UTSA Runner Research Press (Univ. of Texas at San Antonio)
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Exploring Factors Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among Deployed Military Medical Personnel
No full textLittle is known about what factors may contribute to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder among military medical personnel during a deployment. Considering this, the purpose of this study was to examine how demographic factors, psychological and occupational stressors, and protective resources are associated with a probable diagnosis of PTSD and PTSD symptom severity. The sample included 1161 military medical personnel who were deployed to a combat hospital in Balad, Iraq between 2004-2011 who completed anonymous self-report measures. Results indicated that depressive symptoms, negative affect, combat exposure and futility stressors were associated with a probable diagnosis of PTSD, χ2 (17, N = 739) =18.441, p <.001. The model explained approximately 63.6% of the variance in the likelihood of military medical personnel having a probable diagnosis of PTSD. When examining the hierarchical linear regression, gender, depressive symptoms, negative affect, combat exposure, futility and trainable stressors were associated with PTSD symptom severity, F (17, 839) = 89.756, p <.001, Adjusted R2 =.643. The final model explained 64.3% of the variance in PTSD symptom severity. Overall, military medical personnel who report experiencing higher depressive symptoms, negative affect, exposure to combat-related stressors and healthcare stressors they did not feel prepared to face, may be at a higher risk of developing clinically concerning symptoms of PTSD in theater. Similarly, subthreshold PTSD symptoms may be exacerbated by gender-related experiences, occupational stressors, depressive symptoms, negative affect, and exposure to combat-related stressors.Health, Community and Polic
Los Tejanos: A Plaza in Texas in the 1930's, An Exploration of Culture through Art (Kindergarten-3rd Grade)
No full textBased on Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills, Grades Kindergarten through Third GradeCarmen Lomas Garza’s work “A Plaza in Texas in the 1930's” offers a glimpse into the past and details a uniquely Texan culture. This resource guide provides students with a visual way to connect with a previous time, and they will use critical thinking skills to analyze and make personal connections with “A Plaza in Texas in the 1930’s”. The contents of this guide are based on Art and English Language Arts and Reading TEKS for grades K through 3
Teaching Outside the Classroom: Growing Texas
No full textBased on Sixth and Seventh Grade Texas Essential Knowledge & SkillsThese easy to incorporate activities will inspire inquiry-based learning and bring the museum experience to your classroom! This activity includes images and documents intended to inspire outdoor education and participation, while focusing on the geography of Texas
Characterizing the Mechanical Properties of Insoluble Organic Matter: Implications for Planet Formation and Icy Body Thermal Evolution
No full textThis study examines the mechanical properties of insoluble organic matter (IOM) to investigate the origins of organics in the solar system and to deepen our understanding of their role in dust aggregation within protoplanetary disks and the thermal evolution of icy bodies. By employing pycnometer and nanoindentation techniques, we measured the density and Young's modulus of IOM. Our density findings align with values associated with analogous materials, such as terrestrial coal, which are currently utilized in planetary modeling. The results for Young's modulus indicate that organic matter may form through gas irradiation chemistry and subsequently evolve via aqueous alteration. Furthermore, compared to silicates and ices, the lower Young's modulus of IOM suggests an enhanced sticking efficiency of dust grains within the protoplanetary disk when organics are present. This reduction in Young's modulus also indicates increased tidal heating and more efficient heat transfer to the shells of icy moons, which carries significant implications for their potential habitability.Physics and Astronom
A Programmable and Participatory Sensing Testbed using Micromobility Vehicles
No full textMicromobility vehicles, such as e-scooters, are increasingly popular in urban communities but present significant challenges in terms of road safety, user privacy, infrastructure planning, and civil engineering. Addressing these critical issues requires a large-scale and easily accessible research infrastructure to collect diverse mobility and contextual data from micromobility users in realistic settings. To this end, we present ScooterLab, a community research testbed comprising a fleet of customizable battery-powered micromobility vehicles retrofitted with advanced sensing, communication, and control capabilities. ScooterLab enables interdisciplinary research at the intersection of computing, mobility, and urban planning by providing researchers with tools to design and deploy customized sensing experiments and access curated datasets. The testbed will enable advances in machine learning, privacy, and urban transportation research while promoting sustainable mobility.Computer Scienc
IFN-γ Induced Nitric Oxide Leads to the Inhibition of TH17 Differentiation via iNOS
No full textMultiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), driven by autoreactive T cells that mediate demyelination, axonal loss, and neuroinflammation. Among the pathogenic T helper subsets, Th17 cells are pivotal in MS progression, producing high levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-17. While Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is traditionally seen as proinflammatory, recent findings highlight a paradoxical protective role by inhibiting Th17 differentiation. In this thesis, we explored how IFN-γ, through its regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) production, influences Th1 and Th17 responses in the Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) model and in vitro T cell assays. Our results demonstrate that the absence of IFN-γ signaling exacerbates EAE severity and elevates Th17 cell frequency, underscoring IFN-γ’s protective capacity. In vitro, IFN-γ dose-dependently suppresses Th17 differentiation while promoting Th1 responses. Contrary to expectations, iNOS inhibition did not significantly enhance Th17 cells, though the NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP) boosted Th1 cells and modestly reduced Th17 cells. Notably, IFN-γ signaling was necessary for robust iNOS expression during EAE, pointing to a critical IFN-γ–iNOS–NO axis in regulating Th17-driven pathology. These findings underscore the complex role of IFN-γ in modulating Th17 responses and highlight potential therapeutic targets involving NO pathways to mitigate autoimmune inflammation in MS.Molecular Microbiology and Immunolog
Raman Spectroscopic Analysis of Lunar Samples and Synthetic Analogs
No full textUnderstanding processes related to volatiles and minerals on the Moon is important for constraining its surface evolution. To better comprehend the history of lunar volatiles, including their delivery and transport, knowledge of regolith composition is needed. Additionally, space weathering embeds iron metal particle by-products into grains rims of the surface regolith in a ubiquitous manner. Therefore, quantifying this iron in lunar samples helps us understand space weathering effects on the Moon and across the inner Solar System. We present Raman spectroscopic measurements of various lunar Apollo samples and synthetic analogs, providing insight into their mineralogical composition and abundance.Physics and Astronom
The Meaningless Daily Struggles: Virginia Woolf's Enrichment of Existentialism
No full textExistentialist Philosophy has proved beneficial for a better understanding of the human condition. It ultimately makes us aware of how we live our lives and why, inviting us to reflect on what we ascribe meaning to and what are the systems in place that allow us to make these choices in the first place. However, because existentialism tends to be an ahistorical theory, its proponents fail to acknowledge that not everyone has the same amount of freedom. In her books The Second Sex and Ethics of Ambiguity, Simone de Beauvoir begins to reflect on how the experience of existentialism varies according to gender.
In this thesis, I will argue that Virginia Woolf's literature enriches existentialism's theoretical possibilities, rendering them more coherent and persuasive by introducing gender dynamics. Virginia Woolf’s literature delves into the intricacies of human existence, capturing moments of being when characters’ lives become palpable. Woolf’s novels portray realistic characters doing existentialism, particularly the female characters. As they reflect on their existence, question societal roles and their personal values, all while performing mundane tasks, like cooking, walking, reading, or sewing. Furthermore, Woolf’s stories are set within extremely well-defined specific historical and geographical contexts, allowing readers to identify the diverse ways people navigate their ordinary lives and the underlying systems that enable and constrain their freedom. I will focus on two of her novels to support this claim: Mrs. Dalloway (1925) and To The Lighthouse (1927).Englis
Approximating Gaussian Copula Models for Count Time Series: Connecting the Distributional Transform and a Continuous Extension
No full textGaussian copulas are versatile models for the analysis of time series data, as they allow for the separate modeling of their marginal and association structures. However, likelihood–based inference for count time series is computationally intensive for large samples. This is so because the likelihood is a multivariate normal probability that lacks a closed–form expression, making its computation a challenging numerical problem. We study a likelihood approximation method based on a continuous extension that avoids the need for approximating high–dimensional integrals, and show that the previously proposed distributional transform likelihood approximation is a particular case. We also obtain a novel expression for this approximate likelihood that can be efficiently evaluated using the innovations algorithm. Through simulation experiments we identify scenarios where the proposed method achieves similar approximation accuracy as the Geweke–Hajivassiliou–Keane (GHK) method, but with far superior computational efficiency, as well as scenarios where this is not the case. We illustrate the efficacy of the method by fitting a Gaussian copula model to the number of weekly campylobacteriosis infections in Hamburg, Germany.Statistic
Stability Analysis of Unsteady Laminar Boundary Layers Subject to Streamwise Pressure Gradient
No full textA transient stability flow analysis is performed using the unsteady laminar boundary layer equations. The flow dynamics are studied via the Navier&ndash;Stokes equations. In the case of external spatially developing flow, the differential equations are reduced via Prandtl or boundary-layer assumptions, consisting of continuity and momentum conservation equations. Prescription of streamwise pressure gradients (decelerating and accelerating flows) is carried out by an impulsively started Falkner&ndash;Skan (FS) or wedge-flow similarity flow solution in the case of flat plate or a Blasius solution for particular zero-pressure gradient case. The obtained mean streamwise velocity and its derivatives from FS flows are then inserted into the well-known Orr&ndash;Sommerfeld equation of small disturbances at different dimensionless times (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>&tau;</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>). Finally, the corresponding eigenvalues are dynamically computed for temporal stability analysis. A finite difference algorithm is effectively applied to solve the Orr&ndash;Sommerfeld equations. It is observed that flow acceleration or favorable pressure gradients (FPGs) lead to a significantly shorter transient period before reaching steady-state conditions, as the developed shear layer is notably thinner compared to cases with adverse pressure gradients (APGs). During the transient phase (i.e., for <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>&tau;</mi><mo>&lt;</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>), the majority of the flow modifications are confined to the innermost 20&ndash;25% of the boundary layer, in proximity to the wall. In the context of temporal flow stability, the magnitude of the pressure gradient is pivotal in determining the streamwise extent of the Tollmien&ndash;Schlichting (TS) waves. In highly accelerated laminar flows, these waves experience considerable elongation. Conversely, under the influence of a strong adverse pressure gradient, the characteristic streamwise length of the smallest unstable wavelength, which is necessary for destabilization via TS waves, is significantly reduced. Furthermore, flows subjected to acceleration (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>&beta;</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> &gt; 0) exhibit a higher propensity to transition towards a more stable state during the initial transient phase. For instance, the time response required to reach the steady-state critical Reynolds number was approximately 1<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>&tau;</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> for <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>&beta;</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> = 0.18 (FPG) and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>&tau;</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> = 6.8 for <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>&beta;</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> = &minus;0.18 (APG).Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineerin