Facilitators and Barriers to Mentor-Mentee Relationships in a Mental Health-App Intervention

This study examined students’ perceptions of their experience participating in a study involving supportive accountability to mental health apps (MHapps). Students were paired with an academic advisor or support staff member who connected with students through MentorHub, allowing them to encourage students’ use of other MHapps. Students took surveys and participated in focus groups that included open-ended questions asking their attitudes on various aspects of the project during and after the nine-week trial. A thematic analysis is being conducted on the qualitative data, and initial readings reveal the facilitators and barriers affecting the supportive accountability relationship with their mentors

NASA Perspective and Modeling of Thermal Runaway Propagation Mitigation in Aerospace Batteries

NASA has traditionally sought to reduce the likelihood of a single cell thermal runaway (TR) in their aerospace batteries to an absolute minimum by employing rigorous screening program of the cells. There was generally a belief that TR propagation resulting in catastrophic failure of the battery was a forgone conclusion for densely packed aerospace lithium-ion batteries. As it turns out, this may not be the case. An increasing number of purportedly TR propagation-resistant batteries are appearing among NASA partners in the commercial sector and the Department of Defense. In the recent update of the battery safety standard (JSC 20793) to address this paradigm shift, the NASA community included requirements for assessing TR severity and identifying simple, low-cost severity reduction measures. Unfortunately, there are no best-practice guidelines for this work in the Agency, so the first project team attempting to meet these requirements would have an undue burden placed upon them. A NASA engineering Safety Center (NESC) team set out to perform pathfinding activities for meeting those requirements. This presentation will provide contextual background to this effort, as well as initial results in attempting to model and simulate TR heat transfer and propagation within battery designs

Variation in incidence of breast, lung and cervical cancer and malignant melanoma of skin by socioeconomic group in England

BACKGROUND: Cancer incidence varies by socioeconomic group and these variations have been linked with environmental and lifestyle factors, differences in access to health care and health seeking behaviour. Socioeconomic variations in cancer incidence by region and age are less clearly understood but they are crucial for targeting prevention measures and health care commissioning. METHODS: Data were obtained from all eight English cancer registries for patients diagnosed between 1998 and 2003, for all invasive cases of female breast cancer (ICD-10 code C50), lung cancer (ICD-10 codes C33-C34), cervical cancer (ICD-10 code C53), and malignant melanoma of the skin (ICD-10 code C43). Socioeconomic status was assigned to each patient based on their postcode of residence at diagnosis, using the income domain of the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004. We analysed the socioeconomic variations in the incidence of breast, lung and cervical cancer and malignant melanoma of the skin for England, and regionally and by age. RESULTS: Incidence was highest for the most deprived patients for lung cancer and cervical cancer, whilst the opposite was observed for malignant melanoma and breast cancer. The difference in incidence between the most and the least deprived groups was higher for lung cancer patients aged under 65 at diagnosis than those over 65 at diagnosis, which may indicate a cohort effect. There were regional differences in the socioeconomic gradients with the gap being widest for lung and cervical cancer in the North (North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humberside) and for malignant melanoma in the East and South West. There were only modest variations in breast cancer incidence by region. If the incidence of lung and cervical cancer were decreased to that of the least deprived group it would prevent 36% of lung cancer cases in men, 38% of lung cancer cases in women and 28% of cervical cancer cases. Incidence of breast cancer and melanoma was highest in the least deprived group, therefore if all socioeconomic groups had incidence rates similar to the least deprived group it is estimated that the number of cases would increase by 7% for breast cancer, 27% for melanoma in men and 29% for melanoma in women. CONCLUSION: National comparison of socioeconomic variations in cancer incidence by region and age can provide an unbiased basis for public health prevention and health commissioning. Decreasing inequalities in incidence requires the integration of information on risk factors, incidence and projected incidence but targeted public health interventions could help to reduce regional inequalities in incidence and reduce the future cancer burden

Interim fatigue design curves for carbon, low-alloy, and austenitic stainless steels in LWR environments

Both temperature and oxygen affect fatigue life; at the very low dissolved-oxygen levels in PWRs and BWRs with hydrogen water chemistry, environmental effects on fatigue life are modest at all temperatures (T) and strain rates. Between 0.1 and 0.2 ppM, the effect of dissolved-oxygen increases rapidly. In oxygenated environments, fatigue life depends strongly on strain rate and T. A fracture mechanics model is developed for predicting fatigue lives, and interim environmentally assisted cracking (EAC)-adjusted fatigue curves are proposed for carbon steels, low-alloy steels, and austenitic stainless steels

Computer-aided analysis of eddy current rotating probe data.

Eddy current (EC) estimate of flaw size obtained from inservice inspection is often the primary means of assessing the structural integrity of steam generator tubes. Reliable prediction of failure pressure and leak rate in tubes with complex cracking requires more detailed information about the geometry and extent of degradation than is generally available from conventional bobbin coil examinations. High-resolution inspections with EC rotating probes are thus carried out on selected regions of tubing to provide the more extensive nondestructive evaluation (NDE) information that is needed to better assess flaw size and distribution. Interpretation of signals from complex cracking that are often distorted by coherent and incoherent noise can be a challenging NDE task. Studies at Argonne National Laboratory have demonstrated that computer-aided data analysis can be used for more accurate and efficient processing of the large amounts of data collected by such probes. The basic structure of a rule-based multiparameter data analysis algorithm is described in this paper. Multiple-frequency inspection data from a standard rotating pancake coil were used for the analyses. The codes were implemented as MATLAB scripts and provide, as the final outcome, profiles of flaw depth in a section of tube. Graphical user interface tools were devised to read the information needed to carry out various stages of data processing. These interactive tools allow conversion, calibration, analysis, and display of data in various formats. Representative cases of estimated flaw profiles are shown for tube specimens with laboratory-grown cracks (with and without simulated artifacts) that were used to assess sizing accuracy. The statistical analyses used to determine NDE performance are also discussed briefly. Results of investigations to date suggest that improved resolution and sizing accuracy can be obtained in a fraction of the time required for manual analysis

Immunomodulator expression in trophoblasts from the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cat

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>FIV infection frequently compromises pregnancy under experimental conditions and is accompanied by aberrant expression of some placental cytokines. Trophoblasts produce numerous immunomodulators that play a role in placental development and pregnancy maintenance. We hypothesized that FIV infection may cause dysregulation of trophoblast immunomodulator expression, and aberrant expression of these molecules may potentiate inflammation and compromise pregnancy. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the expression of representative pro-(TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12p35, IL-12p40, IL-18, and GM-CSF) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10); CD134, a secondary co-stimulatory molecule expressed on activated T cells (FIV primary receptor); the chemokine receptor CXCR4 (FIV co-receptor); SDF-1α, the chemokine ligand to CXCR4; and FIV gag in trophoblasts from early-and late-term pregnancy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used an anti-cytokeratin antibody in immunohistochemistry to identify trophoblasts selectively, collected these cells using laser capture microdissection, and extracted total RNA from the captured cell populations. Real time, reverse transcription-PCR was used to quantify gene expression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We detected IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-12p35, IL-12p40, and CXCR4 in trophoblasts from early-and late-term pregnancy. Expression of cytokines increased from early to late pregnancy in normal tissues. A clear, pro-inflammatory microenvironment was not evident in trophoblasts from FIV-infected queens at either stage of pregnancy. Reproductive failure was accompanied by down-regulation of both pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines. CD134 was not detected in trophoblasts, and FIV gag was detected in only one of ten trophoblast specimens collected from FIV-infected queens.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Feline trophoblasts express an array of pro-and anti-inflammatory immunomodulators whose expression increases from early to late pregnancy in normal tissues. Non-viable pregnancies were associated with decreased expression of immunomodulators which regulate trophoblast invasion in other species. The detection of FIV RNA in trophoblasts was rare, suggesting that the high rate of reproductive failure in FIV-infected queens was not a direct result of viral replication in trophoblasts. The influence of placental immune cells on trophoblast function and pregnancy maintenance in the FIV-infected cat requires additional study.</p

Analysis of potential for jet-impingement erosion from leaking steam generator tubes during severe accidents.

This report summarizes analytical evaluation of crack-opening areas and leak rates of superheated steam through flaws in steam generator tubes and erosion of neighboring tubes due to jet impingement of superheated steam with entrained particles from core debris created during severe accidents. An analytical model for calculating crack-opening area as a function of time and temperature was validated with tests on tubes with machined flaws. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics code was used to calculate the jet velocity impinging on neighboring tubes as a function of tube spacing and crack-opening area. Erosion tests were conducted in a high-temperature, high-velocity erosion rig at the University of Cincinnati, using micrometer-sized nickel particles mixed in with high-temperature gas from a burner. The erosion results, together with analytical models, were used to estimate the erosive effects of superheated steam with entrained aerosols from the core during severe accidents

Promoting Entrepreneurship amid Youth in Windhoek’s Informal Settlements: A Namibian Case

Considering the high unemployment rate among Namibian youth and a lack of job opportunities, the promotion of entrepreneurship has gained wider attention in the country. A number of initiatives have been started such as entrepreneurship trainings and workshops, business idea competitions, etc. All these aim to inspire young people to think of alternative income sources. As part of a two-year funded community outreach research and development (R&D) project, we have investigated participatory approaches to engage marginalized youth into conceptualizing their own context, imparting skills, and deriving new career paths. This article reports and reflects on one of the interventions we have recently concluded with a group of youth in Havana, an informal settlement in the outskirts of Windhoek. We conducted what we entitled “The Havana Entrepreneur”, a series of interactions inspired upon the model of the American reality game show “The Apprentice”. Over a number of weeks two youth groups were given challenges to tackle by means of competing against one another. After completion of each challenge, groups were rated by a number of judges on skills demonstrated such as marketing, presentation, reflection and creativity among others. We observed an increase in, and improvement of skills revealed along tasks’ completion, besides an openly expressed self-realization and discovery of abilities by participants. Moreover, the youth are currently engaged in the continuation of activities beyond the initial entrepreneurial interactions. Thus we suggest replicating “The Havana Entrepreneur”, including the recording on camera of it by the youth themselves as a new mode to instigating a wider entrepreneurial spirit in informal settlements

Summary of technical information and agreements from Nuclear Management and Resources Council industry reports addressing license renewal

In about 1990, the Nuclear Management and Resources Council (NUMARC) submitted for NRC review ten industry reports (IRs) addressing aging issues associated with specific structures and components of nuclear power plants ad one IR addressing the screening methodology for integrated plant assessment. The NRC staff had been reviewing the ten NUMARC IRs; their comments on each IR and NUMARC responses to the comments have been compiled as public documents. This report provides a brief summary of the technical information and NUMARC/NRC agreements from the ten IRs, except for the Cable License Renewal IR. The technical information and agreements documented herein represent the status of the NRC staffs review when the NRC staff and industry resources were redirected to address rule implementation issues. The NRC staff plans to incorporate appropriate technical information and agreements into the draft standard review plan for license renewal

Failure behavior of internally pressurized flawed and unflawed steam generator tubing at high temperatures -- Experiments and comparison with model predictions

This report summarizes experimental work performed at Argonne National Laboratory on the failure of internally pressurized steam generator tubing at high temperatures ({le} 700 C). A model was developed for predicting failure of flawed and unflawed steam generator tubes under internal pressure and temperature histories postulated to occur during severe accidents. The model was validated by failure tests on specimens with part-through-wall axial and circumferential flaws of various lengths and depths, conducted under various constant and ramped internal pressure and temperature conditions. The failure temperatures predicted by the model for two temperature and pressure histories, calculated for severe accidents initiated by a station blackout, agree very well with tests performed on both flawed and unflawed specimens