Secondary Reflector for Solar Furnace

In this study, I look at the impact a Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) has on the performance of a solar furnace. A CPC is a secondary reflector that can increase the intensity (heat flux) of the concentrated sunlight delivered by our concentrated solar furnace here at Valpo. Increasing the heat flux in the solar furnace makes it possible to reach higher temperatures and higher efficiencies in the reactor. I developed Monte Carlo Ray Tracing (MCRT) simulation to estimate how different factors affect what sort of an impact the CPC could have on the performance of a concentrated solar furnace. I present how the geometry of the CPC impacts the intensity of concentrated sunlight leaving this secondary reflector

Impact Forces on Five Common Running Surfaces

It is commonly believed among runners of all skill levels that the surface one runs on, impacts the risk of injury because of the peak force is greater because one surface is “harder” than the other [1 2]. While surface hardness does vary, this study will determine if the footwear of the athlete is enough protection to mitigate these differences. We hypothesize the measured peak force during a simulated shod heel strike will not be significantly different across several common synthetic running surfaces but may be different across alternate shoes

Elementary Administrators\u27 Perspectives and Experiences of Supporting Students Through Nature-Based Learning

Although nature-based learning (NBL) contributes to the development of students, itsinclusion in elementary schools is inconsistent. Researchers have established the benefits of nature to learning and child development, yet there is a gap in the literature on elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL, its support of elementary student development, and its inclusion in elementary schools’ curricula and design. The research questions addressed elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL, how NBL supports student development, and how NBL is included in curricula and design. Nicholson’s loose parts theory and the domains of child development guided this study as the conceptual framework. A basic qualitative design was used to capture the insights of 10 purposefully sampled elementary administrators through semistructured interviews. Emergent themes were identified through open coding, and the findings were developed and checked for trustworthiness through member checking, rich descriptions, and researcher reflexivity. The findings revealed that NBL is supportive of child development and builds experiential learning but is not widely used. This study has implications for positive social change by offering information on structures and strategies to incorporate NBL at the individual, family, organizational, and policy levels. Education stakeholders can use this knowledge to make informed decisions about NBL components, future policy, and planning within and across schools and districts

Elementary Administrators\u27 Perspectives and Experiences of Supporting Students Through Nature-Based Learning

Although nature-based learning (NBL) contributes to the development of students, itsinclusion in elementary schools is inconsistent. Researchers have established the benefits of nature to learning and child development, yet there is a gap in the literature on elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL, its support of elementary student development, and its inclusion in elementary schools’ curricula and design. The research questions addressed elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL, how NBL supports student development, and how NBL is included in curricula and design. Nicholson’s loose parts theory and the domains of child development guided this study as the conceptual framework. A basic qualitative design was used to capture the insights of 10 purposefully sampled elementary administrators through semistructured interviews. Emergent themes were identified through open coding, and the findings were developed and checked for trustworthiness through member checking, rich descriptions, and researcher reflexivity. The findings revealed that NBL is supportive of child development and builds experiential learning but is not widely used. This study has implications for positive social change by offering information on structures and strategies to incorporate NBL at the individual, family, organizational, and policy levels. Education stakeholders can use this knowledge to make informed decisions about NBL components, future policy, and planning within and across schools and districts

Frequency of reported pain in adult males with muscular dystrophy

Introduction The purpose of this study was to present and compare pain between adult males with Duchenne (DMD), Becker’s (BMD), Limb-Girdle (LGMD) Facioscapulohumeral (FSHD) forms of Muscular Dystrophy (MD), and healthy controls (CTRL), using three different methods of assessment. Methods Pain was assessed using 1) a whole body visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain, 2) a generalised body map and 3) a localised body map. Results All types of MD reported more VAS pain than CTRL, with 97% of all MD participants reporting pain; however, no differences were reported between types of MD. The generalised body map approach identified more frequent pain in the shoulders of FSHD (93%) than other groups (13–43%), hips of DMD (87%) and LGMD (75%) than other groups (0–29%), and legs of all MD (64–78%) than CTRL (25%). The localised body map approach identified common areas of frequent pain across types of MD, posterior distal leg and distal back, as well as condition specific regions of frequent pain, for example posterior trapezius in FSHD, and anterior hip pain in DMD and LGMD. Conclusions Using a single pain value (VAS), increased pain was reported by adults with MD compared to CTRL, with no clear differences between different MD groups, suggesting pain is symptomatic of MD. The use of the generalised body map approach, and to an even greater extent the localised body map approach, identified specific areas of frequent pain relevant to each individual condition. These results indicate that whist the commonly used generalised approach can be used to identify broad anatomical regions, the localised approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of pain, reflective of clinical assessment, and should be utilised in future research

Pain experience, expression and coping in boys and young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy – a pilot study using mixed methods

Introduction: There is limited research exploring the pain experience of boys and young men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods pilot study to assess the feasibility of using particular measures of pain, pain coping and quality of life within semi-structured interviews with boys and young men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and a postal survey of their parents. Non-probability, convenience sampling was used. Results: Twelve young men aged 11 to 21 years (median 15 years), three of whom were still ambulant, and their parents / guardians were recruited. The measures used were acceptable to the young men and demonstrated potential to provide useful data. Two-thirds of young men suffered from significant daily pain which was associated with reduced quality of life. Pain complaints were largely kept within the family. Young men's pain-coping strategies were limited by their restricted physical abilities. Statistical power based on these preliminary results suggests a study of approximately 50 boys/young men which appears feasible. Conclusions: Further study is needed to explore acceptable and effective methods of pain management in this population and ways of enhancing pain-coping strategies. In clinical practice, assessment of pains and discomfort should form part of all routine consultations

Wearable Miniaturised Smart Device For Children With Nocturnal Enuresis

This research was designed to evaluate if it is viable to awaken children with urinary incontinence at the pre-void phase using a smart wearable device and enable them to control incontinence with fine-tuned individual parameters determined by the device intelligently. To address this research question, a miniaturised wearable smart device was built in this multidisciplinary research to monitor the non-linear behaviours of the bladder during its expansion with urine intake. The device, with its customisable abilities, sets an individual alarm point to awaken the child with incontinence before voiding. Safety parameters, aesthetics and ergonomic use of the device were investigated through hospital trials with children and the device was improved based on the obtained feedback from these trials. Clinical Relevance: The device will help children learn how to control their incontinence over time