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Seasonal influenza, or the flu, impacts over 3 million people each year. Within the health sector, nosocomial infection and absenteeism are frequently associated with the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend flu vaccination for all eligible individuals, especially health care workers (HCWs). Interventions associated with increased HCW vaccination include educational programs and occupational health campaigns to address misconceptions regarding vaccine safety and efficacy. This project evaluated the impact of a voluntary, web-based education module to encourage registered nurse (RN) vaccination. The logic and health belief models served as the theoretical frameworks. In a nonequivalent group design, an educational program addressing evidence-based barriers to vaccination was delivered at 1 acute-care hospital and was not delivered at a comparison hospital within the health system. A total of 192 surveys (116 at intervention facility) were returned over 3 weeks. Statistically significant differences (x2 = 7.210, p = 0.007) were found for RNs who accepted influenza vaccination after education when compared to the RNs not receiving education. The 15% higher vaccination rate for RNs receiving education (91.1% vs. 76.1%) translates into more than 100 additional vaccinated RNs if applied across both hospitals. This project found that a simple but tailored web-based educational program is effective in converting RNs to vaccination acceptance. Increased vaccination produces societal change by reducing nosocomial and community influenza transmission. Reduced influenza infection improves community health as well as patient safety. Future work should address community-wide HCW education initiatives and evaluate their impact on quality and financial indicators at the hospital and community levels.

abstract: Several short term exogenic forcings affecting Earth's climate are but recently identified. Lunar nutation periodicity has implications for numerical meteorological prediction. Abrupt shifts in solar wind bulk velocity, particle density, and polarity exhibit correlation with terrestrial hemispheric vorticity changes, cyclonic strengthening and the intensification of baroclinic disturbances. Galactic Cosmic ray induced tropospheric ionization modifies cloud microphysics, and modulates the global electric circuit. This dissertation is constructed around three research questions: (1): What are the biweekly declination effects of lunar gravitation upon the troposphere? (2): How do United States severe weather reports correlate with heliospheric current sheet crossings? and (3): How does cloud cover spatially and temporally vary with galactic cosmic rays? Study 1 findings show spatial consistency concerning lunar declination extremes upon Rossby longwaves. Due to the influence of Rossby longwaves on synoptic scale circulation, our results could theoretically extend numerical meteorological forecasting. Study 2 results indicate a preference for violent tornadoes to occur prior to a HCS crossing. Violent tornadoes (EF3+) are 10% more probable to occur near, and 4% less probable immediately after a HCS crossing. The distribution of hail and damaging wind reports do not mirror this pattern. Polarity is critical for the effect. Study 3 results confirm anticorrelation between solar flux and low-level marine-layer cloud cover, but indicate substantial regional variability between cloud cover altitude and GCRs. Ultimately, this dissertation serves to extend short term meteorological forecasting, enhance climatological modeling and through analysis of severe violent weather and heliospheric events, protect property and save lives. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Geography 2013

This master's thesis deals with design of equatorial fork mount for astronomical telescope. The issue of space object watching equipment is deeply analysed. The enclosures of analysis are used in design project. Important aspects are accuracy of motion and high resolution of mount. These parameters are compared with series manufactured equatorial mounts.

One of the primary objectives of voice research is to better understand the biomechanics of voice production and how changes in properties of the vocal folds (VFs) affect voice ability and quality. Synthetic VF models provide a way to observe how changes in geometry and material property affect voice biomechanics. This thesis seeks to evaluate an approach of using a genetic algorithm to design synthetic VF models in three ways: first, through the development of a computationally cost-effective 3D vocal fold model; second, by creating and optimizing a variation of this model; and third, by validating the approach. To reduce computation times, a user-defined function (UDF) was implemented in low-fidelity 2D and 3D computational VF models. The UDF replaced the conventional meshed fluid domain with the mechanical energy equation. The UDF was implemented in the commercial finite element code ADINA and verified to produce results that were similar to those of 2D and 3D VF models with meshed fluid domains. Computation times were reduced by 86% for 2D VF models and 74% for 3D VF models while core vibratory characteristic changes were less than 5%. The results from using the UDF demonstrate that computation times could be reduced while still producing acceptable results. A genetic algorithm optimizer was developed to study the effects of altering geometry and material elasticity on frequency, closed quotient (CQ), and maximum flow declination rate (MFDR). The objective was to achieve frequency and CQ values within the normal human physiological range while maximizing MFDR. The resulting models enabled an exploration of trends between objective and design variables. Significant trends and aspects of model variability are discussed. The results demonstrate the benefit of using a structured model exploration method to create models with desirable characteristics. Two synthetic VF models were fabricated to validate predictions made by models produced by the genetic algorithm. Fabricated models were subjected to tests where frequency, CQ, and sound pressure level were measured. Trends between computational and synthetic VF model responses are discussed. The results show that predicted frequency trends between computational and synthetic models were similar, trends for closed quotient were inconclusive, and relationships between MFDR and sound pressure level remained consistent. Overall, while discrepancies between computational and synthetic VF model results were observed and areas in need of further study are noted, the study results provide evidence of potential for using the present optimization method to design synthetic VF models.

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