The main purpose of this research was the development of an experimental model that allows for the assessment of pressure and thereby, the forces associated with interventions related to airway management. The foundation of this research was to develop, and assess the validity and reliability, of a method of quantifying the force experienced by a patient during airway management. Following IRB approval and the development of a unique simulation model that employs transducers situated in key anatomical locations to determine forces, a multivariate profile analysis with covariate of experience using a MANCOVA approach was conducted. The statistical design consisted of 102 subjects testing the dependent measure of pressure for the following techniques: Fiberoptic intubation, the Fastrach™ LMA, the # 3 C-Mac video laryngoscope, and the Trachlight®. Independent variables analyzed were practitioner types: emergency medicine physicians, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and anesthesiologists, all tested over five locations: Chicago, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Seattle, and Boston, with a co-variable of experience. Analysis demonstrated no difference in force attributed to the location, the airway provider or their interactions. This was contrasted by the finding that 81% of the variance in pressure scores was due to differences in airway techniques. The mannequin was also able to discern a subpopulation within techniques which lends to its validity. The mannequin preformed consistently regarding reproducible findings following the setup and dismantling over time and locations. This would seem to begin to form the bases of a valid and reliable tool for this and future research.

Ph.D. thesis, Faculty of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering), University of the Witwatersrand, 1993 (2 v.)

Notre recherche intitulée « les cadres. Une population face aux mutations socioéconomiques dans un contexte postcolonial : le cas du Gabon (1970-2008) » retrace à travers les mutations sociales au Gabon et notamment par la colonisation, le «progrès » opérés sur les populations (durant des décennies de restructuration des strates sociales à la modernité intervenues dans cette partie de l’Afrique noire), l’institution scolaire et la rationalité étatique, une catégorie sociale porteuse d’une lisibilité de la société gabonaise. Cette étude tente de rendre manifeste les rapports de travail des cadres à travers les procédures de recrutement, la répartition des salaires, la mobilité sociale de cette catégorie socioprofessionnelle, leurs fonctions, les logiques de domination et de subordination d’un ordre social nouveau. Notre thèse rend compte de l’irruption de cette catégorie socioprofessionnelle dans le paysage politique et social au Gabon, de leur développement, de la manière dont les cadres se perçoivent, de la connaissance des relations qui sont à l’œuvre dans le travail, de l’influence de cette catégorie dans les rapports sociaux. Nous tentons de mettre en lumière une catégorie sociale non négligeable souvent délaissée au profit des classes ouvrières dont le positionnement et la trame qui se tissent, investissent différents champs sociaux. Par notre étude, nous essayons d’apporter un éclairage nouveau sur la sociologie du « cadre » au Gabon / My research entitled « the chief executives, a population face to socio-economic change in post-colony context: the case of Gabon (1970-2008) traces through the social changes in Gabon and in particular by colonization, the restructuring of social strata, modernity, the school and state rationality, a carrier of a social category readability of Gabonese society. This study makes clear labour relations executives through recruitment, social mobility, the logic of domination and subordination of one new social order. This thesis reports the emergence of leadership in the political and social landscape in Gabon, of development, of how managers perceive knowledge of the reports which expressed at work and in other social spheres. We also try to highlight a significant social group often neglected in favour of the working classes. In this study, we try to shed new light on the sociology of the chief executives of Gabon

Teleoperated robotic surgical systems such as daVinci are widely used for laparoscopic surgeries. The currently available daVinci system does not provide haptic feedback. Prior research has shown that the addition of haptic feedback improves surgeons' performance during minimally invasive surgeries. Other authors have implemented haptic feedback in the daVinci robot, but some issues made them impractical for clinical use. In this work, two strain gauge force-sensing devices were created for the patient side manipulator of the daVinci surgical robot. These devices were designed to be easily added to the existing system and used for the real-time force feedback in the daVinci robot. The proposed system has high sensitivity and resolution, matches the required force measurement range, and has high signal-to-noise ratio, which implies high signal quality. However, the absolute errors of the currently built devices are high due to the manufacturing techniques used on the prototype that could be improved upon for a deployed device. This work demonstrates fast 3-DOF force measurements on the daVinci robot without any robot or instrument modifications. While the present system has significant systematic errors, these can be mitigated by altering the mechanical design to improve the accuracy of the system.

"Cell traction force is generated in the cytoskeleton by actomyosin activity and plays an important role in many cellular processes. In previous cell traction force experiments performed by our lab, unexpectedly large variations were measured. Because these experiments were utilizing a cell population of randomized phase, and there had been no documented investigation into whether cell phase affected cell traction force generation or propagation, it was hypothesized that there would be a significant difference in traction force between S phase and the other phases of interphase, as the physical and chemical changes happening within the nucleus at this time might elicit changes within the cytoskeleton. To test this hypothesis, we characterized the time-evolution of traction forces from a population of synchronized 3T3 fibroblasts. 3T3 fibroblasts were synchronized in G1-phase via serum starvation. The transition times between cellular phases during the first cell cycle after synchronization were identified by BrdU and Hoechst staining at different time points. After phase transition times were approximated, the traction forces of 9 cells were measured in 4-hour intervals for 24 hours. The differences between traction forces measured in G1, S, and G2 phases are not significant, demonstrating that cellular phase does not significantly affect traction force magnitude."

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references. / Physical manifestations of time occur in natural forms of all sizes. Architectural form serves as shelter while providing a built envelope of human life, simultaneously influencing and influenced by energetic activities which occur within the containment. Change is either progressive or cyclic, apparently linear or circular. Similarly built form is either discontinuous or continuous, angular or curved. All physical presences, energetic configurations, are fleeting. Physical forms are shaped by time and so reflect the movement of the energy flows through time and space. Specific parts of time-space signify future forms while others revel in the past. / by Martha Jane McInnis. / M.Arch.

In spite of oil wealth, modernization, and high female educational attainment, the International Labor Organization cites female labor force participation in Kuwait as lower than other high-income countries, world averages, many non-Arab Islamic countries, and some gulf countries such as Qatar and the UAE. These statistics suggest a lack of female participation and agency in development of Kuwaiti society. As Kuwait and other gulf countries create economic strategies to move from dependency on natural resources to the development of skilled and innovative labor, the gap between high educational attainment and low labor force participation must be explored. With a grounded theory approach, this study uses statistical analysis and other secondary data, along with ethnographic methods of observation and in-depth interview with over 56 participants, to identify the social, economic, and political forces shaping the demand and supply of female labor in Kuwait. This research argues that increasing a womenâ"u20ac™s freedom (capability + agency) to participate economically, as well as politically and socially, increases their wellbeing and the sustainable development of their country. Therefore, research also considers Kuwaiti female agency in society for overall participation in sustainable development. To foundationally inform this study, interviews and observations seek a basic understanding of the Kuwaiti woman's experiences, as well as her definitions and perceptions of freedom. Interestingly, research finds two administrations in Kuwait record female LFP at least 18% higher than ILO estimates - discovery backed up by interviews and observations. These numbers not only include the high number of non-Kuwaiti female workers, but Kuwaiti women working in public, private, and informal markets. In addition, the number of Kuwaiti women entrepreneurs in home-based and other small businesses is increasing and becoming important to the economy, but is largely undocumented - suggesting female LFP in Kuwait may even be higher than administrations report. These findings suggest significantly greater female participation in the labor market than reported by international organizations, contradicting stereotypical views of disempowered Middle Eastern women - a view perhaps too often accepted without question by western research and society. Implications of research show potential for growth in the Kuwaiti female labor market within the private sector. / 1 / Shea Bradley Garrison

The response of cells to mechanical inputs is a key determinant of cell behavior. In response to changes in the mechanical environment of epithelial cells, E-cadherin initiates signal transduction cascades that allow the cells to modulate their contractility to withstand the force. Much attention has focused on identifying the E-cadherin signaling pathways that promote contractility, but the negative regulators remain undefined. In this thesis, we identify SHP2 as a force-activated phosphatase that negatively regulates E-cadherin force transmission by dephosphorylating vinculin Y822. To specifically probe a role for SHP2 in E-cadherin mechanotransduction, we innovatively mutated vinculin so that it retains its phosphorylation but cannot be dephosphorylated. Cells expressing the mutant vinculins have increased contractility. This work provides the first mechanism for inactivating E-cadherin mechanotransduction and provides a new method for specifically targeting the action of phosphatases in cells.

The growing environmental concern over carbon dioxide emission has driven the demand for next-generation green vehicles like electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). This in turn calls for higher capacity and higher energy rechargeable batteries for supporting long-distance driving of EVs. In this research, freestanding flexible Si nanoparticles-carbon nanotubes (SiNPs-CNTs) composite paper anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been prepared by a simple, inexpensive, and scalable approach of ultrasonication and pressure filtration. No conductive additive, binder or metal current collector is used. The composite using multi-walled CNTs (MWNTs) shows electrochemical properties superior to those using single-walled CNTs (SWNTs) or vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). The SiNPs-MWNTs composite (Si-MW) sample achieves first cycle specific discharge and charge capacities of 2298 and 1492 mAh/g, respectively. The first cycle irreversibility is compensated for by stabilized lithium metal powder (SLMP) prelithiation, leading to reduction of initial capacity loss from 806 to 28 mAh/g and increase of initial coulombic efficiency from 65% to 98%. The relationship between different SLMP loadings and cell performance has been established to understand the prelithiation mechanism of SLMP, optimize the construction of Si-based cells, and enable the exploration of novel cathode materials. The positive effect of FEC as electrolyte additive (10%) on the cyclability is verified. Through control of Si/CNT weight ratio, the optimal combination between the high capacity of SiNPs and the high electrical conductivity and structural stabilization ability of MWNTs is found in the case of the Si-MW 3:2 composite, resulting in improved cycling stability and high rate capability. The reversible capacity can be recovered to 1866 mAh/g when the current rate returns to 100 mA/g during cycling at current rate from 100 to 1000 mA/g. After 100 cycles, the electrode retains a reversible capacity of 1170, 850, and 750 mAh/g at the current rate of 100, 280, and 500 mA/g, respectively. FEC-based electrolytes using FEC as the co-solvent (50 wt%) are compared with the one using FEC as the additive. It is found that the EC-free FEC-based electrolyte achieves higher specific capacity and better capacity retention in terms of long-term cycling. After 500 cycles, the capacity retention of the cell using DEC-FEC (1:1) is increased by 88% and 60% compared to the cells using EC-DEC-FEC (45:45:10) and EC-FEC (1:1), respectively. Through SEM-EDX and XPS analyses, a possible reaction route of formation of fluorinated semicarbonates and polyolefins from FEC is proposed. The inferior cell performance related to the EC-containing electrolytes is likely attributed to the formation of excessive polyolefins which do not favor Li ion migration. The strategy of capacity-control cycling is employed to seek extended cycle life. Stable 326 charge-discharge cycles at designated capacity of 506 mAh/g are attained for the Si-MW 1:1 cell. A self-healing phenomenon is observed by studying the specific capacities and charge/discharge end voltage, and proposed as the possible mechanism behind the improved cycling stability. Prolonged cycling of over 500 cycles under capacity control (500 mAh/g) and the interesting pattern of variation in the discharge/charge end voltage are successfully reproduced with different electrode/electrolyte and current conditions. EIS and SEM-EDX analyses suggest that by setting the capacity/voltage limits for charge-discharge cycling, the growth of SEI can be limited. We believe the 3D network of MWNTs forms a continuous conductive pathway within the composite structure, which ensures sufficient electrical conductivity, holds the Si particles together, and alleviates the volume expansion of Si. Moreover, the freestanding feature of our electrode eliminates the non-active mass, giving rise to specific energy enhanced by 27% compared to current graphite-based cells by theoretical calculation. / A Dissertation submitted to the The Program in Materials Science and Engineering in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2017. / June 23, 2017. / carbon nanotubes, freestanding electrodes, high capcity, lithium ion batteries, silicon nanoparticles / Includes bibliographical references. / Jim P. Zheng, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Richard Liang, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Susan Latturner, University Representative; Albert E. Stiegman, Committee Member; Mei Zhang, Committee Member; Kenneth Hanson, Committee Member.

Removal of emulsified water is a challenge in oil sands and heavy oil processing. The flocculation and coagulation of emulsified water droplets depend on the interactions between the water droplets covered mainly by asphaltenes and oil-contaminated fine solids. To quantitatively evaluate the stability of water-in-diluted bitumen emulsions, this research determined the interactions between asphaltene surfaces in model oils, heptane, toluene or a mixture of the two known as heptol, by colloidal force measurements using atomic force microscopy (AFM) in combination with the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The effect of aromaticity of the solvents, temperature and water content of the solvents on asphaltenes-asphaltenes interactions was systematically investigated. The results showed that the interaction forces between asphaltenes are highly sensitive to the aromaticity of the organic solvents. In solvents of higher aromaticity, a repulsive force existed between asphaltene surfaces; whereas in solvents of lower aromaticity, a weak attraction was detected. The transition from repulsion to attraction indicates that it is possible to control asphaltenes-asphaltenes interactions, and ultimately to control the stability of asphaltene-stabilized water droplets in oil, through tuning the aromaticity of the organic solvents. By fitting the measured force profiles with theoretical models, the nature of the forces was determined, which provides insights into the mechanisms of asphaltene-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions. The concomitant benefit of the results from the direct force measurement is to predict asphaltene precipitation with change of solvent composition. Oil-contaminated fine solids not only help stabilize water-in-diluted bitumen emulsions but are detrimental to bitumen upgrading. To control the wettability of these fine solids, a preliminary study was carried out in this work to explore the potential of ethyl cellulose (EC), an effective demulsifier for water-in-diluted bitumen emulsion, as a surface wettability modifier of the oil-contaminated solids. It was found that EC is able to reduce the surface hydrophobicity of the asphaltene- and bitumen-contaminated solids and thus enhances their removal from bitumen froth. The mechanism of increased wettability by EC addition was determined by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and AFM topographical imaging. The results from this study can help establish the criteria for selecting and developing chemical modifiers for applications in wettability control of oil-contaminated solids. / Chemical Engineering