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Distant Suns: Eva Peng Part I
No full textDistant Suns: Eva Peng Part I is the first part of a novel-in-progress. Eva Peng Part I covers the first half of one of four nested stories. It was written with a critical preface in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Development of a Digital Engineering Testing Framework for CubeSat Applications
No full textDigital Engineering (DE) is playing an important and expanded role in today’s industry. As engineering systems become more and more complex with each new iteration, the need for a more efficient and agile methodology for project management and development is needed. The SleeperSat-1 (SPST-1) is a Modular Open System Architecture (MOSA) type of small satellite being developed by the UTEP Aerospace Center. The SPST-1 will mostly use digital engineering tools for its lifecycle research and development. CubeSats require rigorous environmental testing not only to ensure the success of the mission, but also to ensure the safety of the crew, space vehicle and other CubeSats stowed in the same deployer. The workflow and implementation of DE tools to develop a high-fidelity Digital Twin (DT) to test and validate results for CubeSats environmental testing are presented, as well as the design of a modular CubeSat chassis
Combining Green Analytical Methods and Machine Learning to Develop Urinary Fatty Acid Models for Cancer Detection
No full textThis study aimed to explore fatty acids (FAs) as non-invasive biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa) detection and prognosis, and their potential applications in other cancers. The objectives of this study were: 1) Develop a non-invasive urinary FAs-based model for diagnosing PCa; 2) Develop a FAs-based liquid biopsy model for non-invasive monitoring of PCa progression; 3) Investigate FAs composition in periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) collected from PCa positive patients; 4) Investigate the potential of urinary FAs biomarkers for diagnosing clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and ovarian cancer (OC).For the PCa diagnostic model, urine samples from 334 biopsy-confirmed PCa-positive and 232 PCa-negative subjects were analyzed for FAs content using stir bar sorptive extraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SBSE-GC/MS). The data was split into training (70%) and testing (30%) sets to develop and validate the logit models. The FAs-based model achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.71 (95% CI = 0.67-0.75, sensitivity= 0.48, and specificity= 0.83). In comparison, the PSA model performed with an AUC of 0.51 (95% CI = 0.46-0.66, sensitivity= 0.44, and specificity= 0.71). The finding clearly shows that our FAs model for PCa diagnosis outperformed the current standard test (PSA).We further examined the use of FAs for differentiating patients of clinically significant (i.e. high risk) PCa from those with indolent PCa (i.e. low risk) for a non-invasive FAs-based liquid biopsy model for PCa prognosis. Urine samples collected from 390 biopsy-designated PCa positive patients were categorized based on their Grade Group (GG), 213 were classified as GG 1 (low-risk PCa) and 177 were classified as GG 2 to 5 (high-risk PCa). The FA model for PCa prognosis selected 32 compounds, 31 FAs and 1 sterol, and achieved an AUC of 0.76 (95% CI = 0.67-0.84), sensitivity of 0.87, and specificity of 0.48.As urinary FAs are shown to be promising biomarkers for PCa diagnosis and prognosis, the source of those FAs is of particular interest. We then turned to investigate the FAs composition in periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) collected from PCa positive patients. We analyzed 33 PPAT samples for their FAs content with SBSE-GC/MS. The FAs profile of PPAT consisted of a total of 279 FAs. We observed that among the PPAT samples the carbon-18 (C18) was the most abundant length chain. We also observed that 14 out of the 20 FAs in the urine PCa diagnostic model could be traced back to PPAT, and that 9 out of the FAs 32 in the urine PCa prognosis model could be traced back to PPAT. The findings suggest that many urinary FA biomarkers are originated from PPAT which was found to be related to PCa progression. The finding may validate the use of urinary FAs for cancer detection as a non-invasive alternative.Finally, we tested the application of urinary FAs biomarkers for detections of other cancers, such as clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and ovarian cancer (OC). We collected urine samples from 233 Computed Tomography (CT) designated ccRCC positive patients and 43 control patients. Following the same procedure for PCa models, the ccRCC diagnostic model was developed with 14 FAs and an AUC of 0.92 (95% CI = 0.81-1.00), sensitivity of 0.88, and specificity of 0.87. A separate urine cohort of 31 urine samples from 16 OC positive, 5 benign, and 10 patients was used for exploration of the application of urinary FAs in OC detection. The 31 samples of OC underwent a partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The PLS-DA clearly showed distinguished clusters among the 3 OC sample types. And among the most significant variables, several FAs were found to be important contributors. The FAs were cis-7-Hexadecenoic acid (C16:1), and methyl stearate (C18:0) identified for OC classification.The study demonstrates that urinary FAs can serve as non-invasive biomarkers for PCa diagnosis and prognosis, as well as for other cancer types like ccRCC and OC. These findings highlight the potential of FA-based models to improve cancer detection and reduce the need for invasive procedures, ultimately enhancing patient care and reducing healthcare costs. Further research is needed to refine these models and expand their application in clinical practice
Earth Abundant Catalyst For Evironmental Sustainability Applications
Get PDFThe development of experimental methodologies for synthesizing a diverse range of metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles tailored for sustainable water treatment applications was investigated. These nanoparticles are prepared using environmentally friendly and scalable synthesis methods, underscoring their potential for large-scale production. Synthesized nanoparticles are harnessed for various processes, including catalysis and electrocatalysis, with a primary objective of degrading and removing organic pollutants from water. Key to this research is the encapsulation of nanoparticles within solid supports. Multiple methodologies are explored to engineer supports that ensure nanoparticle stabilization, monodispersion, and prevent unintended release into the environment. Two alternative approaches were evaluated for the treatment of organic dyes, one within the factory encompassing the synthesis of Al@C nanomaterial through a MOF intermediate and the development of magnetic Fe@C nanomaterial, both exhibiting excellent catalytic activity in the reductive degradation of organic dyes such as MO, MB and 4-NP, comparable to Pt and Au based catalysts in terms of degradation time and rate constants. While, for water remediation and sanitization in already contaminated rivers it was successfully synthesized several ZnO nanoparticles through a saccharide combustion methodology, all of them showing very good catalytic activity in the MO degradation assisted by UV and sunlight. The stability studies also show the potential reusability of this nanomaterial, losing less than 10% of activity after 3 cycles. Finally in the field of energy for electrocatalytic applications two new nanomaterials based on Fe and Co were successfully synthesized and tested for electrocatalysis in OER, showcasing very good results comparable to rare earth metals such as Ru
Iron Curtains: A Novel of Germany, 1989
Get PDFA work of fiction. A story of Love, Treachery, and Freedom on the East German border in 1989. Iron Curtains is a story of four individuals in East and West Germany brought together by an espionage investigation and the revolution in East Germany which led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain on November 9, 1989. Their stories ultimately intersect as the year passes and culminate in an escape through a tunnel underneath the East German border. There are four main characters and several secondary characters who help drive the story forward by their interaction with the main characters. These main characters are: Augustina Hermosillo (Tina), a 21 year old rookie Counterintelligence Agent from Tucson. She’s arrived on a secret mission to investigate her boss, Nick, and finds herself in a tangled web of potential espionage. Her attraction to Nick and her desire to save him from his self-destruction gets in the way and, during their investigation of the suspect Markus Kaiser, they are led to a small little factory that sits just across the Iron Curtain, in a misty little river valley. They observe the factory from a hilltop on the west, and that’s where Tina, armed with a camera, see Hans sitting in his office in the factory. She feels his despair and is drawn to the idea of contacting him and helping him escape East Germany. Nick Torman – Tina’s Supervisor and tasked with training her, something he does not want to do. He’s a grizzled black operative, traumatized by a failed mission, taking the slow way out of life by drinking himself to death and flirting with the quick way out, his gun. He’s surprised by Tina suddenly in his life and the magic she’s having on him. He needs to protect her and heal. Nick is deeply involved in the twisted web Tina is investigating, and we don’t know how deep until the very end. Hans Jurgens – a retired East German Olympian, he has an office in the factory, but no responsibility, and he desperately wants to escape East Germany, taste freedom, and show them that they can’t possess him and his family. He has a mysterious connection with the falcon that lives on the hilltop in the West. In spite of his guilt for not contributing to the revolution, he’s being awarded a medal of high honor. Hans’ journey takes us through the landscape of the 1989 revolution in East Germany. Dieter Wolff - the party commissar at the factory and guards his power jealously, not only to appease the system, but because there is a secret tunnel underneath the Iron Curtain that begins with the “dungeon door” in his basement office. Dieter suffers from greed and the fact that he renounced true love for the little power he has. The tunnel was being used only to smuggle fine food ingredients so he could craft wonderful recipes for an Italian restaurant in the West owned by his forlorn lover, Markus. But now they are controlled by a mysterious Russian KGB Agent using them to smuggle Soviet gold bars out, and blood diamonds into East Germany
Conserving One Of Hawai\u27i\u27s Last Endemic Ducks: Genetics And Habitat Associations Of Koloa, Feral Mallards, And Their Hybrids
Get PDFIncreases in anthropogenic hybridization through introduced species have accelerated the loss of genetic diversity and reductions in population size of native species that are already threatened by population and genetic diversity decline. Fertile hybrids that are common among waterfowl (order Anseriformes) are especially worrisome. A prime example is the endangered Hawaiian duck (Anas wyvilliana; “koloa maoli”), which is the remaining endemic duck species on the main Hawaiian Islands and is threatened by genetic extinction through ongoing hybridization with feral mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). Of note, koloa populations are known to be strongly male-biased (3:1), and this sex bias is known to stifle population growth rates in threatened species. Sex biases is known to occur as a result of hybridization, which can generate biases in offspring sex ratios due to rising genetic incompatibilities between sex chromosomes in the heterogametic sex (i.e., female birds), also known as Haldane’s rule. Alternative to Haldane’s rule is the potential for post-hatch female biased mortality that can also result in a male-biased population. Here, I tested for bias in offspring sex ratios among nests representing the remaining koloa populations of Kauaʻi, and the various koloa x feral mallard hybrid swarms found on the other Hawaiian Islands and investigated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity. Although adult koloa populations are highly male-biased, I found a slight, although non-significant, female- biased sex ratio among nests on Kauaʻi. Thus, I concluded that the evident male-biased adult populations must be a result of post-hatch higher female mortality. Conversely, sex ratios among feral mallard and known koloa x feral mallard hybrid nests showed signs of either a male bias or no bias in ratios, respectively. Next, I recovered all known mtDNA haplotypes from previous studies, but showed that general mitochondrial diversity continues to decline among koloa x feral mallard hybrid populations. Importantly, I not only determined that most areas outside of Kaua‘i are dominated by Old World “A” mtDNA haplotypes, but that the haplotypes present across hybrid populations are indeed due to hybridization with the game-farm mallard, a domestic mallard breed that continues to be released world-wide. Finally, I did not find any significant difference in habitat selection for nests amongst koloa, feral mallards, or hybrid populations. Together, my study fills critical knowledge gaps in sex ratios and hybridization rates that will be used in future koloa conservation efforts
The Effects of Police Culture and Procedural Justice on Citizens\u27 Perceptions of Police Legitimacy and Trustworthiness
Get PDFPolice departments have often cited “a few bad apples” when discussing incidents of officer misconduct or improper use of force. However, police reform organizations often posit that when the tree is bad, all fruit it bears will be rotten. Police culture serves as the root of the tree in this analogy; the basis of the characteristics and behaviors of police rely on the specifics of police culture that has been imprinted during the police academy and maintained through everyday police work. Police culture determines how police officers interact with citizens and behave on the job. Those interactions can influence how citizens perceive police officers and police institutions. How citizens perceive police officers heavily influences the relationship between police departments and the communities they police. Citizens’ perceptions of police are often determined through personal and vicarious interactions with police, media perceptions of the police, and much more. Two studies were conducted that examined the roles of police office race, procedurally just interactions with citizens, interaction outcome and an index of positive feelings about the police. Data on perceptions of the police was also collected. In Study 1, while group membership did not predict police legitimacy and police trustworthiness, positivity toward the police and enhanced personal and vicarious experiences with police officers was positively associated with police legitimacy and police trustworthiness. When perceptions of the police were added to this model, these effects disappeared. In Study 2, there were no effects of police office race, procedurally just treatment and interaction outcome on police legitimacy and police trustworthiness. When perceptions of police as added to the model, these effects emerged such that police legitimacy and police trustworthiness is enhanced when people are treated justly and when the officer is African American. Implications of using perceptions of police as a variable in future studies is discussed
Is Alaska Negative-Tax Arrangement Fair? Almost: Mathematical Analysis
Get PDFIn the State of Alaska there is no state income tax. Instead, there is a negative tex: every year every resident gets some money from the state. At present, every resident -- from the poorest to the richest -- gets the exact same amount of money: in 2024, it is expected to be around 1500 is barely noticeable? There have been many ethical discussions about this. In this paper, we analyze the problem from the mathematical viewpoint, and we show that the current arrangement, while not exactly the most fair, is close to the fair one -- at least much closer to fairness than the alternative proportional arrangement
Chicanas\u27 Experiences in an Educational Leadership Doctoral Program within the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to our society on a global scale. While the is literature that alludes to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on Ed.D. students, women, and people of color, research focusing on Chicana or Mexican-American female scholar-practitioners is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study is to explore, highlight, and add to the literature on the experiences of Chicana or Mexican-American female scholar-practitioners who were involved in any of the dissertation stages, such as capstone, dissertation research, or dissertation writing during the COVID-19 pandemic.This qualitative research employed a testimonio methodology guided by the Chicana feminist epistemology. The Chicana feminist epistemology allowed to highlight testimonialistas intersectionality of being a woman, a person of color, and a doctoral student during the pandemic. The findings of this study were organized into three themes that emerged from the data analysis: (1) navigating responsibilities, (2) support systems, and (3) sense of purpose. The first concept discusses how doctoral students negotiated multiple identities and roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second concept, support systems, alludes to the factors that helped testimonialistas complete their doctoral program. The last concept, sense of purpose, refers to the drive that guided participantsâ?? academic success
Acute Changes in Inflammatory Biomarkers Expression following Cosmetic Surgery with Use of Compression Garment
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Inflammation is an acute phase response to physiological conditions such as infection, tissue injury, and tissue stress and malfunction (Medzhitov, 2008). Inflammation caused by surgical trauma (tissue injury) elicits a myriad of responses by the patient that is experienced far past the operation. It is estimated that American individuals will undergo nine surgeries throughout an 85 year lifespan (Lee & Gawande, 2008). Focus on surgical recovery modalities has grown over the past few decades. The use of compression garments (CG+) following surgery has been shown to be successful in preventing deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolisms, as well as aiding in human performance and recovery, but has yet to be established as an effective strategy that alters physiological activity in inflammatory biomarkers such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of CG use to impact the expression of inflammatory biomarkers IL- 6, CRP, and the ESR following cosmetic surgery. The secondary aim was to investigate CGs effect on self-reported recovery symptoms of pain and loss of physical function. METHODS: Healthy normal, overweight, and obese (BMI 18.5-37) male and female individuals aged â?¥18 years were randomized into either an INTERVENTION (Group 1: CG+) or a CONTROL (Group 2: CG-). All subjects undergoing cosmetic surgery completed an interview for study inclusion, physical and health history, complete blood work up (IL-6, CRP, ESR), and measures of self-reported pain and loss of function. Factors of interest were measured pre and at 24-, 48-, and 72-hours following cosmetic surgery. RESULTS: CG group demonstrated a significant reduction in IL-6 at 24 hours (p=0.02), CRP at 48 hours (p=0.04), and work/exercise related activity at 24- (p=0.02), 48- (p=0.02), and 72 hours (p=0.01). There were no significant differences between groups for pain, overall activity, sedentary activity, or for ambulatory activity at all timepoints. CONCLUSION: CGs decrease acute postoperative inflammation and improves short-term postoperative loss of function. Compression garments could be considered as an alternative therapeutic strategy to lessen inflammatory biomarkers expression and loss of function in patients undergoing cosmetic surgery