Pilot Program: Bilingual Training for Care and Management of Dairy Calves

This educational pilot program is being implemented to providetraining and education about care and management of dairy calves in English and Spanish.The language barrier among dairy owners, managers and employees limitsthe transfer of knowledge and training; this program seeks to bridge the gap and educate a sector of the dairy workforce to successfully raise dairy replacements. This is a collaborative effort between dairy extension specialists from Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska. Two dairy farms in Iowa and one in Nebraska served as pilot sites for a workshop addressing management practices and educating Hispanic dairy employees on topics such as importance of colostrum and its quality, proper use of esophageal feeders, and animal handling. Through these workshops, it was found that most employees had little to no experience handling calves prior to their current employment.In addition, many employees had limited training on proper proceduresincluding hygiene protocols, colostrum quality assessment and animal handling. Long term goals of this program include an on-line repository of educational and training material available in English and Spanish

Using the AR-V7 biomarker to determine treatment in metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer, a feasibility randomised control trial, conclusions from the VARIANT trial [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Background: Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in the UK. Castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) can be difficult to manage with response to next generation hormonal treatment variable. AR-V7 is a protein biomarker that can be used to predict response to treatment and potentially better inform management in these patients. Our aim was to establish the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical utility of AR-V7 biomarker assay in personalising treatments for patients with metastatic CRPC within the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS).  Due to a number of issues the trial was not completed successfully, we aim to discuss and share lessons learned herein. Methods: We conducted a randomised, open, feasibility trial, which aimed to recruit 70 adult men with metastatic CRPC within three secondary care NHS trusts in the UK to be run over an 18-month period. Participants were randomised to personalised treatment based on AR-V7 status (intervention) or standard care (control). The primary outcome was feasibility, which included: recruitment rate, retention and compliance. Additionally, a baseline prevalence of AR-V7 expression was to be estimated. Results: Fourteen participants were screened and 12 randomised with six into each arm over a nine-month period. Reliability issues with the AR-V7 assay meant prevalence was not estimated. Due to limited recruitment the study did not complete to target. Conclusions: Whilst the trial did not complete to target, we have ascertained that men with advanced cancer are willing to take part in trials utilising biomarker guided treatment. A number of issues were identified that serve as important learning points in future clinical trials

Brandywine Farmers Market

Final project for INAG253: Technology of Fruit and Vegetable Production and PLSC433: Technology of Fruit and Vegetable Production (Fall 2020). University of Maryland, College Park.Through their work with the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland (UMD), the Prince George's County- Department of Parks and Recreation commissioned this report from the university’s Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS). PALS works with local jurisdictions throughout Maryland to identify projects and problems that can be taught through university courses where students focus on developing innovative, research-based solutions. This project was focused on two teams in developing a strategic communication plan and establishing the Brandywine Farmers Market. This report centers on obtaining research by using communication to accomplish organizational goal of creating the Brandywine Farmers Market and principles/practices of field production of commercial horticultural crops, with emphasis on fruit and vegetable systems for the Brandywine Farmers Market.Prince George's County- Planning Department (PG PD

The evolution of postpollination reproductive isolation in Costus

Reproductive isolation is critical to the diversification of species. Postpollination barriers may be important in limiting gene flow between closely related species, but they are relatively cryptic and their evolution is poorly understood. Here, we review the role of postpollination reproductive isolation in plants, including the various stages at which it operates and the hypotheses for how it may evolve. We then review empirical studies in the plant genus Costus, evaluating documented postpollination barriers in light of these hypotheses. We summarize isolation due to parental style length differences and present evidence supporting the hypothesis that the differences are in part a by-product of selection on floral morphology. Additionally, we show that reduced pollen adhesion, germination, and tube growth contribute to reproductive isolation between two closely related sympatric species of Costus. Geographic variation in the strength of these crossing barriers supports the hypothesis that they evolved under reinforcement, or direct natural selection to strengthen isolation

Exploring the production of marginalizing behaviours in women who have sex with women

Our sexual self is learned across our lifespan. We learn what behaviour is acceptable and what behaviour is not. The things that we learn about our sexual self are steeped in hegemonic ideologies. Without conscious awareness, we then act out our sexual interactions with scripted behaviour which allows for mutual understanding between two parties but also women. Specifically, I examine the intragroup violence that is perpetrated through relational aggression using a sample of women who have sex with women (WSW). Interviewing WSW recounting interactions with potential paramours, participants were asked to discuss whether objectification was present in their experiences. A qualitative thematic analysis was performed on the interview scripts. The analysis identified several nodes of objectification. Using a combination of sexual script theory and film analysis, this research identifies the enactment of intragroup relational aggression tactics through the objectification of WSW by WSW. Objectification is one method of dehumanizing individuals. Objectifying paramours in the WSW communities’ acts as enforcement to conform others to the hegemonic ideologies of the groups. Further interrogation of the hegemonic ideologies of WSW communities brings forth an understanding of how these interactions are learned. This thesis explores the construction and enactment of ideologies that occur in interactions between women who have sex with women.Arts, Faculty ofGender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice, Institute forGraduat

Round Body into a Square Hole: Non-Heterosexual Women's Fatphobic Language in Dating App Profiles

Societal ideologies teach us that fatness is not a desirable quality in dating. We learn the rules to be sexually successful through our social environment and interactions. In exam-ining dating app profiles of non-heterosexual women, we illustrate the fatphobic language that is being used by daters. We categorized three types of daters: the Lifestyle Dater; the I’m Fat, but…Dater; and the Body Positive Dater. Our dating world is guided too much by image and not enough by the person themselves

Environmental impacts of extreme fast charging

As electric vehicles and their associated charging infrastructure continue to evolve, there is potential to simultaneous alleviate range and recharge concerns with the development of extreme fast chargers (XFC) that can fully charge batteries in PEVs in the span of a few minutes. Recent announcements from EVSE providers and vehicle manufacturers suggest that XFC charging stations, which can recharge a BEV at roughly 20 to 25 miles per minute of charging, and XFC-capable BEVs, could be commercially available within the next 5 years. Our study investigates the potential emission impacts of widespread use of extreme fast charging (350 kW) for electric vehicles in 2030. We conduct a novel vehicle charging simulation model by combining empirical charging behavior data across several data sources. These charging demands are then added as exogenous load to the Grid Optimized Operation Dispatch (GOOD) model, which simulates the operation of generators across the Untied States. We find that XFC can increase both greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollutants, though the results are sensitive to local contexts and grid composition

Exploring cultural economies of internationalisation : exploring the role of ‘iconic individuals’ and ‘brand leaders’ in global headhunting firms.

Understanding the internationalization of professional services like advertising, architecture, accounting, consulting and legal services continues to attract considerable attention in academic and policy circles. Research in geography and management studies has emphasized the different organizational strategies adopted by firms as they seek to develop and maintain a competitive position within an increasingly global economy. In this article we develop a new strand in this literature by adopting a cultural economy approach to argue that an important, yet comparatively neglected, aspect of the internationalization strategies of transnational professional service firms is the role of certain 'iconic individuals' and 'brand leaders' in influencing the practice of internationalization. Drawing on empirical research into the burgeoning European executive search (headhunting) industry we identify a cadre of such individuals and brand leaders that act as resources other firms leverage when internationalizing. This highlights the importance of a cultural economy perspective in theories of the internationalization of professional services and its value in moving discussions beyond purely economic analyses of competitive advantage

Pilot Program: Bilingual Training for Care and Management of Dairy Calves

This educational pilot program is being implemented to providetraining and education about care and management of dairy calves in English and Spanish.The language barrier among dairy owners, managers and employees limitsthe transfer of knowledge and training; this program seeks to bridge the gap and educate a sector of the dairy workforce to successfully raise dairy replacements. This is a collaborative effort between dairy extension specialists from Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska. Two dairy farms in Iowa and one in Nebraska served as pilot sites for a workshop addressing management practices and educating Hispanic dairy employees on topics such as importance of colostrum and its quality, proper use of esophageal feeders, and animal handling. Through these workshops, it was found that most employees had little to no experience handling calves prior to their current employment.In addition, many employees had limited training on proper proceduresincluding hygiene protocols, colostrum quality assessment and animal handling. Long term goals of this program include an on-line repository of educational and training material available in English and Spanish.</p