An Investigation of Nylon Fiber as a Papermaking Material

Investigations were made to determine whether or not a practical method of bonding nylon-wood blend paper could be devised in which advantage is obtained from the strength qualities of the nylon fibers in the finished sheet. Two unsatisfactory methods were tried before a satisfactory method was found. By this method 25-to 50-per cent nylon content sheets were dipped in a five to ten-per cent solids water emulsion of a polyamide resin. The sheets were then dried, free of surface support, and then heat pressed to complete the bonding. Paper of high strength and durability was thus produced

The Need for Applied Humanities in Postsecondary Technical/Vocational Education

In the fall of 1981, the Calgary Institute for the Humanities at the University of Calgary undertook a study of the need for the humanities in one and two-year technical/vocational programs in the ten public colleges and two technical institutes in the Province of Alberta. This study was commissioned by the Department of Advanced Education and Manpower. The research culminated in a report entitled, "The Humanities in Alberta Postsecondary Technical and Vocational Education." The object of this paper is to review the major findings and recommendations of this Report. A central thrust of the report in terms of improving the humanities component in technical/vocational programs has to do with the need to teach the humanities in such a way as to relate to the needs and interests of students in these programs. Various implications that evolve from this central emphasis on the needfor applied humanities are reviewed in this paper

KANSAS WHEAT OBJECTIVE YIELD SURVEY

In response to farmers, millers, and government needs, the USDA began research on objective measurements of wheat yields in 1938. USDA\u27s current objective yield program providing monthly pre-harvest forecasts of wheat production beginning on May 1 now includes 18 states and accounted for 87 percent of the U.S. wheat production in 1988 . The Wheat Objective Yield Survey is a systematic subsample of the March Agricultural Survey conducted by Kansas Agricultural Statistics as part of the Quarterly Agricultural Survey program of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The fields and sample plots within the fields are selected following very carefully established rules. The counts and measurements from these sample fields are used in the forecast models developed by maturity category to predict number of heads and weight per head, the two components of yield which will provide the monthly yield indications . Since the probability that a field will contain a sample is proportional to the expanded acres in the field, each acre has an equal chance of being selected for a sample and the average of the individual sample yields provides a self-weighting forecast of yield for the state

Method and apparatus for removing unwanted reflections from an interferometer

A device for eliminating unwanted reflections from refractive optical elements in an optical system is provided. The device operates to prevent desired multiple fringe patterns from being obscured by reflections from refractive elements positioned in proximity to a focal plane of the system. The problem occurs when an optical beam is projected into, and reflected back out of, the optical system. Surfaces of the refractive elements reflect portions of the beam which interfere with portions of the beam which are transmitted through the refractive elements. Interference between the reflected and transmitted portions of the beam produce multiple fringe sets which tend to obscure desired interference fringes. With the refractive optical element in close proximity to the focal plane of the system, the undesired reflected light reflects at an angle 180 degrees opposite from the desired transmitted beam. The device exploits the 180-degree offset, or rotational shear, of the undesired reflected light by providing an optical stop for blocking one-half of the cross-section of the test beam. By blocking one-half of the test beam, the undesired offset beam is blocked, while the returning transmitted beam passes into the optical system unaffected. An image is thereby produced from only the desired transmitted beam. In one configuration, the blocking device includes a semicircular aperture which is caused to rotate about the axis of the test beam. By rotating, all portions of the test beam are cyclically projected into the optical system to thereby produce a complete test image. The rotating optical stop is preferably caused to rotate rapidly to eliminate flicker in the resulting image

Building nursing and midwifery leadership capacity in the Pacific

© 2016 International Council of Nurses Aim: The Australian Award Fellowship Program aimed to strengthen nursing and midwifery leadership and capacity in developing countries in the Pacific. Background: It is necessary to build an optimal global health workforce, and leadership and mentorship are central to this need. This is especially important in small island states such as the Pacific who have limited capacity and resources. Introduction: This health system strengthening program addressed quality improvement in education, through the mentorship of potential nursing and midwifery leaders in the South Pacific Region. Methods: Program participants between 2013 and 2015 were interviewed. Data were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed thematically using an inductive process. Results: Thirty-four nurses and midwives from 12 countries participated. There were four main themes arising from the data which were: having a country-wide objective, learning how to be a leader, negotiating barriers and having effective mentorship. Discussion: Our study showed that participants deemed their mentorship from country leaders highly valuable in relation to completing their projects, networking and role modelling. Similar projects are described. Limitations: The limitation of this study was its small size. There is a need to continue to build the momentum of the program and Fellows in each country in order to build regional networks. Conclusions and implications for nursing and midwifery: The Program has provided beneficial leadership education and mentorship for nurses and midwives from Pacific countries. It has provided a platform to develop quality improvement projects in line with national priorities. Implications for health policy: Global aid programs and the recipients of the program would benefit from comparable health strengthening approaches to nursing and midwifery in similar developing countries

Qualitative evaluation of a public-private partnership for reproductive health training in Papua New Guinea

© 2018 Thiessen J, Bagoi A, Homer C, Rumsey M. Introduction: The recent policy environment in both Papua New Guinea and Australia for partnering with private entities to address health issues has led to a public-private partnership (PPP) between the National Department of Health in Papua New Guinea, the Australian Government and the Oil Search Foundation. A reproductive health training unit was formed to provide health worker training in essential obstetric care and emergency obstetric care. This article provides a qualitative evaluation of the PPP, looking at facilitating features and barriers to the PPP's target of improving the competence of frontline health workers in obstetric care service provision in Papua New Guinea. Method: A qualitative methodology gathered data since the PPP's inception in 2012. A dataset of 85 interviews with partners and relevant stakeholders from across Papua New Guinea was analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Themes of facilitating features of the PPP were (1) understanding and agreeing with the national plan for PPPs and maternal and child health; (2) having strong champions, strong relationships and a formal decision-making body; and (3) creating autonomy and branding. Themes outlining the barriers to the PPP's effectiveness were (1) lacking governance framework creating confusion in decision making and roles and responsibilities; (2) differing institutional cultures and ownership struggles; and (3) lacking capacity within the institutes themselves, particularly the National Department of Health. Conclusion: The findings of this service provision case study confirm what has been found in other infrastructure-led PPPs. Further research into how to overcome power imbalances between partners in a PPP as well as setting up a governance framework in a dynamic environment could inform this growing area of collaboration between the private and public sectors

Back-side-on-BOX heterogeneously integrated III-V-on-silicon O-band discrete-mode lasers

We demonstrate foundry-fabricated O-band III-V-on-silicon discrete-mode lasers. The laser fabrication follows the back-side-on-buried-oxide laser integration process and is compatible with complex, multilayer, silicon-on-insulator based platforms. A series of devices were characterized, with the best devices producing on-chip powers of nearly 20 mW with Lorentzian linewidths below 20 kHz and a side mode suppression ratio of at least 60 dB