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PUBLIC HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH: CONSTRUCTING HEALING SPACE IN POST-WORLD WAR II NASHVILLE
Get PDFPublic housing was structured with health and healthcare in mind from its beginnings in the late thirties and early forties. During the construction of James A. Cayce Homes and J. C. Napier Homes, the two largest public housing projects in Nashville, clinic space was built into the administration buildings. By 1943, the local health department had partnered with the Nashville Housing Authority (NHA) to open well-baby clinics in the public housing clinic space. The goal of these clinics was to provide education to parents, immunizations, and physical examinations to infants up to preschool age. Integrating these clinics with public housing projects also meant that the health department could gain access to and surveillance of a vulnerable population in a standardized environment where they were already being micromanaged and surveilled by the NHA. By the 1950s, the health department’s mobile dental and x-ray units were concentrated on bringing corrective dental care to indigent children and tuberculosis x-ray screening to what they considered susceptible populations and environments. Therefore, servicing public housing was at the top of their list. For over twenty years, these three public health programs and various private organizations continually permeated the boundaries of the public housing space, intending to improve the health of the socially vulnerable while also surveilling due to disbelief that the poor could manage their own health. The link between public health activities and public housing, which has not been expanded upon in either public health or urban studies historiographies, allows us to ask what it meant for a vulnerable space to be continually infiltrated by public health programs. Through textual analysis of correspondence, municipal government and private organization annual reports, and news periodicals, this thesis seeks to make the case that this link constructed public housing as a healing space that complicated the private and public nature of public housing as a space. The boundaries of the projects were made permeable by and for the government that created them. Therefore, as Community Health Centers emerged in the mid-1960s, the communities they entered were already primed as healing spaces
DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE SERIOUS GAME TO SUPPORT CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETER PLACEMENT EDUCATION
Get PDFThe central venous catheter kit, containing over 10 items, can overwhelm first-time trainees. To address this, we’re creating a learning experience that merges an online module with 3D-printed models for medical trainees to start identifying these items in the kit before they learn how to perform the procedure.
The study comprised three primary phases. Phase I involved observing experienced medical professionals in the “Expert Group” as they prepared a central venous catheter kit. This observation aimed to provide insights for designing a serious game tailored for trainees, which constituted Phase II. The serious game was developed by transforming medical instruments into 3D assets, creating an online interactive platform, and producing physical game pieces through 3D printing. In Phase III, both trainees and experts were engaged in a usability test to assess the effectiveness and user experience of the developed
serious game.
Observing the experts underscored the significance of grouping instruments by function rather than assigning them fixed locations, emphasizing the need to adapt their organization to various environments encountered. For 3D-printed game pieces, all users preferred the 3D-printed miniature replicas over the semi-3D cards despite greater durability of the latter. All users firmly support introducing trainees to this serious game prior to working with the actual kits.
By leveraging 3D modeling, printing, animation, programming, web design, and AI, we developed an integrated educational tool that will aid medical practitioners in optimizing the organization of sterile instruments for central venous catheter placement. Our experience lays the groundwork for future advancements in serious games for diverse medical procedures
Bridging the Retention Gap: An Evaluation Study of a Peer Coaching Program for Baccalaureate Nursing Students
Get PDFThis dissertation offers a comprehensive exploration of the retention obstacles facing historically disadvantaged nursing students within a predominantly White institution, with a particular focus on assessing the effectiveness of a peer coaching initiative. Despite encountering challenges in maintaining program fidelity, participants exhibited sustained engagement, leading to significantly higher graduation rates among those involved in the program. Thematic analysis uncovered notable insights, including themes related to academic stress, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging, underscoring the program's positive impact on bolstering academic achievement, self-assurance, and social support networks. These findings highlight the critical importance of tailored academic support initiatives in promoting student retention and success, emphasizing the pivotal role of mentorship, modeling, and peer interactions in addressing the barriers to degree attainment faced by marginalized student populations
Microplastics in the Mississippi River: An Emerging Pollutant
Get PDFThis study investigates the presence, characteristics, and sources of microplastics in the Mississippi River, spanning the entire length of the river. Surface water grab samples were collected during a long-distance kayaking journey from May to July 2019 starting in the state of Minnesota and ending in the Gulf of Mexico. Microplastics were suspected at every sample site, with an average count of 7.1 ± 3.1 particles per liter (range: 2-14 particles per liter). The majority of particles were fibers (97%) and the remainder were fiber bundles, film, foam, or fragments. Raman spectroscopy was performed on a random subset of particles, which showed the majority were human made (67%). Particles were categorized as anthropogenic unknown (21%), anthropogenic cellulose (20%), natural (7%), and plastic (25%). Samples containing plastics were identified as fluoropolymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, and plastic-based dyes. This study estimated that median microplastic produced by someone living within the Mississippi River basin was 301,892 microplastics/day. A significant relationship between area-normalized load and discharge indicated that areas with greater runoff resulted in microplastic increases. Regression modeling found no significant relationships between microplastic concentration and spatial factors such as agriculture and forest cover. However, microplastic concentration was correlated with population density. These findings highlight the complexity of microplastic dynamics in river ecosystems. This study found widespread microplastic pollution in one of the largest river systems in the world. There is a need for further research to understand microplastic fate and transport in the Mississippi River as well as policy and regulatory efforts to reduce plastic loading and to mitigate its impact on aquatic ecosystems
Some Fellow-Traveler Properties on Finite Graphs
Get PDFLet u, v be points in a hyperbolic metric space (X, d). It is a well-known fact that u − v quasi-geodesics in hyperbolic metric space remain within some distance d of a u − v geodesic. The notion of fellow-traveling paths was first developed from this observation. One specific instance of this property, observed by Thurston in 1991, states that, Cay(G, S) is the Cayley graph of some finitely generated group G which acts discretely and co-compactly in hyperbolic space, then points on geodesic paths α and β, beginning on a point O and terminating on a vertex τ or pair of adjacent vertices τ1, τ2, always remain within some distance D of one another. This property – also referred to as the k-fellow-traveler property – is a group invariant: if G is a finitely generated group possessing this property, then it is present on all Cayley graphs of G regardless of generating set chosen. However, the precise value of k depends entirely on the choice of generating set, which indicates that the value of the constant itself is a graphical property. On finite graphs, all vertex distances are bounded above by the length of the longest geodesic. Hence, we can extend this property to that of any generic finite connected graph. This thesis investigates an application of the k-fellow-traveler property for groups to finite graphs (which may or may not be Cayley), and what may be possibly revealed about the structure of the graph by analyzing its k-fellow-traveler constant. We prove that, if G is a finite graph with κ(G) ≥ 2, then diam(G) − 1 ≤ kG ≤ diam(G). We prove criteria for arbitrary vertices u, v to correspond to one another on fellow-traveling paths α, β
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN MRI-COMPATIBLE MOTOR TEST STAND
Get PDFSurgical interventions aided by robotic equipment have been widely accepted as being superior to manual surgery due to its increased precision. Recently, a trend has emerged to expand the use of robots to MRI-guided surgeries. This is due to its safe working principle, its versatility and its superior image quality over X-ray and CT. However, the strong magnetic field created poses serious constraints on the electronics and materials used in these surgical robots. This directly implies that standard electric motors can not be used to drive the robot. One solution to this problem by using plastic motors that are driven by air. Novel plastic pneumatic motors are being developed by numerous research institutes but no standardized pneumatic motor has a monopoly in the field yet. This also means that data collection comes in a non-uniform format as well. The goal of this thesis is to develop an all-encompassing pneumatic motor test stand for both servo and stepper type motors. The basic concept relies on connecting a DC motor to the pneumatic motor to provide a counter torque and read out the speed and position. By putting the electrical motor on bearings and connecting it to a force sensor, torque can be measured. On top of that, sensors have been put in place to measure the pneumatic characteristics of the air-powered motor. Lastly, a centralized software program has been implemented to collect the data and control both the electric and the pneumatic motor. The test stand proved to be very robust and was used to characterize the torque and power of both a novel pneumatic servo and stepper motor. Although having variable refresh rates, the software provided high-quality data. Software precautions together with a plastic safety pin made the measuring station safe to use while at the same time ensuring minimal damage to the plastic pneumatic motor. With the successful design and implementation of the test stand, this project provides a solid basis for a fully automated measuring stand
3D NANOARCHITECTURED HEXAGONAL BORON NITRIDE: Synthesis, Structure and Optical Characterization
No full textThe development of quantum technologies is currently hindered by the material platforms that are utilized to create and process quantum information. One of the most fundamental components are single photon emitters (SPEs), which emit exactly one photon at a time with identical spatial and temporal modes, rendering them indistinguishable. Solid-state SPEs, specifically defects in wide bandgap semiconductors such as diamond and silicon carbide, are at the forefront of ideal sources due to their outstanding optical properties and scalability. However, the complex series of interactions between the defect-based SPEs and the solid-state environment produces large variabilities in the emissions of their spectral lines. These effects are largely attributed to strain, emitter-substrate interactions and charge traps.
Recently, atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), another wide bandgap semiconductor, has also demonstrated the ability to host defect-based SPEs with room temperature quantum emissions, high brightness and facile integration into photonic crystal cavities. While demonstrating desirable properties necessary for integration into quantum technologies, the atomically thin nature of hBN increases the susceptibility of defect-based emitters to the influences of their environment, namely strain and substrate interactions causing a large variability to their spectral lines which goes against the ultimate goal of photon indistinguishability.
In this thesis, we develop the first three-dimensional, nanoarchitectured hBN structure with monolithically integrated SPEs and demonstrate that its substrate-free nature can reduce the variability of the main spectral line down to about 1.5 nm—a feat trumping all previous experimental efforts to reduce this variability by an order of magnitude. We further characterize the photophysical properties that the 3D nanostructure imparts onto the integrated emitters due to mesoscopic effects, namely improvements to its saturation power and the ability to manipulate the spontaneous emission rate. Lastly, by tuning the deposition parameters, we demonstrate the ability to engineer the feature sizes of the nanostructure, which not only reveals this as a practical method to engineering the bandgap of hBN but also that it is possible to degenerately dope hBN—a feat that has yet to be achieved by way of native defects
Characterizing the Thermal Conductivity of Fungal Melanin
Get PDFMelanin is a common biological pigment found in various biological organisms. Often deposited on the surface, it aids in protecting internal structures from damaging solar radiation by absorbing it. This process increases the organism’s temperature, leading to utilization of melanin as an adaptation to cold environments. This phenomenon is known as the Theory of Thermal Melanism. This states that ectothermic organisms living in cooler environments will adapt by developing darker skin to absorb more sunlight and thus maintain a comfortable body temperature. However, due to climate change, this adaptation may lead to overheating, which may be lethal to the organism. While it is known that melanin has a role in absorbing heat, the role of melanin in the dissipation of heat is unknown. In the context of climate change, this concept is important to explore as it will be possible to predict how organisms will respond to changing climates in their environments. To investigate this, we developed an assay comparing the thermal conductivity (TC) of melanized versus nonmelanized Cryptococcus yeasts. This process involved growing yeasts in a liquid culture with dopamine hydrochloride to induce melanization. A nonmelanizing condition was used as a control. Cells were then extracted and lyophilized to create cell powders. These powders were then placed in a hydraulic press and compressed into a pellet. The thermal conductivities of the powders and pellets were measured and compared to yeasts grown on plates. Thermal effusivity and volumetric heat capacity were also measured. Our findings revealed that the change in thermal conductivity between melanized and nonmelanized conditions was not statistically significant. It was also found that water in the environment was a strong confounding factor, and more research needs to be carried out to better illustrate the differences between melanization and the thermal conductivity of yeasts and to better understand the role melanin plays in the thermoregulation of other organisms. As the climate is changing and many parts of the globe see increasing temperatures, research needs to be carried out to see if melanized organisms are not at increased risk of overheating. Furthermore, an avenue of investigation is to see if melanin can be adapted for use in human technologies, where they may be used as green alternatives and indirectly help limit the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
MICROWAVE ASSISTED THERMAL CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC WASTE USING Ni, Co, AND Mo BASED ALUMINA SUPPORTED CATALYSTS
Get PDFDue to the existing demand for alternative energy and the need to dispose of plastic waste, several chemical engineering processes that convert plastics into valuable products are under development. In the present study, waste materials composed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were converted into H2 over metal-loaded Al2O3 catalysts using microwave-assisted thermocatalytic decomposition (MWATCD) approach. Transition metals including Co, Ni, and Mo were loaded onto Al2O3 by wet-impregnation. These catalysts were tested for MWATCD of a HDPE material using a fixed-bed, drop-tube reactor. The H2 yields varied with the reaction conditions tested, including temperature and catalyst-to-feedstock (Cat/F) ratio, but overall, all three catalysts showed promising performance in converting HDPE into H2 where 50 – 90% H2 yields were obtained. After reactions, their activity could be restored by burning off coke deposited on the catalysts during MWATCD. Further studies, such as short-term and long-term deactivation kinetics, reaction mechanism, etc. must be conducted to fully understand the potential of using these catalysts in larger scaled, continuous reactors
VARIATION IN NEWBORN AND DELIVERY HOSPITAL CHARGES IN CALIFORNIA BETWEEN 2012 AND 2021
Get PDFStatement of the problem
This dissertation examines whether healthcare inflation is consistent among newborn and labor and delivery procedures and explores the extent to which healthcare inflation across these procedures can be explained by hospital characteristics and county-level demographic data.
Methods
Using average annual charge data from the California Department of Health Care and Information (HCAi), this study used mixed-effects regression with a random intercept for each hospital to model the variation in average annual charges from 2012 to 2021 between hospitals for childbirth and newborn diagnostic codes by examining hospital-level and county-level factors and how they influence the outcome variable, average annual charge.
Summary of Results
For all DRGs, apart from prematurity neonate without complications (DRG 792), higher cost-to-charge ratios were associated with lower average annual charges ranging from 7% to 21% decrease in charges. For labor-related DRGs, except for vaginal delivery with complications (DRG 774), lower charges were associated with government-sponsored hospitals (13%-16%) when compared to non-profit hospitals. However, wage index was associated with higher charges (15%-96% per unit increase).
For newborn diagnostic codes, lower charges were associated with a higher percent of revenue from Medicare (2%-10% lower). Except for prematurity neonate without complications (DRG 792), higher charges were associated with staffed beds (4%-11% higher charges per bed). Median income was also associated with higher charges except for neonate with significant problems (DRG 795).
Conclusions
These findings suggest that ownership type, staffing levels, financial factors such as cost-to-charge ratios and Medicare revenue, and county-level socioeconomic environment may affect annual average charges for labor and delivery and newborn procedures. Some of these factors, hospital administrators have control of to optimize resource allocation, but some are in the hands of policymakers to address income inequality and promote price transparency. However, the impact each factor plays is complex and varies across charges. Future research should utilize CMS’s new price transparency regulations to determine if trends are consistent across procedures and markets