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Health Misinformation During Epidemiological Crises
Get PDFHealth misinformation is more prevalent than ever in the modern age and poses serious risks for those who believe it. Medical fallacies can become especially harmful during periods of widespread disease when the misinformed respond in ways that increase threats to public health. The purpose of this systematic review is to describe and critically appraise the evidence about how health misinformation during endemics and pandemics can influence behaviors and responses, as well as the implications of interventions affecting these behaviors. A systematic search of the literature with inclusion/exclusion criteria using CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO resulted in an analysis of twenty primary sources. In general, researchers have found that health misinformation has been prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic and endemic outbreaks of Ebola, Zika, and measles. A significant proportion of individuals believe misinformation, and evidence supports that the tendency to believe misinformation is related to predictive factors such as the propensity for conspiracy thinking, decreased literacy skills, increased social media usage, younger age, and fear. Implications of findings for interventions include using social media to promote accurate information, building public trust in the government and healthcare system, and ensuring the public has access to accurate information
Defining the Proper Operating Time for the Septa Extractor
Get PDFAnionic polymerizations are a common type of reaction used to produce synthetic rubber. During these reactions, it is necessary to charge initiators, modifiers, and other substances, through pressurized containers that are sealed with rubber septa. These septa prevent oxygen and moisture from entering the pressurized container, and the reactor, though they need to be cleaned before use to remove other impurities. Currently a glass Soxhlet Extractor is used to remove such impurities, and though effective, it has a limited capacity, so it has to run frequently. This limitation led to the commissioning of the Septa Extractor, which is an automated process unit designed to perform the same cleaning function on a larger scale. A standard anionic polymerization to produce a polybutadiene will be used to assess the differences between the 6 types of septa, obtained commercially and prepared in-house. Molecular weight and vinyl content of the product as well as the conversion of the monomer will be compared to determine the importance of impurity removal from the septa and the optimal extraction approach. The project\u27s main goal is to determine the required operating time for the Septa Extractor Unit and to identify whether commercially available alternatives are acceptable
Bite Force and Stress Content of Varying Tooth Morphology and Jaw Alignment
Get PDFBiting is one of the primary physical actions against a food substrate involved in the process of mastication and consumption. Different shapes of solidified tissue (e.g., teeth, mandibles) are developed based on dietary preferences of the organism to improve mechanical function. Models of various geometric shapes were used to loosely replicate several common biological tooth structures. As there is little research conducted on tooth penetration force in relation to tooth shape, collection of such data was the main focus of the research. Molariform teeth found in herbivores were represented by the ball model, carnivorous needle-like teeth by cone model, cutting teeth by the single blade, and thick serrated denticulation of canines by the jagged model. The question of average tooth penetration force in relation to each subclade was addressed using both a bite force rig to obtain quantitative data, as well as incorporating photoelasticity to provide supporting qualitative evidence of induced stress. Four test subjects were chosen (one model representing each tooth structure) with five trials for each subject to confirm accuracy. Orientation was then altered by testing retrognathism (overbite) and prognathism (underbite) malocclusions using a top jaw ± 10% along the x and y axis from the standard 100%. Results supported the hypothesis of decreased bite force required for acute and sharp teeth. However, results contradicted initial hypothesis of increased bite force for malocclusions
Cross-seeding of Protegin-1 and Amyloid Beta to inhibit Amyloid Beta aggregation
Get PDFAmyloid beta (Aβ) is considered a major component in the progression of degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s disease. In an attempt to cure Alzheimer’s before it has presented, this project proposes a study on the effects of protegrin-1 (PG-1) on the aggregation of Aβ. By cross-seeding to form a PG-1- Aβ heterocomplex, it is believed that aggregation of Aβ on the human brain can be inhibited, thus helping to stop the neurodegeneration caused by Alzheimer’s disease. To complete this project, an initial literature review of previous work done by the graduate student leading the project will be completed. After this, experiments will be conducted on PG-1-Aβ heterocomplexes. These experiments will include a variety of spectroscopy and microscopy, showing the extent of which they have cross-seeded. By performing these tests, it is possible to view the structure of the heterocomplex as well as if Aβ aggregation was inhibited as desired. The final step of the project will be testing on bacterial and cell assays. While lab experiments are useful, it is best to analyze how different structures perform in a biological environment. By using bacterial and cell assays, the effect of PG-1-Aβ heterocomplexes on the biological aggregation of Aβ can be analyzed
Induced Drag Laboratory Curriculum with Variable Aspect Ratio Wing
Get PDFA laboratory curriculum for undergraduate students at The University of Akron enrolled in 4600:413 Introduction to Aerodynamics was created to allow students a hands-on opportunity to study the basic fundamentals of aerodynamically induced drag. To accomplish this, a 3D printed wing was created with variable aspect ratio. This wing is to be utilized in the laboratory experiment in The University of Akron subsonic wind tunnel to generate data on lift on drag at different airspeeds, angles of attack, and aspect ratios. The laboratory curriculum provides basic theory applicable to the wind tunnel experiments as well as question prompts and data analysis to help students understand the impact of aerodynamic principles such as airspeed, angle of attack, and aspect ratio. Finally, students are also given the chance to design their own winglet to attach to the wing so that they may observe how their design will change aerodynamic lift and drag
Amphisbaenian Head Movement and Burrowing Forces in Damp Granular Media
Get PDFDamp granular media is a difficult environment to study because it is both practically complex and it lacks equations which fully describe its behavior. In this study, an oscillatory lateral head movement and its effects while penetrating damp granular media were tested using a robophysical model. This experimental research was inspired by the burrowing behavior of the clade Amphisbaenia, a group of usually limbless squamates that employ a variety of different burrowing behaviors, but it can apply to a wide range of burrowers. This research could help with both human burrowing technologies and the further investigation of animal behaviors
Utilizing Computer-Aided Molecular Design with Azido-Ester Plasticizers
Get PDFThe goal of this project was to utilize Computer-Aided Molecular Design (CAMD) using the Signature molecular descriptor to inversely design optimized azido-ester plasticizers. Azido-ester plasticizers are used to modify the mechanical properties of propellant and explosive formulations. With the assistance of quantitative structure-property relationships, QSPRs, and two types of constraint equations, these new, novel plasticizers have the potential to possess optimal physical and chemical properties. Properties investigated in this work were decomposition temperature, heat of formation, glass transition temperature, and molecular weight. These properties were chosen for their importance when formulating propellants or explosives. After the filters were applied to the initial 2.5 million designed molecular Signatures, 512 potential solutions satisfied the specified QSPR ranges. Of the 512 potential solutions, 12 created structures that were feasible where one structure from each molecular Signature was evaluated, though many isomers can exist per structure. To prove their novelty, the Tanimoto Coefficient for each structure was analyzed with respect to the training set. Overall, this work demonstrates how CAMD was successful in the designing of new, novel azido-ester plasticizers. However, synthetization and experimentation to validate the predicted property values should be taken as next steps for this research
Comparison of Bone Robustness Between Fore- and Hindlimb in Neonatal and Infant Galago
Get PDFAccording to Wolff’s law, bone is constantly subject to change based on loading patterns (Ruff et al., 2006). Those subjected to greater stress become more robust by increasing bone mineral density and often changing geometric properties. Previous studies of primate anatomy have found significant differences in bone robustness between the fore- and hindlimbs in adult leaping primates. Because leaping primates, such as Galago senegalensis and Galago moholi, subject their hindlimbs to much greater stress, this difference in robustness may come as a result of bone functional adaptation/Wolff’s law. This study sought to investigate this possibility by testing neonatal and infant primates which would not mature enough to subject their bones to any significant loading stress. Seven infant and five neonatal G. senegalensis and G. moholi had their bones extracted, and then subjected to micro CT scans and three-point bending testing. Our data shows that the hindlimbs of Galagos display more robust geometric properties when compared to their forelimbs, however, it did not find any difference in either the material properties or whole bone properties. These findings demonstrate that some of the observed differences in robustness are present from birth and may be attributed to genetic or epigenetic factors
Community Policing: The Challenges of Implementation in The United States
Get PDFCommunity-oriented policing (COP) is a policing philosophy that emphasizes the partnership and positive relationship between the police and the community. This paper discusses the importance of COP and its implementation in police departments. Decentralization and community engagement are key components of COP, which can be challenging to implement due to various barriers. Some of the challenges include resistance to change from law enforcement agencies, lack of resources, and a lack of community trust in the police. Additionally, there can be a disconnect between the goals of COP and the traditional law enforcement model, which can make it difficult for some officers to adapt. Despite these challenges, however, COP has been shown to be effective in improving public safety and reducing crime rates. Therefore, it is important to continue to work towards implementing COP successfully. This paper concludes by offering recommendations for how law enforcement agencies can overcome these challenges to implement COP successfully
Investigating the Influences of Summer Experiences on Students\u27 Self-Efficacy in STEM
Get PDFImproving high school students’ interest and confidence in STEM is a national priority. Educators and stakeholders in educational policy have pressed for increasing opportunities to engage students in authentic science experiences and focus on teaching 21st century skills. The purpose of this case study was to investigate how a summer research experience may have influenced high school students’ self-efficacy and career interests in STEM subjects and practices as well as identifying what students learned from their experience in the program. Pre/post program surveys were analyzed to measure change in student attitudes towards STEM and to capture students learning outcomes from the program. Even with a small group of students in the program, analysis of Likert scale survey items and open-ended responses provided practical insights in two ways: 1) Participation in a STEM summer enrichment program influenced student attitude toward STEM, and 2) Students learned about essential 21st century skills and were provided with opportunities for authentic science experiences. This study adds support that summer enrichment programs that emphasize teaching of 21st century skills and offering authentic science experiences can provide positive learning outcomes and increase student attitudes towards STEM areas