Knowledge, Perceptions, and Outcomes of Agricultural Communications Curriculum in Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms

The purpose of this mixed method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. This study was comprised of three parts including a pilot test, teacher training assessment, and a descriptive field test over a two-year period. For the pilot test portion of the study, students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules (careers, writing, design, and multimedia) predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas. The pilot test indicated students\u27 knowledge increased after instruction, for each curriculum module. Lack of time, limited technology, teacher training, and curriculum content were the most common emergent themes among teachers. Following the pilot test the curriculum was revised into 11 smaller units and made available on-line for the descriptive field test portion of the study. Additionally a series of agricultural communications teacher trainings were offered covering three units of revised curriculum. The teacher training aimed to gauge teachers\u27 perceptions of the curriculum and the training experience. Participating teachers (N = 23) were most interested in photography and photo Editing / manipulation. Furthermore, Participants were satisfied with all aspects of the inservice including content, overview of curriculum, curriculum units covered during inservice, and the instructor. The descriptive field test portion of the study evaluated student knowledge gained throughout the descriptive field test in 11 different unit areas, student knowledge application through project-based unit activities, and teachers\u27 perceptions of the revised curriculum. For the students who participated in this portion of the study (N = 182) it was evident from the pre- and post-test assessments, knowledge of agricultural communications increased. Moreover, agricultural communications skills were displayed in skill-based activities returned to the researcher. As for the teachers who participated in the descriptive field test (N = 27), it was noted they found value in the curriculum content but expressed the need for support from state staff and their school administrations to accept the agricultural communications curriculum as an integral part of high school agricultural education

Effective Measures of Weight Gain Five Years Post-Kidney Transplantation

BACKGROUND: Weight gain is commonly observed post-kidney transplantation and is associated with unfavorable health outcomes, such as graft loss, new onset diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective measure for assessing body composition after kidney transplantation. DESIGN: The study was a descriptive correlational follow-up study from a single kidney transplant site. SUBJECTS: A total of 45 eligible patients from a 2007-2011 parent study were selected, ages of 37 to 78. MEASUREMENTS: Body composition was obtained 5–8 years posttransplant via anthropometric measures (waist circumference, body mass index, and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) and compared with baseline (pretransplant) values. Similarly, weight and body mass index (BMI) were obtained. Blood sampling was performed to measure levels of serum glucose, hemoglobin A1C, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and coronary risk ratio. Kidney function was monitored via serum creatinine. Manual blood pressure was taken with two resting blood pressures. RESULTS: The sample size was N = 45 and included 29 (64.4%) African Americans and 16 (35.6%) Whites. There were 25 (55.6%) males and 20 (44.4%) females. The ages were 37 to 78, with a mean of 56 (SD =10.1). Body weight increased from 186.66 ± 42.10 at baseline to 197.89 ± 48.1 at the 5-8 year follow-up, and BMI increased from 29.03 ± 4.76 to 32.14 ± 9.61. At the 5-8 year follow-up, anthropometric measure of waist circumference was found to be associated with cardiac risk ratio and weight with diastolic BP. In contrast, 7 body composition measures were associated with HDL, 4 with cardiac risk ratio, 5 with creatinine, and 2 with systolic blood pressure. Significant associations were also found with anthropometric measure BMI obtained at the time of transplant surgery and HDL and LDL 5-8 years later. There were 13 body composition measures associated with HDL, 6 with cardiac risk ratio, and 2 with triglycerides during this same time span. Lastly, one change in anthropometric measure from baseline to 5-8 year posttransplant was associated with the 5-8 year cardiac risk factors (cardiac risk ratio and BMI). There were 18 significant relationships for body compositions measures. These included 7 body composition measures associated with creatinine, 5 with LDL, 4 with diastolic blood pressure, and 2 with triglycerides. DISCUSSION: The significant relationships found among dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and cardiac-related outcomes suggest this method may provide a better assessment of body fat, weight gain, and potential cardiac risk factors than does the currently used method. The study continued to examine the use of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry to better understand the emerging coronary risk that accompanies weight gain and as a basis upon which more precisely targeted interventions could be designed that would improve the health and life expectancy of kidney transplant patients

PHA Guidance for Correlating H2S Concentrations in Process Streams to Severity of Adverse Health Outcomes in the Event of a Leak

PresentationProcess hazard analysis (PHA) teams are responsible for determining and categorizing the potential impact of a loss of containment. For streams containing hydrogen sulfide (H2S), the health and safety consequences of a worker being exposed to H2S are a function of airborne concentration in the breathing zone and duration of exposure. PHA teams often do not have the technical knowledge to link the known concentration of H2S in the process stream to an adverse health outcome. This paper describes the methodology and the assumptions made in developing such guidance. H2S concentration in the stream was correlated to concentration of H2S in the breathing zone. Vapor releases used dispersion modeling, while liquid releases required additional modeling to determine the amount of H2S liberated from the released liquid. Modeling was done on different process streams under a variety of conditions. Concentration in the breathing zone was linked to the most probable health and safety outcome by surveying relevant literature published by private and government sources. This correlated the stream concentration of H2S directly to the consequence categorization used in the PHA. Results were summarized, providing simplified guidance that is valid over a wide range of process conditions and release scenarios

IMPLEMENTING CATEGORY MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE U.S. MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS COMMAND

The purpose of this research is to conduct a spend analysis on the Marine Corps Logistics Command’s (MARCORLOGCOM) contracting spend data from Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 to FY 2022 to determine if category management (CM) can be implemented to improve the command's contracting procedures. CM is the purchasing strategy that the Department of Defense (DOD) has chosen to implement within its contracting organizations to increase the efficiency and to reduce costs associated with government purchasing. Although the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed the implementation of CM in 2014, it has yet to be fully integrated within all DOD contracting strategies. Our research analyzed MARCORLOGCOM's spend to identify trends with regard to product service codes (PSC), contract types, and contractors. Based on the implications of our research, we determined that although it appears MARCORLOGCOM has attempted to implement CM, there are opportunities for the command to expand its use of the strategy. We concluded our research with three recommendations for implementing CM within MARCORLOGCOM which included using multiple award indefinite delivery contracts (IDCs) rather than single award IDCs; expanding the use of IDCs; and increasing coordination, communication and organization among the command contracting units.Marine Corp Logistics CommandOutstanding ThesisCaptain, United States Air ForceCaptain, United States Air ForceCaptain, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Knowledge and Perceptions of Agricultural Communications Pilot Curriculum in Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. Students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules addressing four categories of agriculture-themed curricula predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas (careers, writing, design, and multimedia). Student agricultural communications knowledge change was assessed using pre- and post-test instruments in each module of study. Additionally, content analysis of participating teachers’ journals was used to identify emergent themes related to teachers’ experiences teaching the curriculum throughout the semester. Overall, the findings from this study indicated students’ knowledge increased after instruction for each curriculum module: careers (16.2%), writing (23.1%), design (35.7%), and multimedia (31.3%). Lack of time, limited technology, teacher training, and curriculum content were the most common emergent themes among teachers. Based on findings from this study, it was concluded future efforts should be made to provide technology for agricultural education instructors to improve agricultural communications program effectiveness and reach

Changing Strategies for Electronic Theses and Dissertations: Communication between an Academic Library, Graduate School, Academic Departments, and Students

Technology has long since removed the need for paper copies of theses and dissertations in the library. The latest strategy for receiving, reviewing, and archiving graduate student scholarship is the institutional repository (IR). An IR will allow online submission by a student from anywhere in the world, increasing convenience for local students and increasing global diversity. The University of Kentucky Graduate School and the University of Kentucky Libraries have teamed to create an online submission process for all graduate student scholarship. UKnowledge, the University\u27s IR, is now home to all digitally born graduate student scholarship. To make the student experience a success, clear and efficient communications between the library, academic departments, the graduate school, and the student is imperative. Using the Digital Commons software, the graduate school and the library organize and streamline a collaborative workflow amenable to all. Join us as we share our experience from initial concept to implementation