Independence Community College is a public community college in Independence, Kansas, United States. It was formerly known as Independence Community Junior College.
Today, an important part of paved surfaces in the world uses asphalt mixtures. This practice increases the use of aggregates and fossil fuels, the availability of which is limited. Most of the studies referring to asphalt mixtures reported and compared the mechanical performances without detailing the environmental impacts of the different technologies proposed. The objective of this study was to present and compare through a life cycle assessment using a “cradle-to-gate” approach of different types of asphalt mixtures designed for the same performance, hot mix asphalt (HMA) as a control sample, and warm mix asphalt (WMA) using natural zeolite, Evotherm® and reclaimed asphalt material (RAP) in different proportions. The analysis was performed using SimaPro 9 software, using the ReCiPe method version 1.11. For the comparison of the environmental impacts, 1 ton of asphalt mixture was used as a functional unit. The most relevant results show that the use of natural zeolite or Evotherm® helps to reduce environmental impacts. In the global warming impact category, the decrease between the standard HMA and a mix with RAP and natural zeolite was 8%, while in the fossil fuel depletion, the decrease was 13%.
As the human race ventures further into space and plans missions to explore the Moon and the expanse that lies ahead, addressing health challenges that may hinder exploration becomes an imperative task. However, limited research exists on the molecular mechanisms within skeletal muscle cells in response to long-term radiation-induced oxidative stress. Upon analyzing GLDS-426 from the GeneLab Repository, upregulation of the DNA damage response gene HDAC4 in space radiation conditions with 1G was observed, where radiation-induced oxidative stress increased DNA damage. DNA damage response gene MORC2a was found to be downregulated in space radiation conditions in 1G with a culture treatment of nanoceria, an antioxidant that alleviates the effects of oxidative stress and causes less DNA damage. Literature review further indicated that MORC2a recruits HDAC4 at the promoter to prevent the transcription of p21. Upregulation of p21 has been linked to cell senescence and muscle atrophy on Earth, but no research has studied its changes in radiation conditions. To address the knowledge gap regarding the HDAC4/MORC2a pathway impact on p21 expression in radiation, our experiment aims to silence HDAC4 and MORC2a in the Mus musculus C2C12 cell culture line. These cultures will be exposed to radiation to assess the effects on cellular senescence (Aim 1). Additionally, we will silence p21 and subject the cell cultures to radiation to measure muscle cell proliferation (Aim 2). Muscle atrophy in future long-term space missions can contribute to the risk of degenerative diseases and hinder the completion of tasks in space. Furthermore, exploring the impact of these genes on muscle atrophy may provide therapeutic insights for individuals experiencing skeletal muscle degeneration and elderly individuals affected by sarcopenia.
This paper studies the bicultural experiences of second generation, Asian American high schoolers, specifically regarding heritage language. As this population is constantly in different environments where they have to adhere to different cultural contexts, many disconnects have continuously arised due to cultural gaps or clashes. Among these cultural disconnects is language disparities between that of the host and heritage country. Thus, the objective of this paper was to examine the relationship between fluency of heritage language and this demographic’s bicultural identity through a mixed-method survey. After conducting correlational and thematic analysis of the results, it was found that while significant commonalities are present in perspectives toward heritage language, there were unique intricacies within each data set that were molded by participants’ personal experiences and situations. Thus, from the data collected, heritage language fluency does play a part in shaping bicultural identity, but there is a lack of direct correlation. Asian American youth’s bicultural experiences and other fundamental aspects like assimilation pressures and surrounding communities work in conjunction with language to impact the bicultural experience. Therefore, considering the diverse sources of assimilation pressures, a cross-context collaboration is needed, where heritage language learning is supported and valued.
This study aimed to understand the relationship between the following variables: the use of peer recovery specialists (PRS) for a broad range of treatment interventions (not just for substance abuse) and mental health workers’ job satisfaction in TDOC facilities. The design uses a mixed-methods questionnaire consisting of a job satisfaction survey, modeled after a parent study, and open-ended questions about mental health workers’ position on PRS. Mean values for valuation and satisfaction were compared to get a result from quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used for the qualitative outputs. Their relationship was interpreted as convoluted; PRS was found to increase satisfaction in some dimensions while decreasing satisfaction in others.
Monkeypox (mpox) is a viral infection known for its pimple-like skin rashes found across the body. Since the 2022 outbreak, monkeypox has been mistaken for similar conditions, such as herpes zoster (shingles). In the past, deep learning, a form of machine learning in which software models learn to form conclusions using artificial neural networks (ANNs) similar to that of the human brain, have been utilized to identify various dermatological conditions. Utilizing the engineering method, the following research question was inquired: How can deep learning be applied to a mobile application to distinguish monkeypox viral lesions from herpes zoster viral lesions? ResNet50 and MobileNetV3, two deep-learning models, were trained utilizing transfer learning for the task of differentiating between monkeypox and shingles. ResNet50 and MobileNetV3 were then tested utilizing a separate testing set of images. Both models achieved an accuracy of 93.10 percent, with ResNet50 achieving a loss of 17.03 percent and MobileNetV3 achieving a loss of 29.30 percent. It was concluded that ResNet50 may be more precise due to its lower loss percentage, indicating fewer instances of errors. An end-user prototype of a mobile application was created to simulate these deep-learning models. These findings suggest that deep learning is an efficient and precise solution to prevent the misdiagnosis of monkeypox, potentially hindering the rising cases of this virus while aiding in proactive measures to identify and treat monkeypox victims.
