\u3ci\u3eReflective Insight:\u3c/i\u3e Reflection and Renewal

One thing that struck me during our visit to Auschwitz II Birkenau was the actions of a flock of small birds amid the ruins of Crematorium III

Process Development of Multilevel Metallization Utilizing National Semiconductor Polyimide El-5510

This project is concerned with double-layer metal using National Polyimide EL-5500 as the of an aluminum /dielectric/ aluminum scheme. The polyimide was an attractive candidate for the dielectric die to its use in trilayer resist schemes. However, results obtained showed incomplete via clear-out

Elite Assault: The 85th Infantry Division in Italy, 1944-1945

This thesis fills a major gap in the historiography of the Second World War by emphasizing the role of drafted divisions in the United States Army. Specifically, this thesis examines the 85th Infantry Division from its formation in May 1942 to its disbanding in August 1945. This thesis challenges the age-old assumption that conscripted soldiers were inferior to volunteer forces. By the 1940s, the United States retained a long-standing prejudice against drafted troops dating back to the poorly-executed drafts of the American Civil War, with many citizens arguing that volunteers were better soldiers. The 85th Division stands in direct contradiction to this. Gathered from across the country, its members received intensive training from devoted officers, ensuring their survival and success. Once overseas, training adapted to the tasks at hand, ensuring the men of the 85th would be prepared for the changing circumstances of combat. These men were thrown against elite troops of the German Army and the Luftwaffe’s vaunted Fallschirmjagers, earning the respect of their enemies. Drawing on personal accounts and a late war Army psychoanalytical survey, this thesis charts the mindset of the average 85th Division draftee, comparing him to his fellow soldiers in Italy and highlighting the unit’s high performance and above-average tolerance for combat. And while the public clearly favored stories of the liberation of France, direct comparison with European Theater troops further highlights the skill and combat record of the oft-maligned draftee divisions, as represented by their initial example. Simply by doing their job and doing it well, the United States Army 85th Infantry Division shattered the myth of the inferiority of drafted combat troops

A Critical Corporate Profile of Li & Fung

Behind the prominent Brand names and Retail stores of global supply chains are intermediaries who provide services to large volume buyers. A key feature of the global apparel industry is complex supply chains with many contractors and subcontractors and intense competition among factories – induced by the buyers – to reduce cost and increase speed. Over the past two decades, scholars have noted the dramatic increase of market power of international retail corporations gained at the expense of the fragmentation of centers of production. Enter Li & Fung, a Hong Kong based firm which is the largest sourcing agent in the global apparel business. Li & Fung’s central role in shaping the supply chain of apparel potentially affects the lives of millions of workers in their direct supply chains and the labor markets in which they are such a commanding force. Their strategy of sourcing emphasizes the cutthroat competition among factories that is the source of apparel workers’ conditions. Our analysis also indicates that already an “unseen giant” Li & Fung appears to have decided to move towards higher value-added processes in the supply chain. Understanding the complex implications of Li & Fung’s business strategy for workers’ rights is crucial for securing decent conditions for workers in the apparel industry over the coming years

Characterizing Complex Fracture Geometry Through Data Integration in the Permian Basin

Understanding how fractures propagate during multi-stage hydraulic fracturing enables better prediction for production and increases reserves. Fracture complexity from both stress shadow effects and natural fracture interactions increases the challenges current models face for determining accurate fracture geometry. Through data synthesis from microseismicity, stimulation treatment, and production, a calibrated model increases reliability in determining fracture geometry while proving capable of optimizing future completion designs. The Permian Basin’s unique lithology contains a high degree of vertical heterogeneity and natural fractures, accentuating the complexity that makes fracture modeling difficult. Microseismic data give gross fracture dimensions, possible areas of reactivated natural fractures, and the direction of maximum horizontal stress while also providing a baseline for calibrating reservoir simulators. Production and stimulation simulators indicate that initiating fractures inside the Wolfcamp B2 formation results in propped height growth being contained by the Wolfcamp B1 and Wolfcamp B3 layers. Inferior perforation cluster spacing increases stress shadow effects, causing further decreases in contributing reservoir volume and cumulative production. Instantaneous shut-in pressure analysis reflects that future well completion designs can be further refined without excessive diagnostic data or when it is unavailable, since the fracture height derived closely resembles the gross fracture height from microseismic data. The calibrated model for this zone indicates perforation cluster spacing should be 75 ft. for 3 perforation clusters, 50 ft. for 4 perforation clusters, and 40 ft. for 5 perforation clusters, to maximize conductivity during Plug-and-Perf completions. By increasing fluid and sand volumes, the cluster spacing can be reduced to 15 ft. with 6 perf clusters and attain the highest amount of contributing volume. As economic conditions vary, calibrated fracture models remain an integral part of characterizing fracture geometry. By understanding how fractures propagate in the Wolfcamp B2 formation and optimizing completion design accordingly, operators can potentially produce more oil and gas, increase margins, and save millions of dollars

Improved Attachment in a Hybrid Inflatable Pressure Vessel

The vessel is a hybrid that comprises an inflatable shell attached to a rigid structure. The inflatable shell is, itself, a hybrid that comprises (1) a pressure bladder restrained against expansion by (2) a restraint layer that comprises a web of straps made from high-strength polymeric fabrics. The present improvements are intended to overcome deficiencies in those aspects of the original design that pertain to attachment of the inflatable shell to the rigid structure. In a typical intended application, such attachment(s) would be made at one or more window or hatch frames to incorporate the windows or hatches as integral parts of the overall vessel

Electronic Health Record-Based Surveillance for Community Transmitted COVID-19 in the Emergency Department

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus, manifests as a respiratory syndrome (COVID-19) and is the cause of an ongoing pandemic. The response to COVID-19 in the United States has been hampered by an overall lack of diagnostic testing capacity. To address uncertainty about ongoing levels of SARS-CoV-2 community transmission early in the pandemic, we aimed to develop a surveillance tool using readily available emergency department (ED) operations data extracted from the electronic health record (EHR). This involved optimizing the identification of acute respiratory infection (ARI)-related encounters and then comparing metrics for these encounters before and after the confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 community transmission.Methods: We performed an observational study using operational EHR data from two Midwest EDs with a combined annual census of over 80,000. Data were collected three weeks before and after the first confirmed case of local SARS-CoV-2 community transmission. To optimize capture of ARI cases, we compared various metrics including chief complaint, discharge diagnoses, and ARI-related orders. Operational metrics for ARI cases, including volume, pathogen identification, and illness severity, were compared between the pre- and post-community transmission timeframes using chi-square tests of independence.Results: Compared to our combined definition of ARI, chief complaint, discharge diagnoses, and isolation orders individually identified less than half of the cases. Respiratory pathogen testing was the top performing individual ARI definition but still only identified 72.2% of cases. From the pre to post periods, we observed significant increases in ED volumes due to ARI and ARI cases without identified pathogen.Conclusion: Certain methods for identifying ARI cases in the ED may be inadequate and multiple criteria should be used to optimize capture. In the absence of widely available SARS-CoV-2 testing, operational metrics for ARI-related encounters, especially the proportion of cases involving negative pathogen testing, are useful indicators for active surveillance of potential COVID-19 related ED visits

Influence of GABA and GABA-producing Lactobacillus brevis DPC 6108 on the development of diabetes in a streptozotocin rat model

peer-reviewedThe aim of this study was to investigate if dietary administration of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing Lactobacillus brevis DPC 6108 and pure GABA exert protective effects against the development of diabetes in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Sprague Dawley rats. In a first experiment, healthy rats were divided in 3 groups (n=10/group) receiving placebo, 2.6 mg/kg body weight (bw) pure GABA or L. brevis DPC 6108 (~109microorganisms). In a second experiment, rats (n=15/group) were randomised to five groups and four of these received an injection of STZ to induce type 1 diabetes. Diabetic and non-diabetic controls received placebo [4% (w/v) yeast extract in dH2O], while the other three diabetic groups received one of the following dietary supplements: 2.6 mg/kg bw GABA (low GABA), 200 mg/kg bw GABA (high GABA) or ~109 L. brevis DPC 6108. L. brevis DPC 6108 supplementation was associated with increased serum insulin levels (P0.05), compared with non-diabetic controls while all other diabetic groups displayed reduced diversity (P<0.05). L. brevis DPC 6108 attenuated hyperglycaemia induced by diabetes but additional studies are needed to understand the mechanisms involved in this reduction.The authors and their work were supported by the APC Microbiome Institute. The APC Microbiome Institute is funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). This publication has emanated from research supported by a research grant from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) under Grant Number SFI/12/RC/2273