Stress and Coping Strategies of Female 911 Emergency Telecommunicators

The Emergency number 9-1-1 is the most widely known and used telephone number in the United States and Canada, yet turnover, understaffing, and low retention of staff are national concerns in 9-1-1 emergency telecommunication centers. Emergency (9-1-1) telecommunicators are often the “first” first responder in the emergency cycle and are responsible for the collection and dissemination of emergency information to police, fire, and medical units. Resilience theory was utilized to see how some individuals adjust, adapt, and assimilate with presenting environmental stressors and/or conditions. This study of female emergency telecommunicators in a Southern Combined Emergency Dispatch Center explored the stressors and coping strategies from the individual’s perspective. Data were collected using qualitative interviews and focus groups within a Florida Combined Communications Center. This approach was useful in gaining individual perceptions of work stressors and coping strategies of female 9-1-1 emergency telecommunicators. Content analysis was used to code and analyze emergent themes from the interviews and focus groups. Key findings were female 9-1-1 emergency telecommunicators experience stressors similar to other emergency service personnel with additional stressors present to include processing calls for service with verbal indication only, not knowing the closure of calls, and continual public scrutiny. As 9-1-1 emergency centers nationwide face high turnover and low retention, this study contributes to social change by providing insights into stressors faced by female responders and ways they cope with these stressors to reduce job turnover

Ability Grouping and Student Achievement in Four Rural Elementary Schools in the Southern United States

School personnel are concerned that reading gaps of grade 3 and grade 4 students have persisted in 4 rural elementary schools in the southern United States despite the use of ability grouping to improve student reading proficiency scores. Between the 2014-2016 school years, less than 50% of students in grades 3 and grade 4 scored at the proficient level in reading at the 4 target rural schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the teachers\u27 and administrators\u27 perceptions regarding the influence of grouping on the reading performance of students in grades 3 and 4. Using Vygotsky\u27s framework, the research investigated teachers\u27 and administrators\u27 perceptions of grouping and nongrouping in relation to students\u27 reading progress, socioeconomic status, and achievement gaps between minority and non-minority students. Using purposeful sampling, interview data were collected from 4 administrators who met the criteria of working in a target site that used ability and nonability grouping. Teacher data came from focus groups, and surveys from 15 teacher participants who met the criteria of being certified in English Language Arts, and assigned to Grades 3 and/or 4 in ability or nonability grouping environments. Using emergent coding, themes supported the findings that assessment strategies are positively and negatively perceived, nonability grouping is preferred, reading achievement is perceived as higher in nonability grouping, and gaps in learning are influenced by socioeconomic status. Based on this research the use of nonability grouping may promote greater positive social change that will enhance student success in reading

Assessing the Educational Needs of the Pennsylvania Wine Industry

We surveyed Pennsylvania winemakers and winery owners to determine their skill levels, the varieties and styles of wines they produce, their wine-making production challenges, and best practices for addressing educational needs through Extension programs. Growing and sourcing high-quality fruit were identified as key challenges. Although most participants obtained production information from other industry members and preferred face-to-face workshops to further their education, response to a Penn State Extension Enology blog site, developed to address industry challenges and extend our educational reach, has been extremely positive

Assisting Mid-Atlantic Wine Industry Stakeholders in Developing Consumer-Centric Marketing Strategies: Internet Survey Results

Two Internet surveys were administered to wine consumers in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Purchasing frequencies, consumption occasions, and sources used to learn about wine were documented. National data are readily available; however, the study discussed in this article focused on Mid-Atlantic consumers, whose behaviors and attitudes were not well understood. These data provide Extension personnel in the region with the ability to better inform industry members about their clientele and help them develop marketing strategies that appeal to local wine drinkers

Splitting of Long-Period Comet C/2018 F4 (PANSTARRS)

Long-period comet C/2018 F4 (PANSTARRS) was observed to show duplicity of its inner region in 2020 September, suggestive of a splitting event. We here present analyses of our observations of the comet taken from the LOOK project and the University of Hawaii 2.2 m telescope after the discovery of the splitting. The two fragments Components A and B, estimated to be $\sim\!60$ m to 4 km in radius, remained highly similar to each other in terms of brightness, colour, and dust morphology throughout our observing campaign from 2020 September to 2021 December. Our fragmentation model yielded that the two components split at a relative speed of $3.00 \pm 0.18$ m s$^{-1}$ in 2020 late April, implying a specific energy change of $\left(5.3 \pm 2.8 \right) \times 10^3$ J kg$^{-1}$, and that Component B was subjected to a stronger nongravitational acceleration than Component A in both the radial and normal directions of the orbit. The obtained splitting time is broadly consistent with the result from the dust morphology analysis, which further suggested that the dominant dust grains were millimeter-sized and ejected at speed $\sim\!2$ m s$^{-1}$. We postulate that the pre-split nucleus of the comet consisted of two lobes resembling the one of 67P, or that the comet used to be a binary system like main-belt comet 288P. Regardless, we highlight the possibility of using observations of split comets as a feasible manner to study the bilobate shape or binarity fraction of cometary nuclei.Comment: Accepted to AJ for publicatio

Strategies for the successful implementation of disinfecting port protectors to reduce CLABSI in a large tertiary care teaching hospital

Disinfecting port protectors are a supplement to the central line–associated bloodstream infection prevention bundle as an optional recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite evidence of effectiveness, few centers have successfully reported systematic, sustained implementation of these devices. In this article, we discuss a successful implementation in a large tertiary care teaching hospital, using an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach

Social Support for Exercise by Experts in Older Women Post–Hip Fracture

Using the data of the Baltimore Hip Study 5 (a home-based exercise intervention), this study examined how social support for exercise by experts (SSE-E) affected the self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and exercise behavior among older women following a hip fracture. The total sample included 164 females aged 65 years (M = 81.0; SD = 6.9) who had surgical repair of a non-pathologic hip fracture. Model testing showed a direct relationship between SSE-E and outcome expectations for exercise. There was, however, no direct or indirect relationship between SSE-E and self-efficacy or exercise behavior. The positive effect of SSE-E on the outcome expectations for exercise in older women recovering from a hip fracture provides an opportunity for health care providers in improving physical activity in this population

Therapeutic plasma exchange to mitigate flunixin meglumine overdose in a cria

Objective: To describe the use of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) in the treatment of flunixin meglumine overdose in a cria. Case Summary: A 3‐day‐old alpaca cria was diagnosed with ureteral obstruction and agenesis resulting in severe bilateral hydronephrosis. During hospitalization, the cria inadvertently received a flunixin meglumine overdose of >65 mg/kg. Here, we report the use of lipid emulsion and TPE to mitigate flunixin meglumine toxicosis. TPE appeared to prevent any flunixin‐induced kidney or gastrointestinal injury, even in a patient with congenital defects of the urinary tract. New Information Provided: This is the first report of the use of TPE in a cria

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR): Interventions addressing multiple influences in childhood and adolescent obesity

Obesity is a major public health problem affecting more than 12 million (~17%)U.S. children. The scientific community agrees that tackling this problem must begin in childhood to reduce risk of subsequent development of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic diseases. The Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR) Consortium, initiated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is conducting intervention studies to prevent obesity in pre-schoolers and treat overweight or obese 7–13 year olds. Four randomized controlled trials plan to enroll a total of 1,700 children and adolescents (~ 50% female, 70% minorities), and are testing innovative multi-level and multi-component interventions in multiple settings involving primary care physicians, parks and recreational centers, family advocates, and schools. For all the studies, the primary outcome measure is body mass index; secondary outcomes, moderators and mediators of intervention include diet, physical activity, home and neighborhood influences, and psychosocial factors. COPTR is being conducted collaboratively among four participating field centers, a coordinating center, and NIH project offices