Use of the Peanut Ball to Decrease First and Second Stages of Labor

The purpose for this capstone project was to use a Peanut Ball, to mimic a sitting or squatting position, for decreasing length of first and second stages of labor. In addition, this project was designed to incorporate qualitative data on women’s perception of using the Peanut Ball during labor. The project question was “For laboring women, will use of a Peanut Ball for positioning, as compared to no use of a Peanut Ball, decrease length of first and/or second stages of labor?” The results included a significantly longer second stage of labor in the intervention group (75.63 minutes) when compared with the control group (57.84 minutes). Qualitative data concluded 64% of women using the Peanut Ball stated it help facilitate progress of labor and 71% would recommend use of the Peanut Ball. Additional findings included the intervention group had a significantly higher (27%) use of passive descent during second stage (laboring down) when compared with the control group (9%). Cesarean section rates were reduced in the first and second months of the study ranging from 8.2% to 6.76%. Limitation included the groups were not homogenous or occurring at the same time. While the study didn’t show a reduction in first or second stages of labor; the Peanut Ball received positive feedback from laboring women. In addition, a longer second stage was associated with an increased number of women using passive descent during second stage of labor and a reduction in primary cesarean section rates

Shuttle/spacelab contamination environment and effects handbook

This handbook is intended to assist users of the Spacelab/Space Transportation System by providing contamination environments and effects information that may be of value in planning, designing, manufacturing, and operating a space flight experiment. A summary of available molecular and particulate contamination data on the Space Transportation System and its facilities is presented. Contamination models, contamination effects, and protection methods information are also presented. In addition to contamination, the effects of the space environments at STS altitudes on spacecraft materials are included. Extensive references, bibliographies, and contacts are provided

Failure of the ERBE scanner instrument aboard NOAA 10 spacecraft and results of failure analysis

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanner instrument on the NOAA 10 spacecraft malfunctioned on May 22, 1989, after more than 4 years of in-flight operation. After the failure, all instrument operational mode commands were tested and the resulting data analyzed. Details of the tests and analysis of output data are discussed therein. The radiometric and housekeeping data appear to be valid. However, the instrument will not correctly execute operational scan mode commands or the preprogrammed calibration sequences. The data indicate the problem is the result of a failure in the internal address decoding circuity in one of the ROM (read only memory) chips of the instrument computer

Algal Viruses: The (Atomic) Shape of Things to Come

This is the final version. Available on open access from MDPI via the DOI in this recordVisualization of algal viruses has been paramount to their study and understanding. The direct observation of the morphological dynamics of infection is a highly desired capability and the focus of instrument development across a variety of microscopy technologies. However, the high temporal (ms) and spatial resolution (nm) required, combined with the need to operate in physiologically relevant conditions presents a significant challenge. Here we present a short history of virus structure study and its relation to algal viruses and highlight current work, concentrating on electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, towards the direct observation of individual algae⁻virus interactions. Finally, we make predictions towards future algal virus study direction with particular focus on the exciting opportunities offered by modern high-speed atomic force microscopy methods and instrumentation.The previously unpublished AFM images shown in this manuscript were generated in the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and University of Exeter Environmental Single Cell Genomics Facility which was supported by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and The Wolfson Foundation. C.T.E. is supported by an EPSRC and Bristol Nano Dynamics Ltd PhD studentship

A Permutation Test for Compound Symmetry with Application to Gene Expression Data

The development and application of a permutation test for compound symmetry is described. In a simulation study the permutation test appears to be a level-α test and is robust to non-normality. However, it exhibits poor power, particularly for small samples

Perceptual Regions of South Dakota

The state of South Dakota has been divided into many different regions. Some of these regions are the result of formal classification by professionals such as geographers, geologists and pedologists, whereas others reflect the informal opinion of a layman or nonprofessional. Some distinctions exist, perhaps, for convenience, whereas others express a sense of pride and belonging in community or territory. Regardless of the motivation, the resulting perceptual regions are abstractions of space that illustrate how the residents of South Dakota interpret their environment. This paper is a cultural study. The objective of this study is to determine whether South Dakota residents perceive distinct regions within their state. Thus, the following hypothesis was investigated: Specific perceptual regions are recognized by the residents of South Dakota

Subjective Randomness in a Non-cooperative Game

Rock, Paper, Scissors (RPS) is a competitive game. There arethree actions: rock, paper, and scissors. The game’s rules aresimple: scissors beats paper, rock beats scissors and paper beatsrock (all signs stalemate against themselves). Over multiplegames with the same opponent, optimal play according to aNash Equilibrium requires subjects to play with genuinerandomness. To examine randomness judgments in the contextof competition, we tested subjects with identical sequences intwo conditions: one produced from a dice roll, one fromsomeone playing rock, paper, scissors. We compared thesefindings to models of subjective randomness from Falk andKonold (1997) and from Griffiths and Tenenbaum (2001),which explain assessments of randomness as a function ofalgorithmic complexity and statistical inference, respectively.In both conditions the models fail to adequately describesubjective randomness judgements of ternary outcomes. Wealso observe that context influences perceptions of randomnesssuch that some isomorphic sequences produced fromintentional play are perceived as less random than dice rolls.We discuss this finding in terms of the relation betweenpatterns and opponent modeling

Discrimination and Perceived Cultural Mismatch Increase Status-Based Identity Uncertainty

Periods of social mobility, such as attending college, can challenge one’s status-based identity, leading to uncertainty around one’s status in society. Status uncertainty is associated with poorer well-being and academic outcomes. Little is known, however, about what experiences lead to status uncertainty. The current longitudinal study investigated discrimination experiences and cultural mismatch as predictors of status uncertainty. We propose that discrimination indirectly predicts increased status uncertainty by increasing perceived cultural mismatch with the university. Participants were Latinx college students, all of whom were low-income and/or first generation to college. Discrimination experiences were measured at the end of participants’ first year. Cultural mismatch and status uncertainty were measured at the end of Year 2. Status uncertainty was measured again at the end of Year 3. Results indicated that students who experienced more frequent discrimination felt more cultural mismatch 1 year later, and, in turn, reported increased status uncertainty over the following year

Mutual Accountability Is the Key to Equity-Oriented Systems Change: How Initiatives Can Create Durable Shifts in Policies and Practices

The COVID-19 pandemic and protests arising from police killings of Black Americans have drawn national attention to long-existent and worsening racialized gaps in health, wealth, and well-being that decades of investment and problem solving have been unable to close. Responding to amplified calls from communities and advocates for meaningful change, some philanthropic organizations are reexamining what and how they fund. We present findings from one such effort by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in partnership with the Urban Institute to assess the funder's health-promoting portfolio of investments in community development organizations and activities.This brief presents a framework for grantmakers seeking to understand why some past efforts have fallen short and how future investments might produce more equity-oriented, power-shifting systems change. Urban analyzed a portion of RWJF's portfolio consisting of 15 health-promoting programs and investments launched between 2013 and 2019 that aimed to integrate public health, health care, and community development to improve community health, well-being, and equity. As part of the assessment, we developed a guiding framework that proved critical to our inquiry. We were able to road-test the model as we synthesized insights from dozens of interviews with grantees and partners, community development intermediaries, and philanthropic leaders and staff. The mutual accountability framework allowed us to disentangle intended goals, necessary commitments, and actual results to think about the ways these three elements may—or may not be—aligned