Walla Walla University

Abstract Opioid drugs represent a critical class of therapeutic compounds with diverse structural frameworks that govern their pharmacological behavior. Understanding the relationship between their molecular architecture and physico­chemical characteristics is essential for drug design and optimization. In this study, a wide range of degree-based topological indices, including the first and second Zagreb indices ( M1 , M2 ), forgotten index ( F ), hyper Zagreb indices ( HM1 , HM2 ), and harmonic index ( Y , S ), were computed to quantify the structural complexity of selected opioid drugs. These indices were systematically correlated with physicochemical descriptors such as boiling point (Bp), molar refractivity (MR), molar volume (MV), polarizability (P), density, and surface tension (ST). A comprehensive set of statistical and multivariate analyses was performed. Descriptive statistics indicated that M1 is the most stable index, while P and G exhibited high variability. Pearson and Spearman correlations confirmed M2 and HM2 as the most informative structural descriptors. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Factor Analysis identified key latent factors capturing over 90% of data variance. Discriminant Analysis (DA) achieved a classification accuracy of ∼ 91 . 6%, effectively distinguishing morphinan and synthetic opioids. Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) revealed a strong multivariate association (canonical correlation = 0.94) between topological indices ( M1 , M2 , S , HM2 ) and physicochemical properties (Bp, MR, MV, P, atomic mass). MANOVA confirmed the significant influence of physicochemical descriptors on structural indices, and multiple as well as stepwise regression highlighted boiling point, molar refractivity, and molar volume as dominant predictors of M2 . These findings demonstrate that molecular topology, particularly indices M2 , HM2 , S , and M1 , is strongly interrelated with key physicochemical properties, providing valuable insights into the structural complexity, classi­fication, and pharmacological relevance of opioid drugs. The study underscores the potential of topological indices as predictive tools in drug design and molecular modeling.

Abstract Extensive studies have been carried out on the mutual influence of adjacent parallel cracks. However, to date, no solutions are available for non-parallel cracks proposed for FFS applications. The present analysis addresses this problem by evaluating the mixed mode fracture behavior of a slanted crack of length 2a2 influenced by an adjacent nonaligned horizontal crack of length 2a1. The cracks are placed in the center of a large plate under remote tension. A comprehensive parametric study was undertaken of the Stress Intensity Factors (SIFs) at the tip of the slanted crack adjacent to the horizontal crack. The parameters that affect the magnitudes of SIFs at the aforementioned crack tip include the slant angle (β), the horizontal separation (S), the vertical gap (H) between the two cracks, and the crack length ratio a2/a1. Both mode I and mode II SIFs, the mixed mode fracture parameters, are evaluated for a wide range of the slant angles β = 0°∼75° of the slanted crack, the normalized crack gaps of H/a2 = 0.4∼2, and normalized crack separation distances S/a2 = −0.5∼2. The cracks are modeled numerically using the ANSYS MECHANICAL APDL finite element program. It is found that both Mode I and Mode II SIFs manifest certain distinct behaviors that are different from those of an isolated single slant crack or from those of two parallel non-aligned cracks reported in the literature. While Mode I crack behaviors usually dominate when two parallel non-aligned cracks co-exist, Mode II crack behaviors could dominate in the cases of the slanted crack affected by a horizontal crack. At the same time, depending on how the previously mentioned parameters interact, both Mode I and II SIFs compete with each other, with neither one negligible, in many specific scenarios.

Background Firefighter safety is a top priority in wildland fire response and management. Existing explanations emphasise how land management agency initiatives to change organisational culture, usually inspired by fatality incidents, contribute to changes both in formal safety policies and informal safety practices. Aims This paper identifies external factors that lead to changes in wildland firefighter safety policies and practices. Methods This paper uses qualitative data from a long-term ethnographic research project. Data include detailed fieldnotes, semi-structured interviews, and agency documents, which were systematically coded and thematically analysed. Key results In addition to the triggering effects of fatality incidents and agency initiatives to change organisational culture, external factors also directly impact the development of firefighter safety policies and practices. These include sociodemographic, material, political, and social-environmental factors. Conclusions Identifying and understanding the influence of multi-scalar external factors on firefighter safety is essential to improving safety outcomes and reducing firefighters’ exposure to hazards. Implications Attention to and recognition of external factors is valuable for fire managers and practitioners, whose work is influenced and constrained by meso- and macro-level factors. The framework presented in this paper would be useful in understanding other important aspects of wildland fire management.

Elementary-school students enrolled in a trauma-informed program participated in a prepost longitudinal study of resilience. The study assesses increases in various components of resilience, the effects of the afterschool program on resilience, and the relationship between resilience and school performance. A shortened version of a reliable resilience survey was developed from Madsen Thompson's Trauma Resilience Scale and administered at students' entry and exit from 3 yearly sessions. The high response rate provided a sample of 103 students, 37 of whom were new students with no ceiling effects. Statistical analysis demonstrated that both contextual and individual resilience increased significantly, with protective components impacting one another. Regression analyses found that the afterschool program supports significantly affected individual resilience increases, and high levels of individual resilience led to increases in school performance. The results suggest that trauma-informed contextual supports may be useful in increasing young students' well-being and closing gaps in academic performance.

Abstract Background: Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) is a highly infectious disease affecting cattle, leading to significant economic losses in many countries engaged in cattle production. Methods: From February 2022 to October 2022, a study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) in the Sebeta subcity area of Sheger city, Ethiopia. The study utilized a semi-structured questionnaire to gather information on herd management practices from dairy farm owners. Serum samples from 170 individual cattle across 34 herds were collected and tested for BVDV antibodies using the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The prevalence of BVD antibodies at both the animal and herd levels was analyzed, and potential risk factors were identified using Chi-square analysis and logistic regression. Results: The study found that 19.41% of individual cattle (33 out of 170) and 44.12% of herds were positive for BVDV antibodies. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified several significant risk factors associated with BVDV infection. Multiparous dairy cows were found to be 2.3 times more likely to be seropositive compared to primiparous and nulliparous cows. Crossbreed dairy cattle had double the odds of being seropositive compared to pure breeds. Additionally, cattle from larger herds were 5.01 times more likely to be seropositive than those from smaller herds. Farms that introduced new animals had triple the odds of seropositivity compared to those that did not. Conclusion: The study indicates a high exposure rate of cattle to BVDV infection in and around Sebeta sub-city. Further research is recommended to explore the molecular epidemiology of BVDV in the region.

Abstract Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) has become one of the most widely used industrial thermoplastics due to its superior characteristics when compared to PET as well as other common plastics in industry. Because of its unique and favorable characteristics, PET-G has wide applications for making medical devices. The research teams led by Professor Michael Moor and Professor Michael Davidson at Loma Linda University, School of Allied Health Professions and Department of Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P), have been working toward developing low-cost injection molding equipment to provide affordable, viable, and feasible O&P care for the most economically challenged individuals around the world. As part of their work, recycled PET-G plastics were melted and then thermoformed into plaster molds under various conditions. Their mechanical properties are highly desirable. In this study, tensile properties of the PET-G recycled plastic dog-bone coupons were obtained and tested for modulus of elasticity, yield strength, tensile strength, and ductility. ADMET eXpert 7600 equipped with MTESTQuattro Materials Testing Software was used as the testing machine. The load cell was 1000 lb. in capacity with crosshead movement, and the vertical test space can accommodate up to 41 inches. For consistent testing, ASTM standards were employed in preparation of the specimens and testing procedures. It was found that the present recycled PET-G plastic yields results of tensile strength of approximately 47 MPa, 0.2% offset yield strength of approximately 35 MPa, tensile modulus of approximately 1.9 GPa, and ductility in the range of 170–250 percent elongation. All these findings are in agreement with literature for similar recycled PET-G plastics.

Abstract Fracture mechanics has been used in Fitness-for-Service assessments of structures containing cracks. The stress intensity factors (SIFs) at the crack tip are the key information in assessing the remaining service life of a cracked component. Extensive studies have been carried out on the mutual influence of adjacent parallel cracks. However, to date no solutions are available for non-parallel cracks. In the present analysis mode I (KI) and Mode II (KII) SIFs of a slanted-edge-crack affected by an adjacent non-parallel horizontal crack are obtained. KI and KII are evaluated for a wide range of the slanted edge crack angle β = 0° to 75°, for various normalized horizontal (S/a2 = −0.4 to 2) and vertical (H/a2 = 0.4) separation distances and for several crack lengths. The problem is solved using a 2-D, plane strain, finite element model, which was successfully validated against presently available solutions. It is found that the presence of the embedded crack always amplifies KI of the edge crack while KII might be either amplified or attenuated depending on the crack configuration. Furthermore, the present results indicate that, for the purpose of Fitness-for-Service, the effective SIF at the tip of the slanted crack always increases due to the presence of the embedded crack.

Zu Beginn des Jahres 2012 lag das Soziale Europa am Boden. Zwei Jahre Austeritätspolitik in den peripheren Mitgliedsstaaten, vor allem in Südeuropa, und die Einführung neuer strenger fiskalpolitischer Maßnahmen in der Eurozone hatten zu massiven sozialen Verwerfungen, zu hoher Arbeitslosigkeit und Armut, geführt. Vielen erschien die Europäische Union – und besonders die Wirtschafts- und Währungsunion (WWU) – als ein neoliberales Projekt, in dem Banken und Finanzmärkte auf Kosten von Bürgern und Wohlfahrtsstaaten gerettet wurden. Die Mitgliedsstaaten befänden sich auf einem unrettbaren Weg in den Abgrund. Doch bereits fünfeinhalb Jahre später – im November 2017 – verabschiedeten die Europäische Kommission, der Rat und das Parlament einen sozialpolitischen Meilenstein: die Europäische Säule Sozialer Rechte (ESSR). Wie war das möglich? Diese Dissertation analysiert die Wiederherstellung des Sozialen Europa nach der Großen Rezession, in den Jahren 2012-2019. Dabei nimmt sie Politikinhalte, ihre rechtliche und institutionelle Ausgestaltung und Umsetzung und im Besonderen politische Akteure und ihre Netzwerke in den Blick. In Anlehnung an die Feldtheorie von Pierre Bourdieu untersucht sie das Soziale Europa als ein soziales Feld, in dem Akteure Konflikte austragen, wobei ihre Relationen bestimmt werden von spezifischen Ausprägungen ihres sozialen, kulturellen, und ökonomischen Kapitals. Weitere theoretische Bezugspunkte sind akteurszentrierte Perspektiven, die sich sowohl ab- wie auch zustimmend auf Bourdieu beziehen, sowie die Soziale Netzwerkanalyse. Die zentrale, die ganze Dissertation leitende Frage lautet: Warum und wie führte die Erneuerung des Sozialen Europas zur konkreten Form der ESSR? Zu diesem Zweck untersucht die Dissertation drei Fallstudien, in deren Zentrum jeweils der Konflikt steht, ob eine Erneuerung des Sozialen Europa notwendig sei und in welcher Beziehung diese zu makroökonomischen und fiskalpolitischen Vorgaben der EU-Krisenbewältigung stehen solle. Die Auseinandersetzung um die soziale Dimension der WWU wurde 2012 von EU-Beschäftigungskommissar László Andor als Gegenentwurf zur Austeritätspolitik in Gang gesetzt. Die Debatte um eine Europäische Arbeitslosenversicherung begleitete die EU seit den ersten Entwürfen zur Währungsunion und wurde nach der Finanzkrise insbesondere von keynesianischen Ökonomen wiederbelebt und als sowohl sozial- wie auch fiskalpolitisch und makroökonomisch vorteilhafte Reform beworben. Der Aufschlag zur ESSR schließlich entstammte dem Versprechen des neuen Präsidenten der EU-Kommission, Jean-Claude Juncker, die Sozialpolitik in den gleichen Rang wie die makroökonomische Krisenpolitik zu erheben. Im Ergebnis unterscheidet sich das Soziale Europa nach der Großen Rezession von seinen Vorläufern, da es geprägt wurde durch die Polykrise von Kapitalismus, Demokratie und Europäischer Integration. Es verbindet den Ansatz des Ausgleichs sozialer und ökonomischer Politikinhalte mit einer moralischen und symbolischen Proklamation sozialer Rechte. Das Paradigma sozialer Investitionen tritt dahinter zurück und Versuche, fiskalische Solidarität in der EU zu verankern, sind weitestgehend gescheitert. Die parteipolitische Seite der Erneuerung ist entsprechend geprägt vom Aufstieg extrem rechter und populistischer Parteien sowie dem Niedergang der Sozial- und Christdemokratie. Auf dem Höhepunkt dieser Krisen, erschufen dieselben Akteure, die das Soziale Europa bereits in den späten 1990ern dominiert hatten, unter Einsatz ihrer politischen Macht und Netzwerke, einen Referenzpunkt für die Zukunft des Sozialen Europa: die Europäische Säule Sozialer Rechte. Die Frage, ob die ESSR als ein wichtiger Schritt auf unserem Weg zum Sozialen Europa oder als bloße Verschleierung eines neoliberalen europäischen Projektes gesehen wird, wird der offensichtliche umkämpfte Sachverhalt, der zentrale Konflikt im sozialen Feld des Sozialen Europas während der 2020er Jahre sein.