CUORE Image Analysis and CUORE-0 Shifting: A Contribution to the Search for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

In an effort to aid in the work of the Cryogenic Underground Observatory of Rare Events (CUORE) in moving towards confirming the existence of Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay, a six week trip was made to Assergi, Italy to work as an Onsite Shifter for the previous generation of the experiment, CUORE-0, as well as to aid in construction of the full CUORE detector. Furthermore, to help in understanding possible sources of experimental error, work was done analyzing images taken of the glue spots on the faces of each Tellurium Oxide detector crystals (also containing the source of the decay, Tellurium-130). This work catalogued the pixel-areas of a number of the glue spots in the images, and generated histogram plots showing the variance across the glue spots

Context effects in second language acquisition : formal instruction, study abroad and immersion classrooms

Introduction to the volum

Apparatus to Measure Optical Scatter of Coatings Versus Annealing Temperature

Light scattered by amorphous thin-film optical coatings limits the sensitivity of interferometric gravitational-wave detectors. We describe an imaging scatterometer to assess the role that crystal growth during annealing plays in this scatter

Learning context effects : study abroad, formal instruction and international immersion classrooms

This book deals with the effects of three different learning contexts mainly on adult, but also on adolescent, learners' language acquisition. The three contexts brought together in the monograph include i) a conventional instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) environment, in which learners receive formal instruction in English as a Foreign Language (EFL); ii) a Study Abroad (SA) context, which learners experience during mobility programmes, when the target language is no longer a foreign but a second language learnt in a naturalistic context; iii) the immersion classroom, also known as an integrated content and language (ICL) setting, in which learners are taught content subjects through the medium of the target language-more often than not English, used as the Lingua Franca (ELF). The volume examines how these contexts change language learners' linguistic performance, and also non-linguistic, that is, it throws light on how motivation, sense of identity, interculturality, international ethos, and affective factors develop. To our knowledge, no publication exists which places the three contexts on focus in this monograph along a continuum, as suggested in Pérez-Vidal (2011, 2014), with SA as 'the most naturalistic' context on one extreme, ISLA on the other, and ICL somewhere in between, while framing them all as international classrooms. Concerning target languages, the nine chapters included in the volume analyze English, and one chapter deals with Spanish, as the target language. As for target countries in SA programmes, data include England, Ireland, France, Germany, and Spain in Europe, but also Canada, China, and Australia. While the main bulk of the chapters deal with tertiary level language learners, a language learning population which has received less attention by research thus far, one chapter deals with adolescent learners

Apparatus to Measure Optical Scatter of Coatings Versus Annealing Temperature

Light scattered by amorphous thin-film optical coatings limits the sensitivity of interferometric gravitational-wave detectors. We describe an imaging scatterometer to assess the role that crystal growth during annealing plays in this scatter

WORKING CANINE DECONTAMINATION: EFFECT OF CLEANSER & SERIAL DECONTAMINATION ON DERMAL BARRIER FUNCTION

Working canines provide a key service to society. During their work, they may be exposed to various environmental contaminants. Unfortunately, previous work has shown that current working canine decontamination protocols are lacking in efficacy (Venable et al., 2017). Furthermore, little work has been done to explore cleanser options and serial decontamination. Therefore, we designed two studies to investigate the impact of cleanser on contaminant removal, and the impact of serial cleanser application on canine dermal health and skin barrier function when applied daily for 14 days. Both studies were approved by the Southern Illinois University Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee (#15-032, #19-031) prior to initiation of the work. Treatments for analysis of cleansers for canine decontamination included Dawn, povidone surgical scrub, chlorohexidine surgical Scrub, or water. Each treatment was balanced by coat type (long; short). A fluorescent marker was used to determine efficacy in contaminant reduction. Significant decreases associated with coat type (P \u3c 0.0082) and cleanser (P \u3c 0.0001) were measured for dermal pH. Additionally, treatment impacted TEWL (P = 0.0049). Yet, TEWL was unaffected by coat type (P = 0.4881). Visual scoring of images revealed that all cleansers were more successful at reduction when compared to control (P \u3c 0.0001). However, software analysis software, yielded no differences in treatment (P = 0.5567). Interestingly, we found a significant correlation between the visual scores and the Image J (P = 0.0006). Repeated decontamination on 8 (n= 8) Labrador retrievers significantly increased TEWL (P\u3c 0.0001) through day 21 and then decreasing the remainder of the study. Similarly, sebum data was also impacted by repeated daily decontamination efforts, decreasing during bathing and then increasing (P =0.0387). Higher sebum values are seen later in the study and may be associated with recovery. In contrast, moisture content (P = 0.3842) and pH (P = 0.7462), were unaffected by repeated decontamination. Interestingly, dander scores assessed on the back were worsened by repeated decontamination (P = 0.0222) but dander scores assessed across the whole body were unaffected (P = 0.1804). Coat shine was unaffected by decontamination (P = 0.1156) similar to coat softness (P = 0.3418). Overall coat condition remained unchanged as a result of repeated decontamination efforts (P= 0.9466). These data reveal that daily decontamination impacts dermal function, potentially increasing the animal’s health risk

Protecting the Footprints of Rivers in the United States during the Anthropocene: A Personhood Proposal for the Columbia River Watershed and a Recognition of Genius Loci in Water Resources Management

There are gaps in water resources law, policy and management due to being outdated but also due to rising issues of concern surrounding climate change, water scarcity, and environmental racism. There is potential for these issues to be addressed in an interdisciplinary way that acknowledges and utilizes both Western and Traditional ways of knowing. A personhood policy for rivers can set the groundwork for integrating Traditional ways of knowing, specifically dealing with managing the physical landscape, into Western land and water management; there is an urgent need to accept and utilize Traditional ways of knowing instead of trying to assimilate ‘minoritized’ cultures and societies into a Western framework. Additionally, a personhood policy for rivers would set the groundwork for the social value of rivers, intangible values such as emotional attachment and cultural memory, to be widely acknowledged alongside their economic value, and recognize legal standing for the environment to be seen as a baselevel protection to be built upon.masters, M.S., Water Resources -- University of Idaho - College of Graduate Studies, 2021-0

The Resistance to Change-Beliefs Scale: Validation of a New Measure of Conservative Ideology

The motivated social cognition (MSC) model of conservative ideology posits there are two core facets of conservative political ideology—endorsement of hierarchies and resistance to change. The present research tested the validity and reliability of a scale developed to measure resistance to change. Five studies support the validity, reliability, and factor structure of the Resistance to Change-Beliefs (RC-B) scale. Scores on the RC-B scale correlated with social and cognitive motivations as well as self-identified conservatism. RC-B also predicted more conservative stances on political issues and factor analyses supported the predicted internal structure of the RC-B scale. This provides the field with a validated instrument that avoids problems inherent in previous measures, can be used to test predictions from the MSC model, and has potential applications beyond political psychology

The Resistance to Change-Beliefs Scale: Validation of a New Measure of Conservative Ideology

© 2019 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc. The motivated social cognition (MSC) model of conservative ideology posits there are two core facets of conservative political ideology—endorsement of hierarchies and resistance to change. The present research tested the validity and reliability of a scale developed to measure resistance to change. Five studies support the validity, reliability, and factor structure of the Resistance to Change-Beliefs (RC-B) scale. Scores on the RC-B scale correlated with social and cognitive motivations as well as self-identified conservatism. RC-B also predicted more conservative stances on political issues and factor analyses supported the predicted internal structure of the RC-B scale. This provides the field with a validated instrument that avoids problems inherent in previous measures, can be used to test predictions from the MSC model, and has potential applications beyond political psychology