Transplantation and Personal, Preferred Music: A Quality of Life Study

This project is a multiple methods, open-label, clinical experiment that provided iPods, headphones, and personal, preferred music to transplant patients to improve their quality of life. In total, the study enrolled 46 participants and collected 188 data points. Study participants were randomized to one of two study groups, either the control group or the iPod group, via electronic coin toss and data was collected using a modified version of the EQ-5D health survey to conduct in-person interviews every other day. Data was analyzed both quantitatively using linear regression, ANOVA, and Tukeys HSD test, and qualitatively by identifying common themes from the open-ended participant response. Overall, the study received a positive response from the participants, though the results from the quantitative analysis were ambiguous. There are some limitations to this studys analysis and some identified areas for improvement, which can be addressed in similar, future studies

In-flight measurement of ice growth on an airfoil using an array of ultrasonic transducers

Results of preliminary tests to measure ice growth on an airfoil during flight icing conditions are presented. Ultrasonic pulse echo measurements of ice thickness are obtained from an array of eight ultrasonic transducers mounted flush with the leading edge of the airfoil. These thickness measurements are used to document the evolution of the ice shape during the encounter in the form of successive ice profiles. Results from 3 research flights are presented and discussed. The accuracy of the ultrasonic measurements is found to be within 0.5 mm of mechanical and stereo photograph measurements of the ice accretion

From Egyptian Desert to Scottish Highlands – the radiographic study of a Twenty-Fifth Dynasty coffin and mummy bundle from the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Scotland

Since 1936, the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Scotland, has curated a wrapped ancient Egyptian human mummy within a wooden anthropoid coffin. In June 2013, funding was procured to transport the mummy and coffin to the University of Manchester for radiographic study, whereby information regarding the life and death of the individual was sought.The mummy and coffin were imaged using digital radiography (DR) and computed tomography (CT) at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. The process revealed that the bundle contained the mummified remains of a single human individual, which had suffered extensive skeletal disruption. This paper focuses on the radiographic analysis of the artefact

Structural characterization of the D290V mutation site in hnRNPA2 low-complexity-domain polymers.

Human genetic studies have given evidence of familial, disease-causing mutations in the analogous amino acid residue shared by three related RNA binding proteins causative of three neurological diseases. Alteration of aspartic acid residue 290 of hnRNPA2 to valine is believed to predispose patients to multisystem proteinopathy. Mutation of aspartic acid 262 of hnRNPA1 to either valine or asparagine has been linked to either amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or multisystem proteinopathy. Mutation of aspartic acid 378 of hnRNPDL to either asparagine or histidine has been associated with limb girdle muscular dystrophy. All three of these aspartic acid residues map to evolutionarily conserved regions of low-complexity (LC) sequence that may function in states of either intrinsic disorder or labile self-association. Here, we present a combination of solid-state NMR spectroscopy with segmental isotope labeling and electron microscopy on the LC domain of the hnRNPA2 protein. We show that, for both the wild-type protein and the aspartic acid 290-to-valine mutant, labile polymers are formed in which the LC domain associates into an in-register cross-β conformation. Aspartic acid 290 is shown to be charged at physiological pH and immobilized within the polymer core. Polymers of the aspartic acid 290-to-valine mutant are thermodynamically more stable than wild-type polymers. These observations give evidence that removal of destabilizing electrostatic interactions may be responsible for the increased propensity of the mutated LC domains to self-associate in disease-causing conformations

Roles, uses, and benefits of general aviation aircraft in aerospace engineering education

Many colleges and universities throughout the United States offer outstanding programs in aerospace engineering. In addition to the fundamentals of aerodynamics, propulsion, flight dynamics, and air vehicle design, many of the best programs have in the past provided students the opportunity to design and fly airborne experiments on board various types of aircraft. Sadly, however, the number of institutions offering such 'airborne laboratories' has dwindled in recent years. As a result, opportunities for students to apply their classroom knowledge, analytical skills, and engineering judgement to the development and management of flight experiments on an actual aircraft are indeed rare. One major reason for the elimination of flight programs by some institutions, particularly the smaller colleges, is the prohibitive cost of operating and maintaining an aircraft as a flying laboratory. The purpose of this paper is to discuss simple, low-cost, relevant flight experiments that can be performed using readily available general aviation aircraft. This paper examines flight experiments that have been successfully conducted on board the NASA Lewis Research Center's T-34B aircraft, as part of the NASA/AIAA/University Flight Experiment Program for Students (NAUFEPS) and discusses how similar experiments could be inexpensively performed on other general aviation aircraft

Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project: 2017 Update

Nutria, a semi-aquatic, South American rodent, was introduced to Maryland during the early 1940s. Originally brought to the area for fur farms, the market never established and animals were released or escaped. Nutria thrived, destroying coastal wetlands which resulted in negative environmental and economic impacts to the Chesapeake Bay region. To preserve and protect valuable wetland resources, the Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project (CBNEP) was established in 2002 through a partnership between the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and many state agencies and non-governmental organizations. Since inception, the CBNEP has removed and reduced nutria populations to near zero across ¼ million acres of wetlands throughout the Delmarva Peninsula (Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia). The CBNEP has aided in the protection of critical natural resources and provided assistance to over 400 private landowners. Throughout its history, the CBNEP has developed new detection techniques and modified existing methods as the nature of the eradication effort changed. We provide a project overview and detail several observer-based and device-based methods that were developed and used for detection of nutria including: shoreline and ground surveys, monitoring platforms, detector dogs, lure development and remote triggered cameras

Suicides Among Farmers in Three Southeastern States, 1990-1998

Several studies have documented higher rates of suicide among farmers in comparison to other occupational groups, both in the U.S. and internationally. The purpose of this study is to describe the epidemiology of farmer suicides in three southeastern states (Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina) during the nine-year period 1990-1998. Electronic death certificate data were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. Over the nine-year period, there were 590 deaths related to suicide (E-codes: 950-959) among farmers (occupation codes: 473, 474, 475, 477, and 479) in the states of Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The results of this study confirm the increased rate of suicide mortality among white male farmers in comparison to the total white male population in these three southern states. The increased rate of suicide was significantly elevated among farmers age 25-34 years (RR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.61-2.67) and among those age 75-84 (RR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.70-2.45) and age 85 years and older (RR: 2.67; 95% CI: 2.02-3.54) in comparison to the total white male population.The use of a firearm was the primary mechanism of death for the majority (86%) of the cases. Farmer suicide mortality rates in the southeastern U.S. are higher than in Midwestern states. The elevated rate of white male farmer suicides in North Carolina over this time period (35% higher age-adjusted suicide rate in comparison to South Carolina) suggests a need for further investigation to assess the individual, social, and economic factors that may explain this elevated rate. Interventions for the prevention of suicide need to be directed to older male farmers who consistently have higher suicide rates than similar males in other occupations

Collaboration between Secondary Special Education Teachers and Community Rehabilitation Service Providers: A Focus Group Analysis

Collaboration by professionals across agencies has been identified as a research-based practice associated with successful post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Succesful post-school outcomes include community employment, postsecondary education (such as involvement in two- or four-year college programs), and independent living for young adults with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation counselors, special educators, and community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) must collaborate to increase the probability of successful outcomes, particularly given the advent of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Five core areas of Pre-ETS include: (a) job exploration counseling, (b) work-based learning experiences, (c) counseling, (d) workplace readiness training to develop social skills and independent living, and (e) instruction in self-advocacy. The purpose of this study was to gather qualitative data on the current status and future directions of relationships between high school special education teachers and CRPs regarding transition service delivery. In this study, focus groups were used to gather information specific to interagency collaboration. Three primary themes were generated: (a) barriers to effective interagency collaboration, (b) collaboration needs, and (c) recommendations to improve collaboration. Barrier included (a) communication, (b) community, (c) school, and (d) student and family factors. Both special education teachers and CRP professionals offered information regarding needs and recommendations to improve collaboration. Specific recommendations were identified to improve collaboration, such as improving the intake and discovery process by interviewing the special education teacher prior to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting and creating a roles and responsibility chart including methods for communication and follow up, among others

Farm Tractor Safety in Kentucky, 1995

Objective: Tractor rollovers are a major cause of farm injuries and fatalities. The authors used data from a statewide surveillance study to estimate the prevalence of safety features such as rollover protective structures, seat belts, and power take-off shields on farm tractors in Kentucky. Methods: Using data from the Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveillance Project, the authors report on the prevalence of farm tractor safety features by size of farm, by region of the state, by number of tractors per farm, and by tractor age and estimate the prevalence of tractors equipped with rollover protection by region and for the state as a whole. Results: Of the estimated 85,446 family-owned farms in Kentucky with at least one tractor, an estimated 55.6%, or 47,515 farms, do not have a tractor equipped with a rollover protective structure. Few tractors that are 10 years old or older were found to be equipped with seat belts; no tractors that were more than 20 years old were equipped with seat belts. Conclusions: Kentucky, with an estimated 25 to 30 tractor-related fatalities each year, may contribute up to 20% of the total number of farm tractor fatalities in the nation. The overall prevalence of rollover protective structures on tractors in Kentucky is lower than estimates for other states as reported in national survey data. The study\u27s findings suggest the need to target smaller farms with one or two tractors for retrofitting of rollover protective structures and for tractor safety programs