Follow-Up of Mechanized Agriculture Graduates at Texas A&M University

Agricultural Educatio

All Means All … Maybe: MTSS Policy and Practice Across States in the United States

Across the United States, State Education Agencies (SEAs) are using tiered strategies, such as Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) frameworks, to ensure that all students, including diverse learners, receive equal, high-quality education. However, little is known about the extent to which SEAs are encouraging use of MTSS to address the needs of students with moderate-to-severe cognitive disabilities. The present study aimed to examine how SEAs conceptualize and support the implementation of MTSS as an approach to inclusionary education. Data were collected through interviews with key informants in SEAs across 19 states. Members of the research team identified and coded portions of interview transcripts that related to legal requirements for MTSS at the state level, local control as an enabler of or impediment to states’ MTSS work, and levels of inclusiveness in MTSS provisions. Three criteria emerged as important to MTSS inclusiveness: (1) inclusiveness in the espoused MTSS scope; (2) extensiveness of inclusive MTSS practices; and (3) specific application of MTSS to students with significant cognitive disabilities. Analyses showed variability across states regarding their commitment to an MTSS approach across the three domains of inclusiveness. Findings showed the value of developing and disseminating MTSS models offering tiered support for all students and the need for SEA offices to engage in collaborative efforts to support the implementation of inclusive MTSS models. The study also raised questions about the role of rhetoric (i.e., All means all ) in promoting or hindering increased inclusiveness in MTSS implementation

The discriminator domain : does it reside at the C-terminus or the N-terminus of Escherichia coli Lon?

The mechanisms of substrate recognition by regulatory proteases are not well understood. Presently, two opposing models have arisen to describe E. coil Lon's ability to discriminate between substrates: one suggests the N-terminus involvement while the second suggests the C-terminus involvement. In this project, the role of the C-terminal domain as it relates to the recognition of Lon's normal physiological substrates RcsA, an activator of colanic acid capsular polysaccharide, and SulA, an inhibitor of cell division, was addressed. Using site-directed mutagenesis, five mutations in Lon (R537G, E538A, GS40W, R542G, R542P) were isolated. Their phenotypic impact was either similar in character to wildtype Lon (R537G, E538A) or Δlon cells (G540W, R542G, R542P). The stabilization of both RcsA and SulA based on phenotypic assays and immunological detection of lon* strains (G540W, R542G, R542P) suggests the C-terminal domain may be involved in substrate degradation as opposed to discriminator activity

GIS mapping of retail food access to assess risks of (chronic and acute) illness in populations of different socioeconomic status

Characteristics of the built environment, including availability and type of retail food outlets, vary with area poverty. This affects consumption patterns of area residents and may, in turn, affect both local incidence of obesity and rates of food borne illness. This research utilizes a unique approach to analyze retail food access and food safety risk. Geographic information systems (GIS) were used to plot retail food listings, from two databases, and foodservice critical health code violations (CHV) over poverty in Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania.Retail listings were purchased from Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) and identified using inspection records from the Philadelphia Health Department (PDPH). Addresses were geocoded to census tracts (N=368). Tracts were classified into quintiles using Census Bureau poverty data. GIS overlay analysis was used to group locations within tracts.To examine degree of retail food access produced by both data sources, Chi-square statistic was utilized to test interaction between poverty and store type. Using either database (D&B, N=4,263; PHD, N=5,847), a significant interaction was found between poverty and the distribution of food markets, indicating that rates of all grocery stores, including corner markets, were highest in high poverty areas. Further analysis revealed that high poverty areas contained both lower percentages of chain markets and supermarkets compared to low poverty areas. Though fast food was more prevalent in high poverty areas versus low, the interaction between poverty and the distribution of fast-food and full service restaurants was only significant using PDPH but not D&B. Significant differences in distances to convenience and grocery stores were similar between datasets. However, D&B failed to show significant differences in travel distance to supermarkets across poverty groups, while lowest poverty groups (highest income) weresignificantly different from other groups using PDPH. Significant differences in distance to fast food and full service restaurants between poverty groups were similar using both datasets. However, the relative literature-established direction of the relationship between poverty and proximity to fast food restaurants was conserved using PDPH but not D&B.To examine distribution of CHV, PDPH inspection records from 2005 to 2008 for all public foodservice locations (N=10,859) were analyzed. Less than half (46.5%) of facilities had an average of zero CHV. The average rate of CHV for all foodservice facilities was 0.765 per inspection. Rates of CHV across poverty groups were significantly greater in the lowest poverty (highest income) group at 0.93 (0.04) compared to other groups. Average days between inspection was also significantly greater in the two lowest poverty (highest income) groups compared to higher poverty groups.These results confirm an association of increased access to chain food markets for low poverty areas and increased access to corner markets/groceries for high poverty areas in Philadelphia. Furthermore, results suggest that data source can affect the assessment of food environments and subsequent interpretation of degree of impact on residents’ health. These results also indicate an association of higher rates of violations and longer periods between inspections with lowest poverty rates. This study demonstrates the use of GIS technology to assess food safety risks and the novel comparison of two data sources to assess community food access.M.S., Human Nutrition -- Drexel University, 201

Dietary Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are Related to Impulse Control and Anterior Cingulate Function in Adolescents

Impulse control, an emergent function modulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC), helps to dampen risky behaviors during adolescence. Influences on PFC maturation during this period may contribute to variations in impulse control. Availability of omega-3 fatty acids, an essential dietary nutrient integral to neuronal structure and function, may be one such influence. This study examined whether intake of energy-adjusted long-chain omega-3 fatty acids [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] was related to variation in impulse control and PFC activity during performance of an inhibitory task in adolescents (n = 87; 51.7% female, mean age 13.3 ± 1.1 years) enrolled in a longitudinal neuroimaging study. Intake of DHA + EPA was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and adjusted for total energy intake. Inhibitory control was assessed using caregiver rating scale (BRIEF Inhibit subscale) and task performance (false alarm rate) on a Go/No-Go task performed during functional MRI. Reported intake of long-chain omega-3 was positively associated with caregiver ratings of adolescent ability to control impulses (p = 0.017) and there was a trend for an association between intake and task-based impulse control (p = 0.072). Furthermore, a regression of BOLD response within PFC during successful impulse control (Correct No-Go versus Incorrect No-Go) with energy-adjusted DHA + EPA intake revealed that adolescents reporting lower intakes display greater activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate, potentially suggestive of a possible lag in cortical development. The present results suggest that dietary omega-3 fatty acids are related to development of both impulse control and function of the dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus in normative adolescent development. Insufficiency of dietary omega-3 fatty acids during this developmental period may be a factor which hinders development of behavioral control

Oestrogen-mediated cardioprotection following ischaemia and reperfusion is mimicked by an oestrogen receptor (ER)α agonist and unaffected by an ERβ antagonist

Oestrogen protects the heart from ischaemic injury. The current study aims to characterise two novel oestrogen receptor (ER) ligands, an ERα agonist ERA-45 and an ERβ antagonist ERB-88, and then use them to investigate the roles of ERα and ERβ in mediating the cardioprotection by E from ischaemia–reperfusion injury in the rat. The ER ligands were characterised by gene transactivation assay using ER-transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and in bioavailability studies in vivo. Female rats (n=48) were ovariectomised and implanted with 17β-oestradiol (17βE2) releasing or placebo pellets. ERA-45, ERB-88 or vehicle was administered for 5 days prior to ischaemia–reperfusion studies. Necrosis, neutrophil infiltration (myeloperoxidase activity) and oxidant stress production (electron paramagnetic resonance) from the area-at-risk were measured to assess reperfusion injury. The ERα agonist ERA-45 showed more than 35-fold selectivity for ERα compared with ERβ gene transactivation. In vitro, the ERβ antagonist ERB-88 inhibited transactivation by 17βE2 via ERβ with 46-fold selectivity relative to inhibition via ERα. In vivo, 17βE2 significantly reduced neutrophil infiltration, oxidant stress and necrosis following ischaemia and reperfusion. Cardioprotection by 17βE2 was not inhibited by ERB-88 but was completely reproduced by ERA-45. In conclusion, protection of the rat heart after ischaemia–reperfusion by 17βE2 is achieved through the reduction of cardiomyocyte death, neutrophil infiltration and oxygen-free radical availability.The results of this study indicate that these effects are primarily mediated via activation of ERα

Occupational Transitions of Family Caregivers of Loved Ones with Dementia

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to explore how family caregivers of people with dementia experience transitions in occupations as they assume the caregiver role. Because unpaid family caregivers play a vital part in the scheme of health care, it is important to understand their supports, their perceptions of themselves as caregivers, and the impact of caregiving on relationships, identity, and physical and mental health. Many researchers have studied the effects of caregiver burden, yet minimal attention has been given to the lived experiences of caregiving on their daily roles and routines. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used to obtain data from eight caregivers through semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was then applied to all data. Results: The following categories were identified: 1) Benefits, which consisted of the positive experiences gained as a result of caregiving; 2) Consequences, which included the physical, mental, and emotional burdens attached to being a caregiver; and 3) Supports, which were positive resources utilized by caregivers to be both better prepared to care for their loved ones and more capable within their caregiving role. Conclusion: Findings confirm that unpaid caregivers of loved ones with dementia experience dramatic changes in many aspects of their lives. Caregivers felt a strong responsibility as a family member to provide care for their loved ones. It has been found that caregivers spend most of their time engaged in caregiver related tasks, consequently impacting their occupational balance and ability to engage in what they would like to do. Health care providers must be mindful of the changes that caregivers experience, by assisting them to increase supports, anticipate the consequences, and recognize and value the benefits

The Australian Work Exposures Study: Prevalence of Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica

Background: Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a biologically active dust that can accumulate in the lung and induce silicosis and lung cancer. Despite occupational exposure being the predominant source, no study has described current occupational RCS exposure on a national scale in Australia. The aim of this study is to estimate the characteristics of those exposed and the circumstances of RCS exposure in Australian workplaces. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of the Australian working population (18–65 years old) was conducted. Information about the respondents’ current job and their demographic characteristics was collected in a telephone interview. Occupational exposure to RCS was determined based on preprogrammed decision rules regarding potential levels of exposure associated with self-reported tasks. Results: Overall, 6.4% of respondents were deemed exposed to RCS at work in 2012 (3.3% were exposed at a high level). The exposure varied with sex, state of residence, and socioeconomic status. Miners and construction workers were most likely to be highly exposed to RCS when performing tasks with concrete or cement or working near crushers that create RCS-containing dusts. When extrapolated to the entire Australian working population, 6.6% of Australian workers were exposed to RCS and 3.7% were highly exposed when carrying out tasks at work. Conclusion: This is the first study investigating occupational RCS exposure in an entire national working population. The information about occupational tasks that lead to high level RCS exposure provided by this study will inform the direction of occupational interventions and policies

Similar effects on cognitive performance during high- and low-carbohydrate obesity treatment

OBJECTIVE: Low-carbohydrate (L-CHO) diets are often used for weight loss but their effects on cognitive function are not well understood. The present study compared the effects of a L-CHO and high-carbohydrate (H-CHO) weight-loss diet on cognitive function adults. DESIGN: Participants were randomized to either a L-CHO (n=22) or H-CHO (n=25) weight-loss diet. Cognitive function was evaluated by four computerized cognitive tasks (Stroop Task, Continuous Performance Task, Word Recall and Wisconsin Card Sorting Task) presented in random order before and at 1, 4, 12 and 24 weeks after the initiation of the L-CHO or H-CHO diet. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-seven adults (25 males) with a mean±s.d. age of 47.4±8.7 years and body mass index of 35.3±3.4 kg m(−2). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in weight loss between groups at any time point. There were significant improvements on color Stroop task accuracy over time in both diet groups (P<0.05), but there were no differences in performance between groups on this or any other cognitive task at any time period. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that weight loss has neither a positive nor a negative effect on cognitive function and that L-CHO and H-CHO weight-loss diets have similar effects on cognitive performance

Baseline brain and behavioral factors distinguish adolescent substance initiators and non-initiators at follow-up

BackgroundEarlier substance use (SU) initiation is associated with greater risk for the development of SU disorders (SUDs), while delays in SU initiation are associated with a diminished risk for SUDs. Thus, identifying brain and behavioral factors that are markers of enhanced risk for earlier SU has major public health import. Heightened reward-sensitivity and risk-taking are two factors that confer risk for earlier SU.Materials and methodsWe characterized neural and behavioral factors associated with reward-sensitivity and risk-taking in substance-naïve adolescents (N = 70; 11.1–14.0 years), examining whether these factors differed as a function of subsequent SU initiation at 18- and 36-months follow-up. Adolescents completed a reward-related decision-making task while undergoing functional MRI. Measures of reward sensitivity (Behavioral Inhibition System-Behavioral Approach System; BIS-BAS), impulsive decision-making (delay discounting task), and SUD risk [Drug Use Screening Inventory, Revised (DUSI-R)] were collected. These metrics were compared for youth who did [Substance Initiators (SI); n = 27] and did not [Substance Non-initiators (SN); n = 43] initiate SU at follow-up.ResultsWhile SI and SN youth showed similar task-based risk-taking behavior, SI youth showed more variable patterns of activation in left insular cortex during high-risk selections, and left anterior cingulate cortex in response to rewarded outcomes. Groups displayed similar discounting behavior. SI participants scored higher on the DUSI-R and the BAS sub-scale.ConclusionActivation patterns in the insula and anterior cingulate cortex may serve as a biomarker for earlier SU initiation. Importantly, these brain regions are implicated in the development and experience of SUDs, suggesting differences in these regions prior to substance exposure