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Electric Response of a Composite of Topological Insulator Nanoparticles
No full textThe electric response of a composite of topological insulator (TI) nanoparticles is studied using approximate effective medium models focusing on the topological magneto-electric (TME) response of the system. Both the Maxwell-Garnett and the Bruggeman models are generalized to incorporate the axion coupling parameter. Such a response is studied in the electrostatic limit via a capacitor with the composite as the dielectric medium. Manifestation of the TME is highlighted to provide an alternative probing method of such an effect via electrostatics experiments
Speech & Language Services: Examining the Experiences of Deaf / Hard of Hearing People
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) adults and parents of Deaf/HoH children related to speech and language services, and their recommendations for service providers. Historically, professionals have focused on the development of speech and aural/oral skills of Deaf and HoH people. As such, when working with families of newly-identified children with hearing loss, hearing professionals may be ill-equipped to provide culturally-responsive, fully inclusive information and education regarding communication options and opportunities.
Method: This study used a qualitative research design to examine participant experiences related to speech and language services and future recommendations for professionals. Fifteen participants (n=15) completed the open-ended nine-question survey. Data was then analyzed with thematic analysis using an inductive approach at the semantic level.
Results: Six themes were identified and the participants provided several recommendations to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) for their future work with Deaf/HoH people. Although most participants reported that speech-language services were not the right fit for them, they reported that such services could be valuable for other people based on skill profile and/or hearing or speech status. Participants also reported the value of trust within the clinician-client relationship
Conclusion: Historically, professionals have not informed parents of all intervention and language options when children are first identified with hearing loss. Ensuring that families receive access to inclusive, culturally-responsive education and information for all communication options is necessary
FPDR and Portland: A Concerned Accountant\u27s Perspective
Get PDFEstablished in 1942, the Fire and Police Disability and Retirement (FPDR) fund was intended to attract young men to serve as firefighters and police officers in the city of Portland. FPDR provides defined benefit retirement payments to some 2000 retirees from Portland Fire and Rescue and the Portland Police Bureau. Portlanders are obligated to pay these benefits through a property tax levy determined by the proprietors of the Fund itself. The overall liability owed to these retirees, and current employees, accounts for more than half of all liabilities owed by the city of Portland, representing a fiscal burden that calls for extensive reforms. This project examines the history of the fund, its modern status, and offers recommendations for its reform through an analysis of financial statements and review of relevant literature
How Reuse Rooms Can Reduce Waste On University and College Campuses
Get PDFThis undergraduate honors thesis discusses the importance of how reuse rooms on university and college campuses can reduce waste by providing an alternative method of disposal other than landfills. There is currently no definition in use that exists for the term reuse room. This thesis defines a reuse room as a community room where anyone with access can donate and take free items that can be reused, recycled, repurposed, repaired and reworn. The goal of a reuse room is to encourage waste reduction, promote and destigmatize the use of second-hand materials, and save money and items from going to landfills. Reuse room managers from universities and colleges in the state of Oregon, including Pacific University, University of Oregon, Reed College, and Lewis & Clark College were interviewed virtually for the case study section to create a discourse community surrounding existing reuse rooms and to provide information for other institutions looking to implement reuse rooms. Data from the Portland State University (PSU) Reuse Room from six fiscal years provides an analysis of average weight and cost savings for the people who used it, and recommendations for the creation and development of reuse rooms at other universities or colleges. Reuse rooms save waste from landfills and save money for those who use them, and by implementing them, campuses can become more sustainable
Flattening Morrison\u27s \u3ci\u3eBeloved\u3c/i\u3e: The Limits of Psychoanalysis in Literary Criticism, A Literature Review
Get PDFToni Morrison\u27s Beloved was first published in 1987 and has amassed a wide range of scholarship throughout the years; with some literary scholars using psychoanalysis to suggest a reading of Beloved. Because of the volume of scholarship and Beloved\u27s plot--dealing with a mother who represses the memory of killing her daughter, Beloved--I found it to be perfect for the scope of this project. This literature review focuses on the sometimes reductive qualities of psychoanalyzing Beloved (such as the Freudian universal psychoanalytic subject, and the \u27drawbacks\u27 of object relations theory), while also discussing some revelatory qualities via the same approach. This literature review is the first step in a larger project concerned with the pervasiveness of psychoanalysis in literary criticism and media studies; and the involvement of psychoanalytic theories in the formulation of (what is called) \u27Insta-poetry\u27 and in contemporary films, such as Wolf (Biancheri, 2021) and Smile (Finn, 2022)
\u3ci\u3eThe Realm That I Am\u3c/i\u3e: An Interdisciplinary Memoir on Identity and Healing
Get PDFThis thesis is an interdisciplinary exploration into identity, self, and meaning-making. Engaging queer studies, Chicano/a Studies, narrative therapy, creative nonfiction, and visual arts, this project is both a collage and self-portrait in two parts. Part one uses the ideas of philosophers Gloria Anzaldúa, María Lugones, Jack Halberstam, and Judith Butler to explore identity formation in the author’s family and social contexts. Part two follows the experience of having C-PTSD and uses memoir and creative writing to explore the narrative therapeutic mode. Both sections explore themes of identity, social isolation, relationships, failure, mental illness, trauma, and addiction. The work is underscored by a storyline of family dysfunction
A Thorough Examination of Different ELISA Kits to Determine the Concentration of S100B Linked to Intracranial Hemorrhage
Get PDFBackground: Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and Intracranial Hemorrhages (ICH) are one of the leading causes of death. Faster diagnosis and treatment positively impact patient outcomes. Two protein markers (UCHL-1 and GFAP) were approved by the FDA as an indicator for prediction indicators of an ICH or moderate TBI.
Methods: In this project, the S100 Calcium Binding Protein B (S100B) was measured by performing an enzyme-linked immunoglobulin assay (ELISA) on the placebo arm of the Prehospital Tranexamic Acid Use for Traumatic Brain Injury clinical trial. The aim of this project is to compare glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) concentrations that were previously collected by Anderson et al. to compare the reliability of both proteins as protein markers for ICH (2020). Since this project is still in the preliminary stages, it focuses on testing the effectiveness and reliability of three different ELISA kits (LS Bio, My Bio Source, and Millipore) available on the market.
Results: Millipore, an ELISA kit that had the largest detection range (2.0 - 2000 pg./mL) was found to be the most effective kit to utilize. LS Bio and My Bio Source had the same detection range (31.25 - 2000 pg./mL), but most of the S100B concentrations were not within the detection range.
Conclusion: When utilizing kits to test out biomarkers, it is important to use reliable kits to get the most reliable and accurate data. Accurate concentrations allow for further understanding of potential biomarkers for diseases and injuries of patients
Three Chapters From a Dayless World
No full textMy thesis consists of the first three chapters of a fantasy/science fiction book I am currently in the process of writing. I have been worldbuilding for the book for several years, but this project represents my first attempts to fully enter into that world and begin constructing a story. Each chapter introduces one of the three main characters, who will remain the primary narrators throughout the rest of the book, and explores the different domains of the world they each inhabit. This thesis is both a culmination of my efforts at PSU and a beginning of the long journey of work ahead of me, and I hope it brings joy, wonder, strangeness, curiosity, laughter, and a sense of adventure to anyone who reads it
Decreased Risk of Osteoporosis Incident in Subjects Receiving Chinese Herbal Medicine for Sjögren Syndrome Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study with a Nested Case-Control Analysis
Get PDFSjögren syndrome (SS) is a long-lasting inflammatory autoimmune disease that may cause diverse manifestations, particularly osteoporosis. Though usage of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) can safely manage autoimmune disease and treatment-related symptoms, the relation between CHM use and osteoporosis risk in SS persons is not yet recognized. With that in mind, this population-level nested case-control study aimed to compare the risk of osteoporosis with and without CHM use. Potential subjects aged 20–70 years, diagnosed with SS between 2001 and 2010, were retrieved from a national health claims database. Those diagnosed with osteoporosis after SS were identified and randomly matched to those without osteoporosis. We capitalize on the conditional logistic regression to estimate osteoporosis risk following CHM use. A total of 1240 osteoporosis cases were detected and randomly matched to 1240 controls at a ratio of 1:1. Those receiving conventional care plus CHM had a substantially lower chance of osteoporosis than those without CHM. Prolonged use of CHM, especially for one year or more, markedly dwindled sequent osteoporosis risk by 71%. Integrating CHM into standard care may favor the improvement of bone function, but further well-designed randomized controlled trials to investigate the possible mechanism are needed
High-Performance Finite Elements with MFEM
Get PDFThe MFEM (Modular Finite Element Methods) library is a high-performance C++ library for finite element discretizations. MFEM supports numerous types of finite element methods and is the discretization engine powering many computational physics and engineering applications across a number of domains. This paper describes some of the recent research and development in MFEM, focusing on performance portability across leadership-class supercomputing facilities, including exascale supercomputers, as well as new capabilities and functionality, enabling a wider range of applications. Much of this work was undertaken as part of the Department of Energy’s Exascale Computing Project (ECP) in collaboration with the Center for Efficient Exascale Discretizations (CEED)