Interpreting the seasonal cycles of atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations at American Samoa Observatory

We present seven years of atmospheric O2/N2 ratio and CO2 concentration data measured from flask samples collected at American Samoa. These data are unusual, exhibiting higher short-term variability, and seasonal cycles not in phase with other sampling stations. The unique nature of atmospheric data from Samoa has been noted previously from measurements of CO2, methyl chloroform, and ozone. With our O2 data, we observe greater magnitude in the short-term variability, but, in contrast, no clear seasonal pattern to this variability. This we attribute to significant regional sources and sinks existing for O2 in both hemispheres, and a dependence on both the latitudinal and altitudinal origins of air masses. We also hypothesize that some samples exhibit a component of "older" air, demonstrating recirculation of air within the tropics. Our findings could be used to help constrain atmospheric transport models which are not well characterized in tropical regions

A Mentoring Guide for Female Faculty in Engineering

One widely accepted method for increasing the chances of success of female engineering and science students and faculty alike is to provide access to female role models and mentors. In this article we offer to new female faculty, and to those who would mentor them, an annotated list of text and electronic resources that address most of the most important challenges facing new female faculty in science and engineering

Tube-jack testing for irregular masonry walls: Regular masonry wall testing

This paper presents the continued development of a novel non-destructive testing method termed tube-jack testing. The goal of the tube-jack system is to provide an enhanced and less destructive method than traditional flatjack testing for determination of mechanical characteristics and local stress states in irregular masonrywalls. Single tubejack testswere performed, using previously developed rubber tube-jacks, in regular masonry walls of granite and cementlimemortar. A traditional flat-jack test was also performed in the same masonry wall. Conclusions suggest that tube-jacks are successful in applying pressure to the masonry at low stress states.The authors would like to acknowledge the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, which supported this research work as a part of the Project “Improved and innovative techniques for the diagnosis and monitoring of historical masonry”, PTDC/ECM/104045/2008

A bayesian approach for NDT data fusion: The Saint Torcato Church case study

This paper presents a methodology based on the Bayesian data fusion techniques applied to non-destructive and destructive tests for the structural assessment of historical constructions. The aim of the methodology is to reduce the uncertainties of the parameter estimation. The Young's modulus of granite stones was chosen as an example for the present paper. The methodology considers several levels of uncertainty since the parameters of interest are considered random variables with random moments. A new concept of Trust Factor was introduced to affect the uncertainty related to each test results, translated by their standard deviation, depending on the higher or lower reliability of each test to predict a certain parameter.The authors would like to acknowledge the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, which supported this research work as a part of the Project “Improved and innovative techniques for the diagnosis and monitoring of historical masonry”, PTDC/ECM/104045/2008

Project #65: Reducing Door to Balloon Time in STEMI: Celebrating the EMS, ED and Cardiology QI Collaboration

Project Aim: To employ a multidisciplinary approach, engaging local emergency medical services (EMS), emergency department (ED), and cardiology teams to assure that STEMI patients in our community receive prompt, equitable, consistent, safe, and high-quality revascularization of their coronary arteries; and to deploy a variety of educational, operational and feedback tools to initiatve early prehospital EKG transmission and Cath lab activation for patients in our community suffering from ST segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI).https://scholarlycommons.henryford.com/qualityexpo2023/1002/thumbnail.jp

Recruitment of latent pools of high-avidity CD8+ T cells to the antitumor immune response

A major barrier to successful antitumor vaccination is tolerance of high-avidity T cells specific to tumor antigens. In keeping with this notion, HER-2/neu (neu)-targeted vaccines, which raise strong CD8+ T cell responses to a dominant peptide (RNEU420-429) in WT FVB/N mice and protect them from a neu-expressing tumor challenge, fail to do so in MMTV-neu (neu-N) transgenic mice. However, treatment of neu-N mice with vaccine and cyclophosphamide-containing chemotherapy resulted in tumor protection in a proportion of mice. This effect was specifically abrogated by the transfer of neu-N–derived CD4+CD25+ T cells. RNEU420-429-specific CD8+ T cells were identified only in neu-N mice given vaccine and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy which rejected tumor challenge. Tetramer-binding studies demonstrated that cyclophosphamide pretreatment allowed the activation of high-avidity RNEU420-429-specific CD8+ T cells comparable to those generated from vaccinated FVB/N mice. Cyclophosphamide seemed to inhibit regulatory T (T reg) cells by selectively depleting the cycling population of CD4+CD25+ T cells in neu-N mice. These findings demonstrate that neu-N mice possess latent pools of high-avidity neu-specific CD8+ T cells that can be recruited to produce an effective antitumor response if T reg cells are blocked or removed by using approaches such as administration of cyclophosphamide before vaccination

Project #82: HFWH Vertical Treatment Zone

Problem Statement: Limited Emergency Department bed capacity and increased acuity resulted in increased left without completing service (LWCS) resulting in increased patient safety risk. Goal: Design a new patient throughput workflow to provide safe, timely and quality patient-centered care resulting in decreased LWSC, decreased arrival to provider times, decreased LOS of the discharged patient, and increased patient satisfaction.https://scholarlycommons.henryford.com/qualityexpo2023/1007/thumbnail.jp