Development and fabrication of improved Schottky power diodes, phases I and II

Reproducible methods for the fabrication of silicon Schottky diodes were developed for the metals tungsten, aluminum, conventional platinum silicide and low temperature platinum silicide. Barrier heights and barrier lowering were measured permitting the accurate prediction of ideal forward and reverse diode performance. Processing procedures were developed which permit the fabrication of large area (approximately 1 sqcm) mesa-geometry power Schottky diodes with forward and reverse characteristics that approach theoretical values

First Amendment Knowledge of Classroom Teachers

This research examined the knowledge of the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America possessed by teachers in two secondary high schools in East Tennessee. Additionally, an attempt to evaluate the relationship between church attendance in protestant evangelical churches and the teacher’s ability to address church/state conflicts within parameters previously established by the United States Supreme Court was conducted. Finally, the role of social environment was examined in teacher’s knowledge of the first amendment. Prior research within this context has produced evidence that teachers are in fact not adequately prepared to address church/state conflicts within their school systems or their classrooms in particular (Biro, 2001; Campbell, 2002; Ramey, 2009). The result of this inadequate knowledge is the infraction of student liberties established by the Supreme Court as well as the possibility of expensive and embarrassing lawsuits for the offending schools

Development and fabrication of improved Schottky power diodes

Reproducible methods for the fabrication of silicon Schottky diodes have been developed for tungsten, aluminum, conventional platinum silicide, and low temperature platinum silicide. Barrier heights and barrier lowering under reverse bias have been measured, permitting the accurate prediction of forward and reverse diode characteristics. Processing procedures have been developed that permit the fabrication of large area (about 1 sq cm) mesageometry power Schottky diodes with forward and reverse characteristics that approach theoretical values. A theoretical analysis of the operation of bridge rectifier circuits has been performed, which indicates the ranges of frequency and voltage for which Schottky rectifiers are preferred to p-n junctions. Power Schottky rectifiers have been fabricated and tested for voltage ratings up to 140 volts

Association of Chorioamnionitis with Aberrant Neonatal Gut Colonization and Adverse Clinical Outcomes.

ObjectiveChorioamnionitis (inflammation of the placenta and fetal membranes) and abnormal gastrointestinal colonization have been associated with an increased risk of sepsis and death in preterm infants, but whether chorioamnionitis causes abnormal pioneering gastrointestinal colonization in infants is not known. We determined the relationship between chorioamnionitis, altered infant fecal microbiome indicating abnormal gastrointestinal colonization, and adverse outcomes.Study designPreterm infants ≤ 28 weeks at birth were enrolled from 3 level III NICUs in Cincinnati, Ohio and Birmingham, Alabama. Sequencing for 16S microbial gene was performed on stool samples in the first 3 weeks of life. Chorioamnionitis was diagnosed by placental histology. Late onset sepsis and death outcomes were analyzed in relation to fecal microbiota and chorioamnionitis with or without funisitis (inflammation of the umbilical cord).ResultsOf the 106 enrolled infants, 48 infants had no chorioamnionitis, 32 infants had chorioamnionitis but no funisitis (AC), and 26 infants had chorioamnionitis with funisitis (ACF). The fecal samples from ACF infants collected by day of life 7 had higher relative abundance of family Mycoplasmataceae (phylum Tenericutes), genus Prevotella (phylum Bacteroidetes) and genus Sneathia (phylum Fusobacteria). Further, AC and ACF infants had higher incidence of late-onset sepsis/death as a combined outcome. Presence of specific clades in fecal samples, specifically, order Fusobacteria, genus Sneathia or family Mycoplasmataceae, were significantly associated with higher risk of sepsis or death.ConclusionThe results support the hypothesis that specific alterations in the pioneering infant gastrointestinal microbiota induced by chorioamnionitis predispose to neonatal sepsis or death

Applications of control theory

Applications of control theory are considered in the areas of decoupling and wake steering control of submersibles, a method of electrohydraulic conversion with no moving parts, and socio-economic system modelling

Does intimate partner violence impact on women's initiation and duration of breastfeeding?

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPX') is prevalent among recent mothers and negatively impacts their physical and emotional health. Furthermore, the negative influence of IPV on parenting capacity and children's development is well described. However, it is unclear whether there is any relationship between IPV and method of infant feeding. Little is known about how women who are subjected to IPV make decisions about infant feeding or whether living in this context impacts on their experience of breastfeeding. With what is known about the importance of breastfeeding, particularly for vulnerable populations, research is essential to inform clinical practice and to develop appropriate community support strategies. Methods: This paper describes an analysis of data from a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial: Improving maternal and child health nurse care for vulnerable mothers (MOVE). The MOVE trial was conducted in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia from April 2010 - April 2011 and involved 80 maternal and child health centres, 160 nurses and 2621 women who completed a survey. Intimate partner violence was measured using the Composite Abuse Scale. Results: Ninety-six per cent (n=2111) of participating women initiated breastfeeding, with 80% (n=1776) and 74% (n=1537) indicating 'any' breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months respectively. Respondents tended to be older, well-educated with a household income >$70,000 per annum compared to the general population. The characteristics of women from the IPV and non-IPV groups were similar and together were comparable to all women who gave birth in north-west Melbourne. The reported prevalence of IPV in this survey was 6.3% (n-138), which maybe an underestimate. Breastfeeding rates did not significantly differ between IPV and non-IPV groups. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that women who experience IPV are just as likely to breastfeed as the broader population of women. While this analysis provides a snapshot of breastfeeding rates for this group of women, it does not capture women's experience of IPV as it relates to feeding a baby. In order to better identify infant feeding in the context of IPV, qualitative research is also necessary to investigate in a way that fully engages victims/survivors, giving them the opportunity to give voice to their experiences