Bubble size, coalescence and particle motion in flowing foams

In minerals processing, froth flotation is used to separate valuable metal minerals from ore. The efficiency of a froth to recover these valuable minerals is closely related to the bubble size distribution through the depth of the froth. Measurement of the bubble size entering the froth and at the froth surface has been achieved previously; however measurement of the bubble size within the froth is extremely difficult as the mineral laden bubble surfaces are opaque and fragile. This work developed a flowing foam column to enable new measurement techniques, in particular visual measurement of the bubble size distribution and velocity profile throughout the depth of the foam. Two phase foam systems share their structure with three phase froth flotation systems, but are transparent in a thin layer. A foam column was constructed to contain a monolayer of overflowing and coalescing foam. This enabled direct measurement of the dynamic bubble size and coalescence through image analysis. The results showed a strong link between column geometry and the foam behaviour. In addition, the measured bubble streamlines closely matched simulated results from a foam velocity model. Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) is the only existing technique to measure particle behaviour inside froths. In this work, tracer particles with different size and hydrophobicity were tracked in a foam flowing column with PEPT. The particle trajectories were verified with image analysis, thereby increasing confidence in PEPT measurements of opaque flotation systems. The results showed that as hydrophilic tracer particles passed through the foam, their trajectory was determined by the local structure and changes of the foam, such as coalescence events. A hydrophobic tracer particle was involved in drop–off and reattachment events, however in the majority of cases still overflowed with the foam. The tracer particle did not always follow the bubble streamlines of the flowing foam, taking instead the shortest path to overflow which cut across streamlines. This work has developed an experimental methodology to validate flowing foam and coalescence models and has developed the necessary techniques to interpret PEPT trajectories in froth flotation

Printability and environmental testing using silver-based conductive flexographic ink printed on a polyamide substrate

The effect of simulated environmental exposure conditions (high heat, freezing temperature, rain, and vacuum pressure) on the performance of a silver-based conductive flexo ink printed on a polyamide (nylon 6,6) substrate was examined. Conductivity, density, color, adhesion, abrasion resistance and creasing were evaluated. The tested environmental variables did not have an effect on the performance quality of silver conductive flexographic ink when printed on a polyamide substrate for the 85 – 100% solid ink density levels. Rain and temperature had the greatest impact on print performance in the 70–80% tint range. Exposure to these elements affected adhesion properties of the ink to the substrate, which lead to a negative effect on the conductivity and abrasion performance. This study indicated an antenna printed at common ink density levels using a silver-based flexographic printing ink on a polymeric film is a possible solution for the implementation of printed RFID components. This is a manufacturing option that can bring the packaging industry from a slap and stick RFID labeling method to an actual inline production method that can be applicable to both primary and secondary package tagging needs. Lastly, the study utilizes common ink testing procedures that will be useful in the development of standards for the production of printed RFID components in packaging applications

Leukocyte Subsets in the Peripheral Blood and Spleen of Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients

In 2022, an estimated 62,210 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and approximately 49,830 will die from the disease. Current treatment strategies for gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients, such as PDAC, have shown limited benefit, suggesting the need to develop novel, multimodality therapeutic approaches. Adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) using autologous tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has shown efficacy in patients with melanoma; however, this approach is costly and requires extensive cell culture for sufficient numbers of T-cells for infusion. GI cancer patients with borderline resectable disease, whose primary tumor is adjacent to the splenic vasculature, can sometimes undergo a splenectomy as standard of care as the pancreas and spleen share the same blood supply, making the spleen a potential site for metastasis. The spleen provides an unutilized source of lymphocytes with potential utility for ACT, but few studies have examined the immune profile, or the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) on the immune profile, in the spleen and peripheral blood (PB) in cancer patients. To address these questions, we undertook flow cytometric and clustering analyses on leukocyte populations, and the impact of NCT on patient immunity, in the spleens and PB of cancer patients, and compared these to both normal donors and patients with benign GI tumors. These studies provided several novel observations: first that the spleen is a rich source of CD8+PD-1+ T-cells with low expression of checkpoint proteins and potential utility for ACT. Secondly, we observed significant differences in the frequency and phenotype of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the PB and spleen of GI cancer patients as compared to the PB of normal donors, some of which were specific to the tissue type or source analyzed. Third, we report that, ~6 weeks post NCT, the immune profile of NCT treated cancer patients has recovered; this suggests that post-surgical resection patients may be more responsive to immune intervention. In addition, we report preliminary peripheral studies during which we assessed the function of CD8+PD-1+ T-cells from the spleens of GI cancer patients

Book Review: Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts (5th ed.) Edited by Robert L. Haig

(Excerpt) Every New York commercial litigator needs as an arrow in her quiver Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts (“Treatise”). Now in its Fifth Edition, this renowned Treatise not only analyzes in-depth the procedural law and the substantive commercial law of New York, but it is replete with invaluable “nuggets of wisdom” and critical guidance for the “attainment of objectives” during a litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants. What began as a three volume resource first published in 1995, the Treatise now boasts ten volumes, 156 chapters (28 of which have been added since the Fourth Edition), and has 256 authors (including 29 distinguished members of the Bench). Notably, the Treatise includes detailed, strategic guidance for each stage of a commercial case, from inception through appeal and judgment enforcement. And, importantly, the Treatise details the “ramifications and [potential] pitfalls of various actions and inactions” during a litigation

High School Pre-Engineering Programs: Do They Contribute To College Retention?

The study examines the retention of studentsin the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma StateUniversity that enter college with a defined course sequence in a pre-engineeringprogram from a regional career technology center as compared with the retentionrates of university engineering students for the same time period. In additionto descriptive data, results from one-sampl

DETAILS OUT OF PLACE : AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEMORY AND PLACE

I am exploring the connection of place and memory. There are 3 specific single apartments that were pivotal during my development as an adult. These places are the point of departure for this work. By reinterpreting maps, interior architecture, floor plans, and specific events I chart and document my memories of these personally important spaces with sculpture and jewelry. I use predominantly jewelry because of the personal nature of the media and the subject of this work. Though this work is derived from a personal journey, I leave the work open ended enough to also evoke memories of a place in the viewer.  M.F.A

Adipose Tissue Inflammation Is Associated With Immune Dysfunction During Influenza Virus Infection

Adipose tissue in the obese state expresses increased concentrations of inflammatory mediators and has an increased number of macrophages and T lymphocytes. This raises questions about the role that adipose tissue plays during an infectious disease. This dissertation describes research in diet-induced obese mice that 1) provides a timeline of changes in body composition, hormonal and metabolic alterations, and the onset of inflammation in the liver and three adipose tissue depots; and 2) demonstrates that during an infectious disease, distant adipose tissue depots undergo changes in their inflammatory state and number of leukocytes. A third, conceptually distinct part of this dissertation is the study of a mechanism linking preadipocyte proliferation with differentiation. The differentiation of preadipocytes contributes to increased adipose tissue mass through increased capacity to store triacylglycerol. Differentiation-induced 3T3-L1 preadipocytes undergo several rounds of mitotic clonal expansion while concurrently initiating a cascade of transcription factor expression that culminates in the adipocyte phenotype. We demonstrated that G1 of the cell cycle and the initiation of differentiation are functionally linked by the interaction of hypophosphorylated Rb and C/EBP[beta]. In order to establish a timeline of the development of inflammation in diet-induced obesity, weanling C57BL/6 mice were fed either a low-fat or a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. Our data show that the inflammatory state in adipose tissue is depot-specific, and occurs prior to the development of liver steatosis, and increased fasting serum leptin and insulin concentrations. Previous work in our laboratory demonstrated that compared to lean mice, diet-induced obese mice have higher morbidity and mortality after influenza virus infection. We demonstrate that during influenza A/PR/8/34 virus infection, relative to lean mice, adipose tissues in obese mice have a greater pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine gene expression, with a decrease in the number of macrophages and T lymphocytes in the gonadal adipose tissue depot. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that obesity can have a profound influence on the immune response to an infectious disease and that adipose tissue itself may be a major component of the dysregulated immune response during influenza infection

MassHealth (Medicaid) clinicians\u27 perceptions of in-home therapy with children and families

This study identifies the attitudes of clinicians providing in-home therapy and related services under the umbrella of MassHealth in Massachusetts. It examines who is doing In-Home Therapy, whether these clinicians (and bachelor’s level providers known as providers of therapeutic training and support) feel adequately prepared to do this work, the kinds of training these clinicians receive, what could be done in order to help them feel more successful, find job satisfaction, and want to continue providing in-home therapy. Three hundred and four participants completed an online, anonymous survey that collected basic demographic information including gender, age, race, education, professional background, geographic location, and work experience. Participants were required to be at least 18 years of age and be providing in-home therapy or therapeutic training and support services in order to participate. Participants were then asked to rate various expectations on a Likert scale indicating if they agree or disagree with that expectation and to respond to five open-ended questions. The findings identified that overall participants report high levels of satisfaction related to their work, specifically with regard to the population, families, children, and adolescents, with whom they work. Participants also report issues and challenges in their work. These challenges include training, productivity requirements, safety, and teamwork within their agency. Policy implications of the findings are discussed

Is Social Media a Threat or Can It Be a Trusted Agent?

There is a prevailing belief within the United States Department of Defense (DOD) that social media is a threat to national security, leading to restrictions in workplace use of social-media applications. However, instead of dismissing social media as a threat, leaders should be asking whether or not the information received via social media can be trusted, thus leveraging the information-sharing capabilities of social media. This article presents a theoretical case for quantifying social media trustworthiness by exploring the factors that influence trust in social media and proposing a trust framework to be used to quantify trustworthiness