Ethical Research Primer for the Novice Researcher

As the research process is embarked upon, it is important that a novice researcher become well versed in ethical standards. Maintaining the highest level of ethical conduct is of paramount importance at all stages of the endeavor. Unethical behavior compromises research quality, slows the advancement of knowledge, and undermines societal trust. Thus, development of familiarity and expertise surrounding ethical complexities will enhance the chances of a successful and worthwhile research project. The purpose of this article is to create awareness of the ethical dilemmas novice researchers are faced with in maintaining the academic integrity of published works. The article explores the literature related to ethics in research, and provides a discussion of a number of ethical issues which threaten research quality

Hatching Asynchrony Occurs As A Byproduct Of Maintaining Egg Viability

For many organisms, embryonic development begins directly after an egg (ovum) has been fertilized by sperm; however, some organisms delay the onset of embryonic development until conditions are favorable for raising young. This delayed onset of development could occur by delaying implantation of fertilized ovum on the uterine wall, as seen in many mammals. Birds delay embryonic development by laying a set of fertilized ova over a period of consecutive days. These fertilized ova are protected from the ambient environment by an exterior shell, and it is in this shell outside of the female s body that embryonic development occurs, but only when females initiate incubation. The number of fertilized ova (eggs) that can be laid by a single female in a single clutch varies among and within bird species, and understanding this variation remains a vital, unanswered question in ornithology. A latitudinal gradient in clutch size is widely recognized, but the reason for this pattern is unclear. Some birds lay relatively large clutches over many days, thus we should expect that eggs could withstand fairly long exposure to ambient temperature and remain viable. However, recent evidence suggests that egg viability declines with increased exposure to ambient temperatures. The egg viability hypothesis predicts that eggs will fail to hatch if exposed to warm ambient temperatures for prolonged periods. I conducted a natural experiment to determine whether egg viability can explain site-specific variation in hatching failure. Hatching failure is higher in a suburban population of Florida Scrub-Jays than it is in a wildland population, possibly because suburban scrub-jays lay larger clutches. Scrub-jays, like many bird species, lay one egg per day and begin incubation with the last-laid egg, thus first-laid eggs in the larger suburban clutches should be exposed to the warm ambient temperatures of sub-tropical Florida longer than first-laid eggs in the smaller clutches typical of the wildland population. As predicted, I found hatching failure is higher in first-laid eggs in the suburbs, and these eggs experience increased exposure to warm ambient temperatures. At both sites, females appear to begin incubation earlier in the laying period as ambient temperatures increase seasonally, possibly to minimize exposure to warm ambient temperatures and minimize hatching failure in first-laid eggs. However, early onset of incubation causes eggs to hatch asynchronously ( \u3e 24 hours between the first and last-hatched egg), and hatching asynchrony increases within-brood size-asymmetries, which leads to an increased frequency of brood reduction (the nonrandom loss of last-hatched young because of starvation). Thus, a tradeoff may exist between beginning incubation earlier in the laying period to minimize hatching failure in first-laid eggs and delaying the onset of incubation to minimize hatching asynchrony and brood reduction. This tradeoff can have profound effects on avian clutch sizes, and may potentially explain the widely known negative relationship between latitude and clutch size

Examining the causes and consequences of variation in offspring growth and survival in an altricial bird

Understanding why parents often produce supernumerary offspring and increase the variation in offspring growth and survival is a fundamental question in evolutionary ecology. This behavior occurs primarily in species that live in unpredictable environments and is thought to be an adaptive strategy used by parents to maximize the number of offspring that survive to breed. In this dissertation, I explore both how and why female birds increase the variation in growth and survival of supernumerary offspring. To do this, I collected observational and experimental data over four years in a free-living population of house sparrows. In Chapter 2, I developed a novel technique to uncover variation in growth (e.g. mass change) not detected by conventional analyses. I show that variation in growth occurs when some offspring increase mass slowly, likely owing to a lack of food resources. Some of these offspring recover and increase mass rapidly to approach a similar pre-fledging mass as offspring that do not delay development, whereas others continue to increase mass slowly and are light at fledging. This plasticity in growth likely increases the number of high quality offspring that fledge. In Chapter 3, I tested whether female birds begin embryonic development (incubation) before all eggs are laid either 1) as an adaptive strategy to maximize the number of embryos that survive to hatch or 2) as an adaptive strategy to maximize the number or quality of hatched young that fledge. I show that early incubation occurs too late to maximize survival of all embryos but early enough to reduce growth and survival of late-hatched young. Thus, early incubation likely is a tradeoff between increasing embryo survival and maintaining growth and survival of late-hatched young. Overall, my dissertation shows that house sparrows exhibit considerable plasticity in offspring growth, and that early incubation likely maximizes the number of embryos that survive the incubation and nestling periods to fledge as high quality young. Thus, the variation in offspring growth caused by early incubation may occur as consequence of unique adaptations (prolonged oviposition and parental incubation) for offspring production and development in house sparrows and other birds.Doctor of Philosoph

Effect of Aqueous Alcohol Extracts of Bunch Diseased Pecan Shoots on Tomato Seed Germination and a Possible Cause of the Disease

Horticultur

Analysis of the Organization and Management of the Industrial Engineering Function

Industrial Engineering and Managemen

Low vorticity and small gas expansion in premixed flames

Different approaches to the nonlinear dynamics of premixed flames exist in the literature: equations based on developments in a gas ex- pansion parameter, weak nonlinearity approximation, potential model equation in a coordinate-free form. However the relation between these different equations is often unclear. Starting here with the low vor- ticity approximation proposed recently by one of the authors, we are able to recover from this formulation the dynamical equations usually obtained at the lowest orders in gas expansion for plane on average flames, as well as obtain a new second order coordinate-free equation extending the potential flow model known as the Frankel equation. It is also common to modify gas expansion theories into phenomelogical equations, which agree quantitatively better with numerical simula- tions. We discuss here what are the restrictions imposed by the gas expansion development results on this process

Maintaining Quality in Online Learning Environments: Issues and Challenges

The online classroom continues to play an ever increasing role in higher education. There are proven, research-based pedagogical techniques available to instructors who want to create online courses that are both dynamic and engaging. With careful planning, online learning can provide students with a positive learning experience without sacrificing the academic quality of learning. Addressing security issues and challenges is vital to maintaining the desired academic rigor and quality. This paper discusses these important security issues and offers a variety of solutions for facilitating a secure learning environment

Decreasing Variation in Cook Color of Ground Beef Patties Varying in Myoglobin and pH Using Acetic Acid and Hydrocolloid Solutions

The objective was to examine the use of acetic acid (AA) with xanthan gum (XG) or konjac flour (KF) to reduce variation in cooked color of ground beef patties varying in myoglobin and pH. Beef clods were selected from carcasses of young (<24 months, Y) and mature (>48 months, M) animals. Within each age category, high (>6.0, H) and normal pH (5.3-5.7, N) clods were chosen. Ground beef was prepared from each maturity/pH combination and treatments applied at 12% of the meat block: control (mixed only), 0.5% AA, 0.25% XG/0.5% AA, or 0.125% KF/0.5% AA. Dry and moist cooking was performed in a convection oven to internal temperatures: 65.6 degrees C, 71.1 degrees C, and 76.7 degrees C. Patties were held at 76.7 degrees C for up to 240 min in dry and moist environments. Internal (assessed at 0, 120, and 240 min of holding) and external (assessed every 30 min, 0 to 240 min of holding) color evaluations (CIE L*a*b*, visual doneness, and pink scores) were conducted. Three replications were performed. The YN patties had the most done appearance internally and the highest denatured myoglobin percentage. Generally, the YH and MN patties had responses between YN and MH got most variables. The MH patties had the highest internal a* color space values, lowest degree of doneness scores and low percentage of denatured myoglobin. The YN patties responded normally to the different internal temperatures achieved during cooking. The YH, MN, and MH patties had increased doneness to 71.1 degrees C and plateaued between 71.1 degrees C to 76.7 degrees C. Visual degree of doneness decreased during moist holding and this was most evident in dry cook/moist held patties. Patties from MH meat were not affected by the treatments as much as the other meat types. The inclusion of AA, XG/AA, and KF/AA in patties made from YH and MN can effectively reduce visible redness and increase myoglobin denaturation in comparison to the control YN beef patties. These ingredients could be viable options to reduce the variation that pH or myoglobin content imparts on ground beef patty cooked color, but as seen in the MH meat, treatment additions were not effective for overcoming both pH and high myoglobin content

Evaluating a First-Year Veterans Affairs Nurse Practitioner Residency Program: Analysis for Change

Background: The Veteran Affairs Portland Healthcare System (VAPORHCS) is experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians. To help meet this demand for primary care providers in outpatient clinics, VAPORHCS turned to nurse practitioners (NPs). A primary care nurse practitioner residency (PC-NPR) program was developed to support novice NP’s transition to practice. Purpose: To describe the development of evaluation tools and an evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of the PC-NPR program’s curriculum in supporting NP residents’ progression through the program and transition to practice utilizing accreditation standards. Methods: The development of evaluation tools using a combined approach guided by Meleis’ Transition Theory and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Program Evaluation Framework. Evaluation tools included a 12-item curriculum questionnaire developed from national accreditation pre-publication standards and a focus group interview. Results: There was a 54% (n=13) response rate. The questionnaire had some negative responses to three statements. The remaining responses were positive. The two main themes of the focus group were transition to practice support and curricular improvement. Conclusion: This evaluation contributed to a comprehensive program evaluation. Results are being used to make timely improvements to the program objectives and curriculum in preparation for seeking the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education national accreditation