Insecurity, Identity, and Indifference: Uncovering the Challenges of the East Grand Business Corridor

In the effort to update the neighborhood plan for the Capitol East neighborhood in Des Moines, Iowa, the task of including the opinion of all stakeholders has been a key part of the process. The plan priority areas of housing, infrastructure, youth engagement and community building, not only have an affect on local residents but also on local businesses, visitors, institutions, and organizations among others involved in the neighborhood. The inclusion in the process of the perspectives of the stakeholders is vital for the ultimate success of the plan. Because of the critical role that the East Grand commercial corridor plays in the economic and cultural life of the Capitol East neighborhood, we wanted to obtain the perspective of the current occupants about both the current conditions in the neighborhood as well as the opportunities for neighborhood improvement

Graduate Students Research Presentation Series

Economic Integration of Immigrant Populations: The Latino/a Experience in Des Moines, Iowa Abstract: Iowa has become a new gateway destination for Latinos/as, and the state has benefited from the influx of these immigrants given existing demographic trends that include brain drain, aging populations, and shrinking communities. This growth has led to the development of Latino/a entrepreneurship and business, creating commercial niches with high potential for economic development and revitalization in Iowan communities. However, the distribution of Latinos/as in the labor force remains concentrated in low-wage sectors of the economy. The lack of state and federal involvement to facilitate the economic integration of Latinos/as in the receiving communities partially explains this concentration. In order to overcome the public sector non-action status, the burden to promote economic integration is shifting to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Yet, a few facts remain unclear with regards to NGOs participation in immigrant economic integration efforts in the City of Des Moines: 1) whether or not there is a network of support created by local actors; and 2) what type of effects this network has on the economic integration of the Latino/a population. Within this context, the main objective of my creative component project will be to examine the existence of a potential network of support in Des Moines from the supply side (i.e., the network of support) and the demand side (i.e., Latinos/as that have a job or are looking for a job). My ultimate goal is to propose recommendations to minimize obstacles that may exist and enhance opportunities for future Latino/a economic integration. I believe that the results of my project will bring awareness to the need for culturally sensible planning efforts for immigrant integration in new gateway destinations

An Exploration of Interactions between Institutional Agents and College Students who are Undocumented in the U.S.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the awareness, knowledge, and skills of institutional agents who interact with college students who are undocumented, to inform professional development and practice. Through a survey and interviews, participants revealed familiarity with students who are undocumented and discussed the support provided to them. All interview participants understood the experience of assisting students who are undocumented, as evidenced by six major themes: (a) an understanding of student financial needs, (b) recognizing students\u27 anxiety, (c) providing consistent guidance, (d) establishing supportive collaborations, (e) gaining foundational knowledge, and (f) sharing professional development with others. Participants described the overwhelming financial needs of students who are undocumented as a barrier to their educational persistence. Participants also faced policy and legal limitations and lack of funding, which prevented them from assisting all students. The collaborative nature of higher education meant participants often had to rely on other professionals at their institutions to navigate policies and procedures. Participants expressed an essential responsibility to share information and engage in dialogue with other faculty and staff due to misinformation surrounding this population. The study concludes with suggestions for practice and further research

Mitochondrial DNA in somatic and germinal cells of male rats, and embryo transfer between donors and recipients of known mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial inheritance, in contrast to the nuclear inheritance, is only maternal. In order to evaluate the role of mitochondria in early embryonic development and the potential impact of cytoplasmic inheritance on genetic improvement of livestock species, a series of studies were undertaken using the rat as the experimental model. Two types (A and B) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were identified in the rats used in this study, and a rat colony was developed which contained animals with both mtDNA types. In experiment 1, for each of the 12 rats used, the liver and testicular mitochondrial preparations shared the same type of mtDNA, suggesting that mtDNA is not altered during differentiation of the male gonad. Using offspring from parents of known mtDNA type, we confirmed that they only contain the mtDNA type of the mother, suggesting that either the paternal mitochondria are not transmitted to the offspring or that the mtDNA from the spermatozoal mitochondria is diluted to levels below detection. Differences in mitochondrial morphology were found in rate somatic and germinal cells;In experiment 2, rat embryos were transferred to recipients with the same or different type of mtDNA. The mtDNA of the recipient did not affect the number of females that remained pregnant to term (pregnancy rate) or the number of offspring born. Embryo survival to weaning day was affected (P 0.05). The total number of embryos recovered from the donors and the stage of embryonic development were not affected (P \u3e 0.05) by the type of mtDNA. Similarly, the type of mtDNA did not affect the length of pregnancy, the number of pups born, the numbers of pups weaned, and the weight of male pups at weaning day providing additional evidence to conclude that a difference of mtDNA between embryo and recipient is not a factor to be considered when embryo transfers are to be performed. On this basis, the significantly greater weight at weaning for female pups may not reflect a true biological effect caused by differences on the mtDNA type

A Network for Economic Integration of Immigrants: Supporting Latino/as in Des Moines, IA

Presentation made at Latinos in the Heartland (13th : 2015 : Columbia, Mo.) and published in the annual conference proceedings.Iowa has become a new gateway destination for Latinos/as, demonstrated by a five-fold increase in the Latino/a population in the state since the 1990s. The Latino/a population has become the largest minority group in Iowa and the state has benefited from the influx of this population given existing demographic trends that include brain drain, aging populations, and shrinking communities. This growth has led to the development of Latino/a entrepreneurship and businesses, creating commercial niches with high potential for economic development and revitalization in Iowan communities. However, the distribution of Latinos/as in the labor force remains concentrated in low-wage sectors of the economy. The lack of state and federal involve-ment to facilitate the economic integration of Latinos/as in the receiving communities partially explains this concentration. In order to overcome the public sector non-action status, the efforts to promote economic integration is shifting to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Using a context of reception framework, which refers to the existing modes of integration at the receiving locations, my research studies the formal nongovernmental actors that contribute to the integration of Latinos/as in the City of Des Moines. A qualitative approach was used to examine four overall research questions: 1) Who are the formal NGO stakeholders involved in the network of support for economic integration? 2) What are the NGOs currently doing to assist with the economic integration of the Latino/a population? 3) How do the NGOs perform with regards to provision of services and opportunities? and 4) Do the NGOs collaborate and form partnerships within the network? This paper focuses on the third question by examining the services provided to support economic integration. A segmented assimilation approach was used, focusing on the societal level of the reception context. By examining the existing network of support, which was influenced by the reception context, the study concluded that the societal mode of incorporation was not sufficient to contribute to producing a strong network of support. Recommendations include strengthening public sector involvement in a culturally sensitive way in the network of support for the Latino/a population; expanding jobs and mobility services and opportunities; and improving access to services by simplifying and expanding qualifications. A multistate conference about integration of immigrants Proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference Latinos in the Heartland: Growing Together in New Destination Areas www.cambio.missouri.edu/Library/ Keywords: Latino, economic integration, nongovernmental organizations, multi-sector mobility, qualitative, new destination

Who chooses my future?The Role of Personality and Acculturation in First and Later Generation Immigrant College Students’ Career Decision Making

Career choice is often reflected by a student’s choice of major. Personality, vocational interests, and cultural influences are also significant factors in the process of choosing a major. For Latino students, maintaining cultural norms is an important part of career choice, although the influence of cultural norms tends to decrease from first to later generations. The current study examined the influences of acculturation and personality (introversion/extraversion) among 57 Latino/Hispanics students: first-generation immigrant students, those who migrated to the US during childhood/adolescence, and later generation students. We hypothesized that later-generation students are more likely to major in business and social sciences, while first-generation students would be more likely to major in STEM. We found that 75% of first-generation students were business majors; while only 24.49% of later-generation students’ were business majors. Among both groups personality appears to be is more closely related to choice of major than acculturation

Intimate partner violence: Early adverse experiences in male offenders

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) significantly impact social, behavioral and health problems over the lifetime. Research has found that early exposure to adverse experiences are linked to subsequent long term outcomes such as intimate partner violence (IPV). However, there is relatively limited qualitative research on the early experiences in the lives of intimate partner perpetrators. Therefore, through a life-course theoretical lens, this study aims to understand early lived experiences of IPV perpetrators. A content analysis was performed on interviews with 112 men convicted for domestic violence. From this analysis three interconnected themes emerged: (1) family history of criminality, (2) disrupted relationships with parents, and (3) youth misbehavior. Understanding the early life histories of men who have been arrested for domestic assault is crucial as it helps to recognize context potentially influencing their current situation. The results highlight the need to critically investigate the early lives of perpetrators of IPV for prevention and intervention purposes

Fretting fatigue in steel bolted connections

The steelwork in a potash mineshaft is subjected to repeated lateral loads due to the lateral motion of the cages and skips that transport personnel, ore, and equipment up and down the mineshaft. As a result, the steel assemblies, including their bolted connections, must be designed to prevent failure due to fatigue. However, due to uncertainty regarding the fatigue behaviour of the connections, designers must take a very conservative approach, which could result in an uneconomical design. The main objective of this research was to determine the fatigue behaviour of slipcritical bolted connections when different bolt types and surface finishes are used. A325 high strength bolts and C50LR Huck tension control bolts were used as the different bolt types. As-received mill scale steel plates (Class A surface finish) and blast-cleaned surfaces with a Cathacoat 302HB coating (Class B surface finish) were used as the different finishes. A digital image correlation system, as well as optical and scanning electron microscopic examination were used to characterize the modes of failure of the specimens. Bolted connections assembled with the Class A surface finish failed due to fretting fatigue damage and crack initiation took place some distance away from the hole in a partial slip region between a stick region adjacent to the bolt hole and a gross slip region further from the hole where the relative motion between the plates was highest. On the other hand, specimens with the Class B surface finish failed due to bending fatigue caused by the eccentricity between the tension forces in the plates in the single-lap bolted joints, and crack initiation took place at the hole edge where the stress concentration was higher. The bolt type did not have a large effect on the fatigue behaviour, except that the tension in the tension control bolts may have been slightly higher, resulting in a slight improvement in the fatigue life. In general, the fatigue life results were lower than those in the S-N curve given in CSA S16-14, differing from the standard curve by an increasing margin as the stress range increased due to the effects of bending within the specimens

Food waste and its association with diet quality of foods purchased in south florida

The objective of this study was to explore the associations between food waste and the diet quality of foods purchased and with grocery purchasing behaviors. This was a cross-sectional study among 109 primary household food providers conducting primary shopping. Participants were recruited outside of local grocery stores and were asked to complete a survey assessing amounts of avoidable food waste and grocery purchasing behaviors. The diet quality of the foods purchased was assessed from grocery receipts using the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016). Variables were associated using linear regression, analysis of covariance, and point biserial correlations. We found that fresh fruits (63%) and leafy greens (70%) were the foods that were the most wasted. The GPQI-2016 total score was significantly inversely associated with the total amount of food wasted (β = −0.63; 95% CI: −1.14,−0.12) after adjusting for important confounders. The reason “food past the date printed on the package” was directly correlated with food wasted (r = 0.40; p \u3c 0.01) but inversely correlated with GPQI-2016 score (r = −0.21; p = 0.04). Food wasted, but not the GPQI-2016 score, was significantly higher among those who grocery shop 2–4 times per week compared to 1 time every 1–2 weeks (p = 0.02). In conclusion, food waste is inversely associated with diet quality and directly associated with grocery purchasing frequency

Respuesta agronómica del cultivo zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.), con la aplicación de abonos orgánicos en la parroquia Nueva Unión del cantón Valencia provincia de Los Ríos.

The main objective of the research project was to evaluate the agronomic response of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.), with the application of two types of organic fertilizers (Humus and Biol), with a categorical treatment called control. ), with the application of two types of organic fertilizers (Humus and Biol), with a categorical treatment called control, using a completely randomized block design with 7 replications, 2 treatments and a control, with a total of 21 plots, taking into account that each plot has a number of 5 plants each, in which the 21 plots were divided by lot into 3 equal parts, giving us a total of 105 plants, carrying out an economic valuation of the treatments in their totality used in the variables to analyze, investigate and interpret and determine their economic value during the 16 weeks, obtaining data based on plant height (cm), stem diameter (cm), leaf circumference (cm), number of leaves, days of flowering, number of flowers per plant, number of fruits per plant and fruit weight in grams, where the best results were obtained by the crop that was applied the organic fertilizer represented by code T1 (Humus) at all times from transplanting the crop until harvest, the benefit/cost ratio reached with better results through the application mentioned above, with a value of 1.17 USD in favor (for each dollar reached 1.17 USD).El proyecto de investigación se realizó en la Parroquia Nueva Unión del Cantón Valencia, Provincia de Los Ríos, con el objetivo principal de evaluar la respuesta agronómica de cultivo zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.), con la aplicación de dos tipos de abonos orgánicos (Humus y Biol), con un tratamiento categórico denominado testigo, realizándolo en bloques con un diseño completamente al azar con 7 repeticiones, 2 tratamientos y un testigo, con un total de 21 parcelas, teniendo en cuenta que cada parcela tienen una cantidad de 5 plantas cada uno, en la cual se dividió en forma de sorteo las 21 parcelas en 3 partes iguales, dándonos un total de 105 plantas, llevándolo a cabo con una valorización económica de los tratamientos en su totalidad empleados en las variables para analizar, investigar e interpretar y determinar su valor económico durante las 16 semanas, obteniendo datos en base a la altura de la planta (cm), diámetro del tallo (cm), circunferencia foliar (cm), número de hojas, días de la floración, números de flores por planta, número de frutos por planta y peso del fruto en gramos, donde los mejores resultados las obtuvieron el cultivo que se aplicó el abono orgánico representado con el código T1 (Humus) en todo momento desde trasplantar el cultivo hasta su cosecha, la relación beneficios/Costos alcanzó con mejores resultados mediante la aplicación antes mencionada, con un valor de 1,17 USD a favor (por cada dólar se alcanzó 1,17 USD)