Grins and Giggles: The Launch Pad to High Performance

Long ago I observed that people get more things done when they're having fun . At the time, I had no idea why. Now I think I have an answer. When children play, look at the energy that's put into it, that's shared with everyone else. This sort of energy brings people together, unleashes their creativity and indeed inspires them to do amazing things

Laminar boundary layer instabilities along slender blunt cones at Mach 8

To provide insight into the effects of nosetip bluntness on the stability characteristics of hypersonic flow over slender cones, the author analyzed the data from Stetson, Thompson, Donaldson and Siler\u27s 1986 stability investigation. This was Stetson, et al.\u27s second investigation of a 0.70-inch nosetip radius sphere-cone. Stability data, collected in the entropy layer by Stetson, et al. using hot-wire anemometers, were reduced into mass-flux and total temperature components using modal analysis and fluctuation-diagram techniques. Amplitude and amplification rates were calculated for each component, and the entropy layer is examined for instabilities. The stability characteristics of the entropy layer are summarized in an entropy layer stability diagram. Disturbances are observed in the entropy layer along the cone frustrum which grow in amplitude as they progress down the model. This growth is likely the result of instabilities seen in the entropy layer. Previous data indicate the entropy layer disturbances enter the boundary layer and grow rapidly. For large-bluntness sphere-cones the flow undergoes transition shortly after these large-amplitude disturbances enter the boundary layer. However, the boundary layer remains stable on small-bluntness sphere-cones after swallowing the entropy layer

Alcoholism : medicalization by the masses in post-prohibition America

The medicalization of America is typically presented as a top-down, doctor-driven phenomenon. I argue that in the case of alcoholism, this model leaves out the community-level social activism of individuals who were identifying themselves as members of Alcoholics Anonymous. Any description of the popularization of the disease concept of alcoholism that does not take into account the efforts of these individuals is missing a key element. My thesis attempts to incorporate these individuals into the historical narrative. If we are to focus on the efforts of Alcoholics Anonymous in framing alcoholism as a disease, the 1930s represent a crucial turning point. In 1933, Prohibition was brought to an end. In 1935, the cofounders of A.A., William Wilson and Robert Smith, met for the first time and began working with other alcoholics. In 1939, the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous was published. This series of events is critical to understanding the medicalization of alcohol consumption, and what made alcoholism such a path breaking disease. The period between 1933-1939 represented the turning point when patients finally took the initiative to reintegrate themselves into mainstream society by defining inebriety as a disease. However, this ostensibly medical model continued to rely upon religious underpinnings. This tension is the focus of my study

Identifying and Managing Keratoacanthoma

Keratoacanthomas (KAs) are a cutaneous condition of skin and mucous membrane neoplasms occurring on sun-exposed areas of light-skinned people. The fact that these tumors can be either benign or malignant fosters controversies about KAs to this day. Histopathology resembles squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) but unlike SCC, KAs will usually self-resolve. Keratoacanthomas can be isolated lesions or multiple-lesion syndromes. Depending upon the patient and the lesion(s), the patient can be treated in a variety of ways to reduce cosmetic and/or physical deformity. This paper presents the pathology of KAs, its clinical forms, and management of these lesions

Risk and Protective Factors: Suicide in the Military

Suicide rates in the military are on the decline, yet on the rise in the National Guard and Reserve components. Training programs to educate and raise awareness about suicide have been implemented in all branches of the military. There is a lot of research about suicide risk and protective factors in the general population and Active Duty military population, but there is not research that identifies service members’ perceptions on what those risk and protective factors may be. Nor is there research that explores the perceptions of stigma in the military regarding suicide. Knowing how service members perceive suicide risk and protective factors and stigma in the military may give some insight into how well the training programs are working. This study compared the perception of suicide risk and protective factors of new members to the service and veterans. The research showed that the two groups have similar perceptions regarding risk and protective factors, yet have fairly differing perceptions about stigma in the military. The veteran sample believes that service members are uncomfortable reporting mental health concerns to the military; the veterans also believe that the military discriminates against service members with mental health issues. The new service member sample believes that it is safe to ask for help regarding suicide in the military; they also believe that the military wants to help those with mental health issues. The research also shows that unit cohesion and family support are strong protective factors for suicide. Based on the findings I recommend improving family involvement in the military. I also recommend creating more unity within Guard and Reserve units. The research also shows there is a lack of resources for Guard and Reserve members; I recommend further research studies identify where the greatest needs for resources are

Risk and Protective Factors: Suicide in the Military

Suicide rates in the military are on the decline, yet on the rise in the National Guard and Reserve components. Training programs to educate and raise awareness about suicide have been implemented in all branches of the military. There is a lot of research about suicide risk and protective factors in the general population and Active Duty military population, but there is not research that identifies service members’ perceptions on what those risk and protective factors may be. Nor is there research that explores the perceptions of stigma in the military regarding suicide. Knowing how service members perceive suicide risk and protective factors and stigma in the military may give some insight into how well the training programs are working. This study compared the perception of suicide risk and protective factors of new members to the service and veterans. The research showed that the two groups have similar perceptions regarding risk and protective factors, yet have fairly differing perceptions about stigma in the military. The veteran sample believes that service members are uncomfortable reporting mental health concerns to the military; the veterans also believe that the military discriminates against service members with mental health issues. The new service member sample believes that it is safe to ask for help regarding suicide in the military; they also believe that the military wants to help those with mental health issues. The research also shows that unit cohesion and family support are strong protective factors for suicide. Based on the findings I recommend improving family involvement in the military. I also recommend creating more unity within Guard and Reserve units. The research also shows there is a lack of resources for Guard and Reserve members; I recommend further research studies identify where the greatest needs for resources are

The Nexus between Causal Macroeconomic Relations in Japan

Japan achieved phenomenal economic growth after WWII. Starting in the early 1990s, however, the Japanese economy began experiencing a prolonged deflation-stagnation period widely known as the “Lost Decades”. Based on data from the World Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis, this paper employs an autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) model to find evidence of a long run relation among the real GDP, real imports, the real exchange rate, and the public debt-to-GDP ratio for Japan. Once cointegration is established with the Bounds Test, Granger Causality tests are performed by employing an estimated Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model with the same variables. The empirical results support Granger causality in all directions. In particular, we found real imports and public debt-to-GDP ratio to directly cause real GDP. Interestingly, the real exchange rate causes real GDP indirectly via imports. The public debt had a negative effect on GDP but did not wreak havoc on the Japanese economy. The study also examines whether former Prime Minister Shinzō Abe’s unprecedented macroeconomic policies and structural reforms launched in 2013, known as Abenomics, are pulling Japan out of its economic doldrums

Minneapolis Housing Cost Trends

Minneapolis has seen a change in the housing market over the past few years. From 2001 to 2004 there was a steady increase in residential sales. 2005 marked the beginnings of a decline in sales that would continue through 2006. There was an 11% drop in housing sales from 2005, with 7,422 units sold, to 2006, with 6,616 units sold.1 These housing units include single-family homes and townhomes. While the residential sales have been decreasing, the median home price keeps rising. This leads to the purpose of this research. This is an analysis of the Minneapolis housing market of single-family homes in each individual neighborhood. The data on housing sales in each neighborhood is analyzed with the demographics of that neighborhood according to census data. Minneapolis housing trends will be examined followed by the methodology of the research and the results. An analysis of the research with implications and alternatives will be discussed. Finally, a deeper look in to how the Minneapolis housing market has affected the Jordan neighborhood.Conducted on behalf of the City of Lakes Community Land Trust. Supported by Neighborhood Planning for Community Revitalization (NPCR), a program of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA), University of Minnesota.Patnode, Katherine. (2008). Minneapolis Housing Cost Trends. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/203836