Community Preparedness: Expanding Existing Partnerships With Academia to Build Resilience Through Experiential Learning

Background: Sustainability and mitigation in preparedness after grant money is gone has suddenly become a hot topic in the public health emergency preparedness world. By the same token, funding provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for individual preparedness initiatives has not had the desired mitigation impacts. The question becomes, are there alternative approaches that reach more individuals to build a culture of preparedness in communities? One solution involves the leveraging of academic and regional public health partnerships with their Medical Reserve Corps Units (MRC), to train college students in individual preparedness. The purpose of this study is to describe best practices and discuss the incorporation of experiential learning and training activities into an Introduction to Public Health course at the University of Georgia. It also describes the development of a strong academic and practice partnership though the use the agencies’ MRC units. Methods: Three experiential learning activities, rooted in the constructs of perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits and selfefficacy were introduced into the course. First, didactic elements addressing the purpose and structure of public health response, individual preparedness and the role of Medical Reserve Corps volunteers in response were incorporated. Second, the public health partner developed a lecture covering public health emergency preparedness and response using a real world-sheltering example and coupled it with a tabletop exercise. Finally, students were given a final exam option where they built a home emergency kit. Results: Over the course of 3 years, approximately 500 students have been trained in individual preparedness. Students have demonstrated an increased foundational knowledge about the Medical Reserve Corps and public health preparedness in general. Furthermore, this collaboration increased the numbers of new MRC Volunteers and provided for a strong academic practice partnership. Conclusions: Through this collaboration, more students know how to take care of themselves and their families, decreasing the number of potential well worried. This collaboration has also strengthened the ties between the two institutions, leading to more opportunities for partnership

Rediscovering Toscanini: The Man Behind the Legend

Focuses on the Don Gillis Collection, which the University of North Texas Music Library acquired after Gillis\u27s death in 1978. Gillis, a longtime associate of Arturo Toscanini, served as the conductor\u27s assistant and the producer for the NBC Symphony broadcast concerts from 1944 until they ended ten years later. The collection includes hundreds of tape recordings, among them complete tapes of the NBC Radio programsToscanini: The Man Behind the Legend and Toscanini: The Centennial Series, and the interviews conducted for these two programs

Variation on a Traditional Theme: The Question of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in MLA

Following the findings from the MLA Survey of Personnel Characteristics, 2009 that pointed to discrepancies between the racial and ethnic diversity of MLA members and the general population, an analysis of the diversity of MLA’s patron base and an assessment of other organizations\u27 efforts at diversity are analyzed. Recommendations for efforts by MLA to address these discrepancies as well as justification for making such efforts follow

Survey of Music-Library Personnel Characteristics, 2009

Results from the 2009 Music Library Association (MLA) Survey of Personnel Characteristics are presented and analyzed. Areas covered include education and training, status and salaries, professional activities, and demographics of MLA members. In each area, comparisons are made to results from the study of the same name conducted in 1997

FEARING ONLINE IDENTITY THEFT: A SEGMENTATION STUDY OF ONLINE CUSTOMERS

The growth of online transactions coincides with the rise of cyber-criminals’ intent on stealing con-sumers’ personal and financial data. This fosters fear of online identity theft (FOIT), which in turn may lead to changes in consumer behavior and negatively affect e-business performance. This re-search aims to identify empirically derived segments of FOIT-prone consumers. Using a large sample of online shoppers, four distinct clusters are identified—‘less fearful shoppers’, ‘strong fear but ignor-ing shoppers’, ‘fearless shoppers’, and ‘fearful shoppers’. The clusters differ significantly with respect to primary cluster variables as well as numerous secondary cluster variables. The relevance of FOIT for segmenting online consumers and theoretical implications for IS research are discussed

Age-period-cohort analysis for trends in body mass index in Ireland

Background: Obesity is a growing problem worldwide and can often result in a variety of negative health outcomes. In this study we aim to apply partial least squares (PLS) methodology to estimate the separate effects of age, period and cohort on the trends in obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI). Methods. Using PLS we will obtain gender specific linear effects of age, period and cohort on obesity. We also explore and model nonlinear relationships of BMI with age, period and cohort. We analysed the results from 7,796 men and 10,220 women collected through the SLAN (Surveys of Lifestyle, attitudes and Nutrition) in Ireland in the years 1998, 2002 and 2007. Results: PLS analysis revealed a positive period effect over the years. Additionally, men born later tended to have lower BMI (-0.026 kg·m-2 yr-1, 95% CI: -0.030 to -0.024) and older men had in general higher BMI (0.029 kg·m -2 yr-1, 95% CI: 0.026 to 0.033). Similarly for women, those born later had lower BMI (-0.025 kg·m-2 yr-1, 95% CI: -0.029 to -0.022) and older women in general had higher BMI (0.029 kg·m-2 yr-1, 95% CI: 0.025 to 0.033). Nonlinear analyses revealed that BMI has a substantial curvilinear relationship with age, though less so with birth cohort. Conclusion: We notice a generally positive age and period effect but a slightly negative cohort effect. Knowing this, we have a better understanding of the different risk groups which allows for effective public intervention measures to be designed and targeted for these specific population subgroups

An international empirical comparison of in-store information search antecedents for a Christmas gift

This study examines the underlying determinants of in-store information search for a Christmas clothing gift, specifically focusing on cultural differences. A self-administered survey, containing personality, situational and demographic measures, was distributed to actual consumers residing in three culturally similar nations: Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Measurement items were factor analyzed, and country sample differences were assessed using chi-square tests, ANOVAs, MANCOVAs, and multiple regression analyses. Three distinct and reliable indices of in-store information search emerged (macro information search, micro information search, and salesclerk help), along with twenty-two independent factors (eleven personality and eleven situational). Country sample differences were found with respect to the influence of various antecedent factors on information search. Unexpected differences with respect to total information acquisition were also obtained: Canadian subjects achieved higher aggregate search scores than either American or British subjects. Furthermore, information search patterns were found to vary between males and females, and between different age groups. Practical implications and directions for future research are also discussed

Theme and Variation: The Survey of MLA Personnel Characteristics

Presentation at annual national meeting of the Music Library Association, San Diego, CA, March 201

Effect of stratification and geometrical spreading on sonic boom rise time

The purpose of our investigation is to determine the effect of unsteadiness (not associated with turbulence) on rise time. The unsteadiness considered here is due to (1) geometrical spreading, (2) stratification, which includes variation in density, temperature, and relative humidity, and (3) N shaped waveform. A very general Burgers equation, which includes all these effects, is the propagation model for our study. The equation is solved by a new computational algorithm in which all the calculations are done in the time domain. The present paper is a progress report in which some of the factors contributing to unsteadiness are studied, namely geometrical spreading and variation in relative humidity. The work of Pierce and Kang, which motivated our study, is first reviewed. We proceed with a discussion of the Burgers equation model and the algorithm for solving the equation. Some comparison tests to establish the validity of the algorithm are presented. The algorithm is then used to determine the distance required for a steady-state shock, on encountering an abrupt change in relative humidity, to reach a new steady state based on the new humidity. It is found that the transition distance for plane shocks of amplitude 70 Pa is about 4 km when the change in relative humidity is 10 percent. Shocks of amplitude 140 Pa require less distance. The effect of spherical and cylindrical spreading is also considered. We demonstrate that a spreading shock wave never reaches steady state and that its rise time will be less than the equivalent steady state shock. Finally we show that an N wave has a slightly shorter rise time than a step shock of the same amplitude