Spectroscopy on photografted polyethylene surfaces using a perfluorophenyl azide : evidence for covalent attachment

KTI Projekt: Kommission für Technologie und Innovation, Grant/Award Number: 17132.1 PFNM‐NMThe present study was conducted in order to confirm C-H insertion of a perfluorophenyl nitrene, produced by UV‐irradiation of a perfluorophenyl azide, to polyethylene surfaces. It was shown previously that water‐repelling, oil‐repelling, and dirt‐repelling polyethylene surfaces can be created by “grafting to” of perfluoroalkanes using a photoreactive surface modifier based on azide/nitrene chemistry. The abrasion resistance of the new surfaces was enhanced compared with a coating using a simple, long‐chain perfluoroalkane. However, covalent binding of the surface modifier was not unequivocally demonstrated. Here, spectroscopic information is presented suggesting that, indeed, a monomolecular, covalently bound grafted layer is formed from the photodecomposition of a perfluorophenyl azide on polyethylene surfaces. Infrared spectroscopy showed that the peak from the azide moiety disappeared upon UV‐irradiation, and the light dose for completion of the photo decomposition was determined to be approximately 322 mJ/cm2. A model compound mimicking the grafted nitrene species was synthesized, having a λmax of 281 nm in hexane. The photografted and washed layer had a λmax of 286 nm, indicating a good conformity with the model compound. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the nitrogen species from the photografted layer showed a peak at 400.0 eV. The model compound had a N 1s binding energy of 399.7 eV, thus being comparable

Cosmic Consciousness – The Journey through Body, Mind, & Spirit

Cosmic Consciousness is an audio-visual performance exploring the philosophical subject of mortality and whether our consciousness survives bodily death. The artist’s interpretation of this paradigm is on its way to the unfolding of the spirit and the self- revelation of divinity in all things. The intention of this project is to provide the audience with a multisensory experience that will resonate on a more expansive level. The performance consists of 3 songs with the inclusion of granular vocal processing as the protagonist giving depth to the abstract visual narrative. Cosmic Consciousness combines ethereal soundscapes through pads and synthesizers combined with electronic and polyrhythmic percussion. The artist hopes her work will inspire and motivate others to actuate their freedom of expression. One of the biggest challenges during this process was pushing limited knowledge on video editing and animation with a short timeline and budget constraints while still representing each visual aspect accurately.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-production-technology/1208/thumbnail.jp

How the Lack of Shift Breaks Effects Nurses and Their Patients

Nurses work 12 hour shifts in the hospital. Nurses should have 1 unpaid 30 minute meal break and 2 paid 15 minute breaks. On some days, on the unit I have my practicum in Hospital A, nurses are able to have their 15 minute breaks. Other days they may not get a chance for one or both breaks. Most of the time the nurses eat their lunches in a hurry at the nurse’s station. I researched the causes and effects related to the lack of nurses taking breaks on shift. With the research I planned to find a better way for nurses to get their proper breaks needed for longevity and safety.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/celebration_posters_2025/1059/thumbnail.jp

Epidermal sensors for monitoring skin physiology

Wearable sensors are revolutionizing personalised healthcare and have continuously progressed over the years in both research and commercialization. However, most efforts on wearable sensors have been focused on tracking movement, spatial position and continuous monitoring of vital signs such as heart rate or respiration rate. Recently, there is a demand to obtain biochemical information from the body using wearables. This demand stems from an individuals’ desire for improved personal health awareness as well as the drive for doctors to continuously obtain medical information for a patients’ disease management. Epidermal sensors are a sub-class of wearable sensors that can intimately integrate with skin and have the potential for monitoring physical changes as well as detecting biomarkers within skin that can be related to human health. The holy grail for these types of sensors is to achieve continuous real-time monitoring of the state of an individual and the development of these sensors are paving the way towards personalised healthcare. However, skin is highly anisotropic which makes it challenging to keep epidermal sensors in consistent contact with skin. It is important that these sensors remain in contact with skin in order to measure its electrical properties and acquire high fidelity signals. The key objective of this thesis is to develop thin conformable, stretchable epidermal sensors for tracking changes in skin physiology. The initial iteration of the screen printed epidermal sensor comprised of a flexible silver film. Impedance spectroscopy was used to understand the electrical signals generated on skin and it was used to measure relative changes due to varying water content. However, this iteration was more suited for single use. The next chapters explore different ink formulations and adherence methodologies to enhance the epidermal sensors adherence to skin. Impedance spectroscopy was used to characterise the electrical signals from these different epidermal sensor iterations, while tensile testing and on-body assessment was used to characterise its mechanical properties. The final chapter focused on investigating the use of phenyl boronic acid (PBA) functionalized hydrogels to modify the epidermal sensor with responsive hydrogel materials to enable chemical sensing of analytes relevant to skin physiology. Impedance spectroscopy was used to characterise and understand the electrical signals generated by the binding interaction of the PBA and analytes using the sensor. Overall, the work demonstrates the challenges of developing these epidermal sensors as well as presenting their potential for continuous monitoring of human skin in the future

Spaces of Empowerment: A Study on University Multicultural Spaces & Civil Rights

Following the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, American universities dedicated offices and centers to multiculturalism. This project questions how identity-centered spaces for empowerment operate in relation to efforts for institutional integration. This study proposes the term space(s) of empowerment to describe identity-based areas at universities [and other institutions] that encourage gathering of historically marginalized communities, their allies, and institutional supervisory support. The concept draws on architectural literature regarding political and economic power dynamics of space. Beginning with the University of San Diego’s United Front Multicultural Commons (UFMC), study includes reproductions of floor plans and memories. Analysis draws from Michel de Certeau’s Practice of Everyday Life, defining the UFMC as a practiced space asserting resilience and functioning as sanctuary for micro-groups. Broader investigation revealed more than 600 similar spaces whose timeline appears in reaction to the Civil Rights Movement. Vocabulary affiliated with these spaces shifted – from “multicultural” to “intercultural” to “united” – aligning with the progression of theory, notably Kimberlé Crenshaw’s coining of the term “intersectionality” at the turn of the 1990s. The study concludes in a moment of crisis, accelerated by the current administration, where policies systematically target spaces of empowerment and related DEI initiatives challenging, transforming, or closing of these spaces

Women Prepare More Than Men In Competitive And Non-Competitive Environments, Which Aligns With Gender Stereotypes

Gender gaps in economic outcomes persist, despite women\u27s gains in education. Various explanations have been proposed for these persistent gaps, including gender differences in competitiveness. In both lab and field studies, women tend to compete less than men, despite performing just as well. Across three studies in Chapter 1 involving over 3000 participants recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk, we experimentally test whether variations of preparation (i.e., knowledge of an opportunity to prepare, limited opportunity to prepare, and unlimited opportunity to prepare) before performance reduce gender differences in willingness to compete. We also measure participants\u27 choice to prepare and elicit their beliefs about whether men or women will prepare more. First, we show that the preparation intervention does not increase women\u27s competitiveness across studies. Instead, we discover a novel gender difference in the choice to prepare before performance regardless of one\u27s competitiveness, risk aversion, and confidence. This finding aligns with participants\u27 incentivized beliefs - the majority of participants correctly predicted that women would practice more than men. Given this novel finding, Chapter 2 experimentally tests whether the gender difference in preparation may be exacerbated in competitive environments relative to non-competitive environments (N = 3980). Although we replicate the gender difference in preparation, we find no evidence that competitions increase preparation in men or women. This means that women prepare more than men regardless of whether they were assigned to compete. Again, this aligns with participants\u27 incentivized beliefs about gender differences in preparation. This dissertation discusses the downstream and potentially negative consequences of interventions designed to get women to compete, such as the one introduced here. It also discusses both the causes and implications of this newly discovered gender difference in preparation. Future research should explore the boundary conditions, moderators, and mediators of the newly discovered gender difference in preparation. Finally, rather than designing interventions that encourage women to compete more, we implore future research to focus on exploring interventions that change the system to be more gender-inclusive

Mass Incarceration and Its Devastating Effects

This research paper utilizes various sources from Canadian studies and firsthand accounts to identify the issues within penitentiaries and the Canadian criminal justice system. There are numerous pressing issues related to the handling, punishment, and sentencing of crime, many of which stem from racial injustice and underlying societal problems. Inmates endure harsh prison conditions and face barriers when trying to maintain connections with their families and friends. The mental well-being of prisoners is often overlooked, creating an unjust and unfavourable environment for Canadian citizens. The legal system requires reform and improvement to support individuals and promote rehabilitation effectively. Addressing these problems requires focusing on systemic injustices disproportionately affecting minorities and impoverished individuals. Studies have demonstrated that visitation and human contact contribute to law-abiding behaviour in criminals. Therefore, to enhance our criminal justice system, we must address the root causes of crime

Gestión De Inventarios E Información Financiera Del Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza, Lima - 2016

La investigación desarrollada tuvo como principal objetivo determinar la relación entre la Gestión de Inventarios e Información Financiera del Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza- Lima - 2016. El estudio fue Correlacional, de diseño no experimental. Con una muestra de 50 trabajadores que laboran en las áreas de Contabilidad, Almacén y Adquisición de las Oficinas Administrativas del Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza, se utilizó como instrumento de recolección de datos un cuestionario diseñado por el autor, el cual consta de 42 preguntas divididas según sus dimensiones; con cinco opciones de respuesta, según la escala de Likert: (1) Nunca; (2) Casi Nunca; (3) Algunas Veces; (4) Casi Siempre y (5) Siempre. Para la confiabilidad de cada instrumento se utilizó el alfa de Crombach y se obtuvo como resultado para la variable Gestión de Inventarios 0,924; para la variable información financiera 0.878 y para ambas variables 0,939. Se concluye: existe relación debil entre las variables de estudio, con un nivel de sgificancia de0.009 que es menor que 0.05 y un coeficiente de correlación de 0.364

Opioid Administration and Safe Handling; A Quality Improvement Project

Since 1999, drug overdoses have taken the lives of over 1 million people. Of the 23.5 million Americans needing substance abuse treatment, only 11 % seek help. While attending clinics at a large, urban teaching hospital, opioids were inappropriately handled. Many nurses spend every shift administering more than 50 medications which accounts for 40% of their time on the unit.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/celebration_posters_2024/1020/thumbnail.jp

Literasi Konsekuensi Hukum Bulliying Pada Lingkungan Sekolah Di SMKN 1 Setu Kecamatan Setu Kabupaten Bekasi

Perundungan atau Bullying di lingkungan sekolah merupakan fenomena sosial yang masih sering terjadi dan berdampak serius terhadap kesehatan mental dan perkembangan peserta didik.  Kegiatan Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN) ini bertujuan memberikan penyuluhan hukum kepada siswa-siswi SMKN 1 Setu mengenai definisi, bentuk, dampak, serta konsekuensi hukum dari perilaku bullying. Metode yang digunakan adalah ceramah interaktif yang dilengkapi dengan media visual dan sesi diskusi. Materi penyuluhan mencakup regulasi hukum seperti Undang-Undang Nomor 35 Tahun 2014 tentang perubahan atas Undang-Undang Nomor 23 Tahun 2002 tentang Perlindungan Anak, UU ITE No. 1 Tahun 2024 adalah Undang-Undang Nomor 1 Tahun 2024 tentang Perubahan Kedua atas Undang-Undang Nomor 11 Tahun 2008 tentang Informasi dan Transaksi Elektronik (UU ITE), serta pasal-pasal terkait dalam KUHP. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan peningkatan pemahaman hukum peserta terhadap risiko pidana bagi pelaku bullying dan hak perlindungan bagi korban. Penyuluhan ini juga mendorong sekolah untuk memperkuat sistem pencegahan dan pelaporan bullying, serta menanamkan kesadaran hukum dan empati sosial sejak dini pada pelajar. Kegiatan ini menjadi kontribusi nyata pengabdian mahasiswa hukum dalam mewujudkan lingkungan pendidikan yang aman dan bebas kekerasan