Minnesota 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge: Infusing Agricultural Science and Engineering Concepts into 4-H Youth Development

Youth involved in 4-H projects have been engaged in science-related endeavors for years. Since 2006, 4-H has invested considerable resources in the advancement of science learning. The new Minnesota 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge program challenges 4-H youth to work together to identify agriculture-related issues in their communities and to work with local experts, using scientific and engineering principles, to devise real solutions for those issues. The Minnesota 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge program has the potential to change the way scientific and engineering principles are integrated into 4-H youth development programming

Do Patients with Craniosynostosis Have an Increased Incidence of Auditory Neuropathy as Newborns?

Neuroscience - Vision & Functional Brain Imaging Poster SessionOBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of auditory neuropathy, abnormal auditory brainstem response (ABR) with normal otoacoustic emissions, in newborn patients with craniosynostosis as compared to published standards. DESIGN: A retrospective review of consecutive patients with single or multiple-suture craniosynostosis who were seen between 2002 and 2009. Patients identified by the diagnostic code of craniosynostosis were divided into groups based on suture involvement. The newborn ABR screening and, if patients were referred, diagnosis from audiologic diagnostic testing were obtained from the Missouri Department of Health. Institutional review board approval was obtained. PATIENTS: One hundred and thirty-five patients were identified. Seventy-two were excluded; 3 were listed as “missed” and 69 were not born in-state. The 63 patients included in the study were grouped by involved sutures: 2 left coronal, 7 right coronal, 2 nonsyndromic bicoronal, 3 syndromic bicoronal, 13 sagittal, 17 operative metopic, 15 nonoperative metopic, 1 pansynostosis, and 3 multiple-suture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The newborn screening results for each patient were recorded as well as the diagnosis from audiologic diagnostics if the patient was referred. RESULTS: Of the 63 patients, 94% (59/63) passed their ABR screening. Four were referred for diagnostic exam in both ears. Of those, one had a normal exam (right coronal) and three did not have diagnostic exams on file (right coronal, bicoronal syndromic and bicoronal non-syndromic). CONCLUSIONS: According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1.8 percent of newborns failed their ABR screening in 2007. Of those, 37% were found to have normal hearing on diagnostic exam. Although our study was inconclusive due to inadequate state records, it does demonstrate an increased incidence in abnormal ABR's in patients with coronal craniosynostosis. This is consistent with a recent publication that demonstrated higher incidence of abnormal ABR's in syndromic coronal craniosynostosis. If auditory abnormalities are present at birth, as our study suggests, the etiology would be unrelated to increased intracranial pressures

How Nationality, Weather, Wind, and Distance Affect Consumer Willingness to Fly in Autonomous Airplanes

Several studies have examined passengers’ trust in human-operated systems versus autonomous systems. Prior studies have also reported cultural differences among individuals from India and the United States. The purpose of this study was to investigate how nationality, weather, wind, and distance affect passengers’ willingness to fly in autonomous aircraft. Participants included 161 volunteers from the United States and 137 volunteers from India. In 12 different conditions, participants were asked to rate their willingness to fly in an autonomous aircraft, given information about the weather (sunny, raining, or snowing), the wind level (no wind versus strong wind), and the flight distance (short flight versus long flight). These conditions were presented randomly to each participant. Subsequently, participants were asked qualitative, open-ended questions. The results indicated that Indian participants were generally positive about autonomous commercial flights, except in the most extreme conditions. American participants were generally negative about autonomous commercial flights, except in perfect conditions. Participants were also asked their opinions on advantages of automation, disadvantages of automation, and specific weather concerns. Implications for the findings are discussed

Perceptions of public school: a quantitative study comparing and contrasting the way current students and dropouts view school success factors

The purpose of this study is to identify factors that are necessary for school success. The purpose of identifying these factors is to provide schools a basis to build strategies that prevent students from dropping out of school. This study reviewed the literature to identify factors that contribute to dropping out of schools and factors that contribute to school success. During the review of the research literature, it was discovered that The Quaglia Institute has completed over 20 years of research on student aspirations. The Quaglia Institute’s research identified 8 Conditions that make a difference in student success. The Quaglia Institute claims that these 8 Conditions need to be in place in order for students to be successful in school. This study investigated whether students who had dropped out of school perceived the 8 Conditions the same or differently than students who were still enrolled in school. The study was conducted using a multifocus affective inventory and subsequent statistical analysis. The multifocus affective inventory was given to 991 enrolled students in a rural North Carolina high school and to 41 students who had dropped out of that same high school. A chi-square analysis was performed to see if there were statistically significant differences between the observed frequencies and the expected frequencies on each individual question. An independent t-test was performed on the grouped means to see if there was a statistically significant difference in the means of questions grouped by each dimension of the 8 Conditions. Conclusions drawn as result of the study were mixed. Research of the literature confirmed the importance of the 8 Conditions in the lives of students. Conclusions drawn from the statistical analysis were varied. “Confidence to Take Action” and “The Role of the Parent” showed statically significant differences in both the chi-square analysis and the t-test. Despite not having statistically significant t-test results on the entire scale, the dimensions of “Spirit of Adventure,” “Sense of Accomplishment,” and “Belonging” all had a majority of questions with statistically significant chi-square results indicating enrolled students had a higher perception of those dimensions in their lives than did dropouts. While three of the dimensions did not have statistically different t-test or chi-square results: “Curiosity and Creativity,” “Fun and Excitement,” and “Heroes,” their importance was supported by the literature

Safety Criminalization

A key to maintaining top safety levels in aviation is being able to identify and solve problems before they develop into accidents. Aviation has traditionally assumed a “just culture” where admitting errors is encouraged and punishment is withheld (excluding intentional acts). However, in recent years some countries have pursued criminal charges against pilots. A concern in the aviation safety community is whether or not the increase in criminal charges against pilots will have the unintended consequence of destroying just culture and actually result in a safety decrease across the industry. Additionally, no prior study which we are aware of has investigated this topic from an empirical standpoint. Therefore, the purpose of this research study is to identify the perceptions of passengers on whether or not criminal charges should be filed against pilots for varying accidents and by the gender of the participant. The preliminary findings indicate that passenger’s perceptions towards criminalization of pilots does significantly vary based on the type of accident scenario. There was no significant difference based on participant gender. The study identifies the practical applications of these findings and provides recommendations for future research

Regular-fat dairy and human health:A Synopsis of Symposia presented in Europe and North America (2014-2015)

In recent history, some dietary recommendations have treated dairy fat as an unnecessary source of calories and saturated fat in the human diet. These assumptions, however, have recently been brought into question by current research on regular fat dairy products and human health. In an effort to disseminate, explore and discuss the state of the science on the relationship between regular fat dairy products and health, symposia were programmed by dairy industry organizations in Europe and North America at The Eurofed Lipids Congress (2014) in France, The Dairy Nutrition Annual Symposium (2014) in Canada, The American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting held in conjunction with Experimental Biology (2015) in the United States, and The Federation of European Nutrition Societies (2015) in Germany. This synopsis of these symposia describes the complexity of dairy fat and the effects regular-fat dairy foods have on human health. The emerging scientific evidence indicates that the consumption of regular fat dairy foods is not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and inversely associated with weight gain and the risk of obesity. Dairy foods, including regular-fat milk, cheese and yogurt, can be important components of an overall healthy dietary pattern. Systematic examination of the effects of dietary patterns that include regular-fat milk, cheese and yogurt on human health is warranted

Concept Vocabularies in Programmer Sociolects (Work in Progress)

International audienceThe code a programmer writes plays a key role in communicating the intent and purpose of that code. However little is known about how this process is influenced by sociological factors. Does a programmer's background, experience, or even gender affect how they write computer programs? Understanding this may offer valuable information to software developers and educators. In this initial phase of research we focus on experience and writing, while upcoming phases will incorporate reading and comprehension. In this paper we discuss an early experiment looking at how years of programming experience might influence identifier formation

‘Music is my AK-47’: performing resistance in Belfast's rebel music scene

This article examines how some Irish republicans have used ‘rebel songs’ as a means to resist the hegemonic power of the British state, and how militant republicanism is invoked musically, through sonic and physical references to gunfire. It explores how the use of rebel songs has changed, the inherent tensions within today's scene, and how republicans attempt to co‐opt other conflicts as a means to strengthen their claim as resistance fighters. The article also analyses more nuanced resistances within the rebel music scene, exploring how competing republican factions use the same music to express opposing political positions, and why some musicians ultimately leave the scene on account of the musical and political restrictions placed upon them. In so doing, the article connects with ongoing attempts to rethink, remap, and develop new approaches to resistance within anthropology, while contributing to the developing subfield of ‘ethnomusicology in times of trouble’