Can my mechanic fix blue cars? A discussion of health clinician\u27s interactions with Aboriginal Australian clients

We expect our professional mechanics to ‘diagnose’ and \u27treat\u27 our cars irrespective of colour, but are we expecting less from our health professionals? There is an increasing focus in the literature on health practitioner decision-making and its influence on the nature and quality of health care. In this article we explore how the basic diagnostic and therapeutic skills that health care practitioners have should be utilised equitably for all clients and propose ways this might be realised. Could the development of Indigenous specific curricula be teaching our medical students to think that Aboriginal patients are different from the norm? We conclude that despite the gains in introducing more comprehensive Aboriginal health curricula there remains considerable work to be done before we can be confident that we are ensuring that health practitioners are no longer contributing to health disparities

Factors Explaining Remote Work Adoption in the United States

The Rural Online Initiative program at Utah State University Extension supported this quantitative study investigating the factors explaining the process of remote work adoption by organizations in the U.S. Given the potential for remote work with respect to technological advances, shifts in traditional work arrangements, and its impact on organizational/operational efficiency, there was a need to investigate how organizational characteristics and leaders’ perceptions of remote work relate to its adoption. This study was guided by Rogers’ theory of diffusion of innovations where research objectives were to (1) determine where organizations range in the innovation-decision process of remote work adoption, (2) categorize organizations’ level of innovativeness with respect to remote work adoption over time, (3) describe how organizational characteristics relate to remote work adoption, (4) describe how the attributes of remote work relate to the likelihood of remote work adoption among organizations, and (5) describe the extent to which organizations have implemented remote work in response to COVID-19 and their favorability towards the practice. This study followed a non-experimental design with a correlational analysis, collecting cross sectional data from a sample of 1,259 organizational leaders recruited through the use of opt-in panels. Data collection was facilitated by an online survey instrument using Qualtrics software, and principles of the Tailored Design Method were used to substantiate construct and face validity. Results showed that the practice of remote work has been implemented by most organizations in the U.S. Findings indicated organizational leaders perceived the practice of remote work positively and international organizations were twice as likely to adopt remote work compared to those operating only domestically. Results also demonstrated how remote work has become a widespread workplace practice that is becoming increasingly standard across organizations in the U.S. Leaders can use the results to develop formal remote work arrangements in their organizations and should consider training existing employees and leaders in the best practices of remote work operations. Findings from this study also provide the Cooperative Extension System with insights into how it should respond to the widespread adoption of remote work with relevant, research-based educational programming in their local communities

Critical Features of Engineering Design in Technology Education

The purpose of this study was to find critical features of engineering design that can be incorporated within technology education learning activities, and develop a rubric for assessing these features. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with three professors actively involved in engineering education. Supporting documents such as engineering design course outlines and rubrics were also examined. Using a phenomenological approach, this study identified the concept of engineering design, key features of the engineering design process, and critical elements that should be assessed in an engineering design activity in the context of technology education. A key product of the study was development of a rubric to be used in evaluating integration of engineering design as a focus for technology education

Impact of Environmental Factors on Bacteriocin Promoter Activity in Gut-Derived Lactobacillus salivarius

peer-reviewedBacteriocin production is regarded as a desirable probiotic trait that aids in colonization and persistence in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Strains of Lactobacillus salivarius, a species associated with the GIT, are regarded as promising probiotic candidates and have a number of associated bacteriocins documented to date. These include multiple class IIb bacteriocins (salivaricin T, salivaricin P, and ABP-118) and the class IId bacteriocin bactofencin A, which show activity against medically important pathogens. However, the production of a bacteriocin in laboratory media does not ensure production under stressful environmental conditions, such as those encountered within the GIT. To allow this issue to be addressed, the promoter regions located upstream of the structural genes encoding the L. salivarius bacteriocins mentioned above were fused to a number of reporter proteins (green fluorescent protein [GFP], red fluorescent protein [RFP], and luciferase [Lux]). Of these, only transcriptional fusions to GFP generated signals of sufficient strength to enable the study of promoter activity in L. salivarius. While analysis of the class IIb bacteriocin promoter regions indicated relatively weak GFP expression, assessment of the promoter of the antistaphylococcal bacteriocin bactofencin A revealed a strong promoter that is most active in the absence of the antimicrobial peptide and is positively induced in the presence of mild environmental stresses, including simulated gastric fluid. Taken together, these data provide information on factors that influence bacteriocin production, which will assist in the development of strategies to optimize in vivo and in vitro production of these antimicrobials.This work was funded by a SFI PI award “Obesibiotics” (11/PI/1137) to PD

Preparing Youth for Civic Life and Leadership: Evaluating the Washington County 4-H Youth Officer Program

The Washington County 4-H Youth Officer Program was designed to address youth preparedness for civic life in a democratic society. This program is targeted to students in grades 6-8th, who are at a critical stage in their development as citizens. The program emphasizes experiential learning, which allows youth to learn by doing as they deliver public speeches, visit with elected officials, and facilitate business meetings using Roberts Rules of Order. A total of 24 youth participants completed the program over two years. Evaluation results showed the program was successful in achieving student learning outcomes, with significant improvements in citizenship knowledge and skill levels. Participants were empowered to become actively engaged in positive change in their communities

Ensuring Responsible and Transparent Use of Generative AI in Extension

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems capable of generating human-like text, images, and ideas from existing data based on user-defined prompts, will inevitably impact Extension, including increasing efficiency, productivity, and performing tasks previously exclusive to humans. There are ethical and risk-related considerations surrounding the use of generative AI, including concerns about bias and unintended consequences. It is important for Extension to consider these implications and take steps to ensure that generative AI is used in a responsible and transparent manner. Extension must ensure that educators and staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively utilize and integrate this technology

Evaluating the “What’s Up Down South” Economic Summit: A Platform for Business Leaders to Share Ideas

The What’s Up Down South economic summit is southern Utah’s largest business gathering. The event provides the business community with economic insights to assist them in making informed decisions. USU Extension evaluated the 27th annual What\u27s Up Down South economic summit. Results showed the event was an effective platform for disseminating information and advancing knowledge on economic and business topics. Participants felt the summit provided a valuable experience to the business community. These findings support the continuation of the summit\u27s information dissemination activities in the future

Responding to the Needs of Geographically Dispersed Military Youth

When the U.S. military reshaped its deployment methods in response to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of deployed Reserve and National Guard soldiers increased to nearly half of all deployed servicemen. Unfortunately, support to reduce the stresses of deployment is not readily available to these families because they live in geographically dispersed civilian communities. In 2011, Utah 4-H responded as the key partner and ideal organization to align resources and work with community partners to provide a variety of summer camps designed to support military families during the Post-Deployment stage of the Deployment Cycle

The Remote Online Initiative: A Legislative Strategy for Rural Workforce Development in Utah

The Remote Online Initiative (ROI) was a legislative response to growing unemployment and limited job opportunities in rural Utah. The ROI program seeks to reduce unemployment in rural Utah communities via remote job placements. Since 2018, the ROI program has expanded to include three flagship certificate courses – Certified Remote Work Professional (CRWP), Certified Remote Work Leader (CRWL), and Certified Tech Sales Professional (CTSP). To date, evaluation results show that 411 Utah graduates found remote jobs after completing the CRWP course, 55% of participants said their department created a remote work environment and hired, on average, 19 remote employees upon completing the CRWL course, and MarketStar hired two CRWP graduates after they completed the CTSP course