Wear studies made of slip rings and gas bearing components

Neutron activation analysis techniques were employed for the study of the wear and performance characteristics of slip ring and rotor assemblies and of the problems arising from environmental conditions with special reference to surface contamination. Results showed that the techniques could be successfully applied to measurement of wear parameters

Analysis of solid-rocket effluents for aluminum, silicon, and other trace elements by neutron activation analysis

The sensitivity and reliability of neutron activation analysis in detecting trace elements in solid rocket effluents are discussed. Special attention was given to Al and Si contaminants. The construction and performance of a thermal column irradiation unit was reported

Bayesian comparison of latent variable models: Conditional vs marginal likelihoods

Typical Bayesian methods for models with latent variables (or random effects) involve directly sampling the latent variables along with the model parameters. In high-level software code for model definitions (using, e.g., BUGS, JAGS, Stan), the likelihood is therefore specified as conditional on the latent variables. This can lead researchers to perform model comparisons via conditional likelihoods, where the latent variables are considered model parameters. In other settings, however, typical model comparisons involve marginal likelihoods where the latent variables are integrated out. This distinction is often overlooked despite the fact that it can have a large impact on the comparisons of interest. In this paper, we clarify and illustrate these issues, focusing on the comparison of conditional and marginal Deviance Information Criteria (DICs) and Watanabe-Akaike Information Criteria (WAICs) in psychometric modeling. The conditional/marginal distinction corresponds to whether the model should be predictive for the clusters that are in the data or for new clusters (where "clusters" typically correspond to higher-level units like people or schools). Correspondingly, we show that marginal WAIC corresponds to leave-one-cluster out (LOcO) cross-validation, whereas conditional WAIC corresponds to leave-one-unit out (LOuO). These results lead to recommendations on the general application of the criteria to models with latent variables.Comment: Manuscript in press at Psychometrika; 31 pages, 8 figure

Self Portrait in Thread

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Toward Understanding the Mechanism of Protein Targeting in the Chloroplast Signal Recognition Particle Pathway

Protein targeting is a vital cellular function. The signal recognition particle (SRP) pathway is a universally conserved targeting system present in the cytosol and used to co-translationally target many proteins to the inner membrane of prokaryotes and the endoplasmic reticulum of eukaryotes. The chloroplast has a homologous SRP system which post-translationally targets light harvesting chlorophyll binding proteins (LHCPs) to the thylakoid membrane for integration. The chloroplast SRP (cpSRP) is a heterodimer with a 54 kDa subunit equivalent to SRP54 in the canonical pathway. In addition, cpSRP contains a novel 43 kDa subunit which is a unique and irreplaceable component. cpSRP43 is central to targeting the highly hydrophobic LHCPs to the Albino3 translocase at the thylakoid membrane by operating as a chaperone capable even of disaggregating LHCPs without any external energy input. cpSRP43 has multiple binding partners in the cpSRP pathway. Many details about these binding interactions have been discovered however exact residual details regarding these interactions still requires elucidation. A structure for cpSRP43 bound to cpSRP54 was determined by X-Ray crystallography although cpSRP43 also functions in free form in the chloroplast. The results of this study demonstrate the significant amount of structural flexibility and thermal stability cpSRP43 as well as its potential use as a generic chaperone for proteins outside of the chloroplast. The structure of the c-terminal end of Albino3 (cAlb) was also investigated here since the exact binding interface between cpSRP43 and cAlb is still under debate. The results here reveal a region in cAlb which has a high propensity toward structure. This region may prove to be important in binding to cpSRP43 and could lead toward a better understanding of the process of integration for LHCP

Circumventing Ableism: A Grounded Theory Study Exploring Caregiver Strategies to Promote a Positive Identity

This qualitative research study explores how caregivers and persons with disabilities navigate the rhetoric of disability and caregiving through the interviews of fifteen caregivers and fifteen persons with disabilities using the lens of grounded theory and Burke’s (1952) dramatistic pentad. Significant findings describe how focused disability description can circumvent ableism when rhetorical resources that assist caregivers and persons with disabilities to navigate the rhetoric in disability descriptions are provided. Disability description theory includes the three stages that define, collaborate and revise, and practice and apply a disability description. This qualitative research offers an introduction into the phenomenon of disability description with an emphasis on where resources can be located, or what steps can be taken to help caregivers provide or persons with disabilities access rhetorical support. Disability description theory frames the production of a caregiving guide for disability descriptions as a crucial missing resource to determine a disability description style to develop and curate a disability description that assist caregivers and persons with disabilities to claim the rhetorical power and freedom to compose their own narratives, transform their identities, and enhance their lives

Evaluation of the Law Enforcement Leadership for Equity Initiative

Evaluation of the Law Enforcement Leadership for Equity (LELE) initiative between the Center forChildren's Law and Policy (CCLP) and four law enforcement departments revealed that law enforcementagencies can achieve policy change goals within one year, confirming that CCLP's process and focus onagency leadership can successfully support reforms in that relatively short time. However, gaps betweenpolicy changes and targeted measurable outcomes evidenced that more work remains for lawenforcement agencies and youth justice professionals working toward racial equity

Wellness Interventions for Social Justice Fatigue Among Student Affairs Professionals

This project explored the construct of social justice fatigue (SJF) among student affairs professionals. Utilizing racial battle fatigue (RBF) and compassion fatigue to construct the definition of SFJ, a thirty day wellness intervention plan was created and tested amongst participants. Social justice fatigue is the physical, mental, and/or emotional toll incurred through advocating for social change while serving as an agent of an institution of higher education. Using participatory action research design we learned this definition resonates with student affairs professionals; particularly those who are engaged in equity and social justice oriented work and share the marginalized identity of the students which they advocate. Through our thirty days together, we learned that focusing on specific wellness interventions can allow professionals to mitigate the amount of social justice fatigue they experience

Nia

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