorrect in the dominant direction. The results in this study further support previous research indicating change in direction applies higher demands on the body to perform. There appears to be a tradeoff between fully committing to a predisposed direction and increasing the risk of ankle sprain injury. Including decision making tasks for practice in dynamic sports is recommended

Making the Best from a Mess: Mental Health, Misconduct, and the Insanity Defense in the VA Disability Compensation System

The disability compensation system implemented by the Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) is highly technical and complex. Before veterans reach questions concerning entitlement to benefits or the amount of compensation, they must first achieve basic eligibility for VA benefits. That involves receiving a discharge that is honorable for VA purposes. For some former servicemembers seeking benefits, using the VA\u27s insanity defense to excuse misconduct leading to a less-than-honorable discharge may be the best avenue for obtaining compensation. The VA insanity provision contemplated in 38 U.S.C. s. 5303(b) and defined in 38 C.F.R. s. 3.354 is the only defense that allows a veteran to get around all statutory and regulatory benefits. It reads as follows: An insane person is one who, while not mentally defective or constitutionally psychopathic, except when a psychosis has been engrafted upon such basic condition, exhibits, due to disease, a more or less prolonged deviation from his normal method of behavior; or who interferes with the peace of society; or who has so departed (become antisocial) from the accepted standards of the community to which by birth and education he belongs as to lack the adaptability to make further adjustment to the social customs of the community in which he resides. A cursory reading shows that the insanity defense is anything but clear and straightforward. This Article will examine this issue in three parts. Part I briefly discusses necessary background information, including military discharges and how they are treated by the VA and the military service branches. Part II then explores the construction and history of the VA insanity defense and how it compares to conceptions in the psychological field and corresponding provisions in the criminal defense system. Finally, Part III explains the regulation\u27s usefulness to advocacy in the veterans\u27 benefits system as it is currently constructed

The Contract for College

Rising college costs, combined with major policy changes in financial aid, have made college less affordable for today's generation of young people. The Contract for College would unify the existing three strands of federal financial aid--grants, loans and work-study--into a coherent, guaranteed financial aid package for students

Lovesick: the effects of political partisanship and COVID-19 vaccine perceptions on online romantic partner selection

Many studies have reported the positive relationship of perceived political similarity with dating intention in the world of online dating. However, there are currently no studies which consider this relationship alongside coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine status and their combined influence on romantic consideration. In this study, we conduct a posttest-only design with a 2 (vaccinated) x 2 (political affiliation) x 2 (gender) online experiment, including variables such as vaccine perceptions, party identification, sensation seeking, and dating intention. Participants (N=97) were shown four avatar profiles of the opposite sex; each profile was displayed as vaccinated or unvaccinated and Democrat or Republican. Once exposed to these dating profile, subjects answered a survey to determine how individual dating intention differed in relation to the subject's own political affiliation and "vaccination status." The results indicate that males and females have higher dating intention with partners that have political similarity. However, females have higher dating intention with partners who share vaccine similarity while males have no relationship between vaccine similarity on dating intention. The implications of these findings may suggest that the formation of romantic relationships is currently influenced by personal health decisions compared to the decisions of potential online partners; this being a symptom of a much larger degree of affective polarization in the United States which continues to grow.Includes bibliographical references

Behavioral Analysis of Entrapped Condensate in a Vehicle Charge-Air-Cooler

The effect of the Weber number and inclination angle on the fraction carryover of the condensation found in a vehicle charge-air-cooler were experimentally investigated under steady state conditions. The validity of describing the fraction carryover in terms of the Weber number, using the heat exchanger fin spacing as the significant length, was explored. Condensate entrainment testing was performed at multiple heat exchanger face velocities and the fraction of condensate that is blown through with respect to the total amount was recorded for angles ranging between 0 and 50 degrees. A positive agreement between the results obtained and those from literature was found for the use of the Weber number as the governing parameter for heat exchanger condensate entrainment. A predictive equation valid between charge-air-cooler angles of 0 and 40 degrees was obtained to describe the expected entrainment that uses the Weber number, and a critical Weber number as input. Supplementary testing was also performed to observe the physical effects of a shearing air flow on a liquid bridge suspended between two plates. The observational testing showed that a liquid bridge may react in four different ways to the airflow, depending on the velocity