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Durable Oxyfluoride Waste Forms for Salt Wastes from Molten Salt Reactors
No full textMolten salt reactors (MSRs) are promising technology to replace traditional light and heavy water reactors in the near future. Waste management for MSRs, however, remains a pressing concern that needs to be resolved prior to realizing deployment of MSRs. Specifically, the generated salt waste needs to be safely sequestered, a task made difficult by the high solubility of the salt waste that can cause the release of radionuclides into the environment. This work demonstrates a new approach to immobilize multiple fluoride salts into a single waste form by converting highly-soluble fluorides to durable and stable oxyfluorides. Notably, we report a method of conversion of CsF, a very problematic salt, into a pyrochlore structure CsNb2O5F. Multiphase assemblages of oxyfluoride phases are prepared in a single step synthesis. Subsequent leach testing of the as prepared oxyfluorides indicate release rates orders of magnitude lower than standard reference glasses
An Arendtian Politics of Life
No full textAs defined in The History of Sexuality (1978), Michel Foucault’s concept of biopolitics focused on a specifically modern phenomenon in which biological processes are used to regulate populations. This concept has been influential in modern analyses of the state such as that of Giorgio Agamben, who sought to both correct and complete biopolitics with his concept of homo sacer as part of his analysis of the concentration camp. This thesis brings the theory of biopolitics into conversation with Hannah Arendt’s politics of life. It seeks to determine the degree to which biopolitics — as seen in the work of Michel Foucault and Giorgio Agamben — makes sense to Arendt’s work, especially in The Human Condition, with reference to The Origins of Totalitarianism. I ultimately argue that, despite similarities to biopolitics as conceptualized by both Foucault and Agamben, Arendt’s politics of life, rooted in natality, considerably reverses Foucault’s theory of biopolitics, focusing instead on the individual rather than governmental mechanisms
The Psychology of Collegiate Basketball: A Review of the Literature
No full textThis literature review aims to further the understanding of the psychological factors that impact the performance of collegiate basketball players. Past reviews have focused on specific performance elements of basketball (e.g. free throws) or how a singular psychological factor affects sports performance; none have focused specifically on the collegiate level of play. The present review systematically collected thirty studies from the databases PsycInfo and SportDiscuss. The following psychological factors were the focus of the literature: player qualities, motivation, feedback, location of play, mood/emotional states, mental fatigue, preshot routine, momentum, sleep, self-talk, self-modeling, leadership, choking, flow, touch, and color. Performance was measured in the included studies using shooting metrics, offensive statistics, defensive statistics, win margins, and winning percentages. The research regarding motivation, location of play, momentum, sleep, self-talk, leadership, and choking produced significant data regarding collegiate basketball performance. Feedback, preshot routine, self-modeling, flow, touch, and color were not found to be correlated with basketball performance. Mixed results were found regarding player qualities, mood states, and mental fatigue. The review outlines current gaps in the literature and provides recommendations for future research
Magnetocaloric Effect in a Microporous Material Using a Rare-Earth-Free, Hybrid Perovskite
No full textMagnetic refrigeration using the magnetocaloric effect (MCE), where the temperature of a material changes as a magnetic field is applied, is a promising technology to increase the energy efficiency of commodity gas liquefaction at cryogenic temperatures. Currently, the most commonly studied materials for this application utilize rare-earth elements in nonporous forms. The continued development of magnetocaloric materials could benefit from (1) the discovery of materials with high surface areas capable of condensing substantial quantities of gas using minimal energy inputs and (2) the use of cheap and abundant precursors instead of utilizing rare-earth metals. We show here that microporous copper-halide perovskites, which form a layered structure with accessible crystalline voids between copper-halide sheets, demonstrate large entropy changes upon applying a magnetic field at temperatures relevant for H2 condensation. This is the first demonstration of the magnetocaloric effect for a transition-metal-based porous material. Furthermore, tuning the halide composition gives fundamental insight into how to control both the ferromagnetic transition temperature and the magnetic entropy change within this class of materials
And Then There Were Two: Navigating Library Services Through Institutional Change
No full textBased on an SCLA conference presentation, this article reflects on one small academic library’s journey through university-wide rightsizing and the impact it had on library services. The loss of positions necessitated across-the-board changes in the division of responsibilities and library operations. In the current climate of higher education in the United States, library staff at other institutions should prepare now for possible staffing challenges in the future. Practical takeaways learned through navigating institutional change are discussed, along with an action plan for library administrators and leaders
An Analysis of Potential Factors Influencing College Sport Communicators Feels of Being Overworked and Underappreciated
No full textCSCs play pivotal roles, balancing the preservation of student-athlete narratives with the real-time demands of media-driven communication. However, a persistent challenge has emerged: many CSCs experience a pronounced sense of being overworked and undervalued. This study aims to explore predictors contributing to CSCs\u27 feelings of being overworked and underappreciated, investigating factors like years of experience, career motivations, reasons for institutional selection, and tenure plans to understand their impact on CSCs\u27 perceptions before employment. Researchers sent a survey instrument that included Likert scale, closed-ended items related to feelings over being overworked and underappreciated to CSCs. The primary analysis involved an independent samples t-test, additionally, a one-way analysis of variance was conducted to assess years of experience reported by participants and related responses to being overworked and under-appreciated. In terms of the impact of tenure plan on CSC feelings of being overworked and underappreciated, the relationship with coaches and athletes appeared paramount across tenure intention groups. Further, CSCs tended to value coaches and athletes understanding their job as well. However, in terms of reason for entering the industry or taking a specific role, there appeared to be limited patterns within the data
High Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus Among Patients with Fabry Disease in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study
No full textObjectives This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with Fabry disease using a nationwide population-based dataset. We hypothesised that patients with Fabry disease would have a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus compared with the general population. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting Taiwan. Participants We identified a study sample from Taiwan\u27s LHID2010 Database. There were 9408 sampled patients in this study, 2352 study patients with Fabry disease and 7056 propensity-score-matched comparison patients. Primary outcome measures Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between diabetes mellitus and Fabry disease after taking the variables of age, sex, geographic location, monthly income category, urbanisation level of the patient\u27s residence, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension into consideration. Results The results revealed significantly higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus among patients with Fabry disease than among comparison patients (35.8% vs 29.6%, p\u3c 0.001). The difference was observed, irrespective of gender, males 37.0% vs 30.6%, (p\u3c 0.001) and female patients, 34.8% vs 28.7% (p\u3c 0.001). The adjusted OR of diabetes mellitus for patients with Fabry disease was 1.424 (95% CI=1.276∼1.591) when compared with comparison patients. Classified by sex, the adjusted ORs for diabetes were 1.428 (95% CI=1.213∼1.682) for males and 1.424 (95% CI=1.226∼1.655) for females. Additionally, among patients aged \u3c 65 years, the adjusted OR was 1.489 (95% CI=1.277∼1.737), and among patients aged 65 or older, the adjusted OR was 1.361 (95% CI=1.161∼1.596). Conclusions Our findings suggest the importance of screening for diabetes mellitus in patients with Fabry disease. Physicians should be conscious of this association and be prepared to manage both conditions concurrently
Health Gatekeepers : The Influence of Women on Health Practices in Rural, Central Appalachia
No full textWomen have historically assumed leadership roles in familial and community health promotion, intervention, and facilitation. While the role of women in family health is globally understood and the historical importance of female leadership has been documented, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the role of women as “health gatekeepers”. Furthermore, when considering the Appalachian region, there are limited studies regarding women’s place in leadership as far as health is concerned. Therefore, this study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological framework to explore the lived experiences of women in relation to their family and community’s health in rural, Central Appalachia- a region that experiences intense health concerns and economic distress. Interviews were conducted with women throughout this region and then thematically coded to establish common themes defining the way in which women from this region engage with their communities and families in relation to health. Findings indicated that women serve as “health gatekeepers” for their families and communities, and that this cultural characteristic has impact on health practices in Central Appalachia. Women in this region are also sensitive to their communities’ health issues and believe that a positive, family-centric approach to healthcare is the most impactful for their counties. These findings will be critical for future public policies and public health interventions implemented in this region
A Closer Examination of the “Rural Mortality Penalty”: Variability by Race, Region, and Measurement
No full textBackground: Racial health disparities are well documented and pervasive across the United States. Evidence suggests there is a “rural mortality penalty” whereby rural residents experience poorer health outcomes than their urban counterparts. However, whether this penalty is uniform across demographic groups and U.S. regions is unknown. Objective: To assess how rural–urban differences in mortality differ by race (Black vs. White), U.S. region, poverty status, and how rural–urban status is measured. Methods: Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs)/100,000 by U.S. county (2015–2019) were obtained by race (Black/White) from the CDC Wonder National Vital Statistics System (2015–2019) and were merged with county-level social determinants from the US Census Bureau and County Health Rankings. Multivariable generalized linear models assessed the associations between rurality (index of relative rurality [IRR] decile, rural–urban continuum codes, and population density) and race-specific ASMR, overall, and by Census region and poverty level. Results: Overall, average ASMR was significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas for both Black (rural ASMR = 949.1 per 100,000 vs. urban ASMR = 857.7 per 100,000) and White (rural ASMR = 903.0 per 100,000 vs. urban ASMR = 791.6 per 100,000) populations. The Black-White difference was substantially higher (p \u3c 0.001) in urban than in rural counties (65.1 per 100,000 vs. 46.1 per 100,000). Black–White differences and patterns in ASMR varied notably by poverty status and U.S. region. Conclusion: Policies and interventions designed to reduce racial health disparities should consider and address key contextual factors associated with geographic location, including rural–urban status and socioeconomic status
Cardiovascular Health in the Transition from Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association
No full textCardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in the United States, with an alarming rise in the proportion of young adults experiencing cardiovascular events. Many adolescents enter adulthood with significant cardiovascular disease risk factors. This scientific statement addresses the critical need for cardiovascular health promotion during emerging adulthood, a transitional stage between the ages of 18 and 25 or 29 years of age. We discuss the significance of social determinants of health and the interplay between individual-level risk factors and developmental changes, including shifts in substance use, social connections, and emotional well-being. We conclude by outlining strategies for optimizing cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention, underscoring the importance of primordial prevention, early intervention, and tailored approaches to address the unique needs of emerging adults. Addressing these multifaceted factors is crucial for mitigating the burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors among emerging adults and promoting long-term cardiovascular well-being