381 research outputs found
Adult-Child Sexual Contact: Examining Mental Health Trainees’ Perception of the Impact on Adult Psychological-Emotional Status
Thirty-eight graduate students enrolled in mental health-related programs completed the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) indicating anticipated impact of adult-child sexual contact on the psychological status of a young adult woman from positive family environment and one from a negative family environment. BSI subscale scores were significantly higher than the BSI general population’s mean scores in both cases. Multiple regression analyses found that: in the healthy family scenario, practitioners’ background variables (parent education, family of origin climate, prior childhood sexual contact with an adult, and education) did not contribute significantly to the variance in their prediction of expectation of client’s overall psychological distress; and, in the dysfunctional family case, practitioners’ background (childhood experience with adult sexual contact, education level, and professional experience) contributed to 40% of the variance in their prediction of the client’s emotional state. Results of qualitative analyses are presented, and implications for training and service delivery discussed
Examining Interdisciplinary Research Collaborations to Inform Agricultural and Environmental Science Communication: A Meta-synthesis Approach
Agriculturalists and environmentalists must navigate complex challenges as the global population continues to increase and environmental resources are depleted. Colleges of agricultural and environmental sciences are tasked with addressing the nexus between environmental and agricultural challenges through research, education, and communication. However, the amount of research being conducted with both agriculture and the environment considered is largely unknown and, as a result, their corresponding communication messages may not provide coherent messages from the college. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify if research within a college of agricultural and environmental sciences takes a holistic approach so that communication efforts coming from the college can encompass both perspectives. The data were collected from a web-based system containing university research publications and analyzed using a thematic analysis and meta-synthesis. The meta-synthesis revealed 212 codes overlapping agricultural and environmental themes compared to the total 4,325 codes found across all publications. The findings indicated there was a limited amount of collaboration occurring between environmental and agricultural researchers within the college. Without collaborative research, agricultural communicators cannot develop science communication efforts that holistically integrate evidence-based science. As new challenges emerge at the nexus of agriculture and the environment, researchers must shift toward a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to ensure the science communication efforts sharing their findings are inclusive
Salmonid alphavirus infection causes skin dysbiosis in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) post-smolts
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Summary of CPAS Gen II Parachute Analysis
The Orion spacecraft is currently under development by NASA and Lockheed Martin. Like Apollo, Orion will use a series of parachutes to slow its descent and splashdown safely. The Orion parachute system, known as the CEV Parachute Assembly System (CPAS), is being designed by NASA, the Engineering and Science Contract Group (ESCG), and Airborne Systems. The first generation (Gen I) of CPAS testing consisted of thirteen tests and was executed in the 2007-2008 timeframe. The Gen I tests provided an initial understanding of the CPAS parachutes. Knowledge gained from Gen I testing was used to plan the second generation of testing (Gen II). Gen II consisted of six tests: three singleparachute tests, designated as Main Development Tests, and three Cluster Development Tests. Gen II required a more thorough investigation into parachute performance than Gen I. Higher fidelity instrumentation, enhanced analysis methods and tools, and advanced test techniques were developed. The results of the Gen II test series are being incorporated into the CPAS design. Further testing and refinement of the design and model of parachute performance will occur during the upcoming third generation of testing (Gen III). This paper will provide an overview of the developments in CPAS analysis following the end of Gen I, including descriptions of new tools and techniques as well as overviews of the Gen II tests
Simulating New Drop Test Vehicles and Test Techniques for the Orion CEV Parachute Assembly System
The Crew Exploration Vehicle Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) project is engaged in a multi-year design and test campaign to qualify a parachute recovery system for human use on the Orion Spacecraft. Test and simulation techniques have evolved concurrently to keep up with the demands of a challenging and complex system. The primary simulations used for preflight predictions and post-test data reconstructions are Decelerator System Simulation (DSS), Decelerator System Simulation Application (DSSA), and Drop Test Vehicle Simulation (DTV-SIM). The goal of this paper is to provide a roadmap to future programs on the test technique challenges and obstacles involved in executing a large-scale, multi-year parachute test program. A focus on flight simulation modeling and correlation to test techniques executed to obtain parachute performance parameters are presented
Identifying Concerns of Preservice and In-service Teachers in Agricultural Education
Teacher educators have the task of identifying skills most needed by pre-service teachers and in-service teachers. The purpose of this study was to describe teacher concerns over different stages of teacher development. A three-part instrument consisting of a teacher concerns statement, a Likert-type scale of concerns and demographic data was given to three groups. The groups consisted of early career teacher education students (N = 40), advanced teacher education students (N = 15), and teachers who had completed their first year of teaching and were just beginning their second year (N = 22). The results of this study indicate concern levels do change over time and there is a distinct shift in both the level and type of concerns across these three groups. This shift may allow for agricultural education courses and in-service programming to be more uniquely designed to address the specific needs and concerns of our educational clientele. Keywords: teacher concerns; pre-service teachers; first year teachers; Teacher Concerns Instrument; agricultural education Introduction One of the challenges experienced by teacher educators is providing pre-service teachers with the necessary skills they need to be successful in the classroom. By identifying the concerns of pre-service teachers and early career teachers, instructional content can be designed, selected, and sequenced based on need Multiple studies have been conducted in education to identify the problems and concerns faced by teachers. Veenman (1984) conducted a thorough examination of educational research and identified 91 studies involving early career teacher concerns. Within these studies, Veenman identified the most frequently reported problems for beginning teachers as classroom discipline, motivating students, accommodating individual differences, assessing student work, relationships with parents, organizing class work, insufficient supplies, addressing individual student problems, insufficient The aforementioned concerns contribute to the large list of problems teachers identify as reasons contributing to their decision to leave the classroom. A study by Ingersoll Even with the concerns identified in previous research, it is critical to examine the concerns of pre-service and in-service teachers' specific to the current classroom environment. An ever-changing educational climate contributes to a change in types and levels of concerns experienced by teachers. A more thorough knowledge of present concerns and deeper examination of how concerns change throughout a pre-service education program will allow teacher educators to assist pre-service students in developing a greater understanding of appropriate instructional strategies, course sequencing, and personal efficacy that will contribute to teacher success upon entering the field (Stripling, Conceptual Framework Fuller, In the first preteaching state, candidates identify realistically with pupils but unrealistically with teachers. The second stage is characterized by concerns for survival: class control, mastery of content, the teacher's own adequacy in fulfilling his or her role. In the third stage, concerns turn to teaching performance, the limitations and frustrations of teaching situations. (p. 160) Later research by Fuller and Brown (1975) described beginning teachers as being concerned primarily with self, in other words, believing themselves to be capable of teaching students and becoming a part of the educational environment. As self concerns were settled, teachers expressed task concerns or fears about developing appropriate instructional materials and working with students. Teachers only become concerned about the last category, impact concerns, when self and task concerns have been resolved. Impact concerns encompass larger educational decisions and considerations of the impact of current trends and issues on students in the classroom. While other research contradicts the notion that concerns are expressed in levels independent of each other, the early research conducted by Fuller and associates has served as a foundation for other stage theorists who have investigated teacher concerns Pigge and Marso (1997) conducted a longitudinal study to examine the change in teacher concerns over a seven-year period. The data collected at the beginning of a teacher preparation program, at the completion of student teaching, and at the conclusion of the third and fifth years of teaching, reflected an increase in task concerns and decrease in self concerns as proposed by Purpose and Objectives The purpose of this descriptive research study was to identify the current concern level for three distinct groups involved in agricultural education at North Carolina State University: introductory level students enrolled in the Introduction to Teaching Agriculture course, advanced students in the Methods of Teaching Agriculture course and teachers who have completed their first year teaching in North Carolina and were just beginning their second year. Specifically, this study had two main objectives: 1. To identify concern levels of introductory level students, advanced students, and first year teachers in agricultural education at North Carolina State University and compare those concern levels across the three participant groups. 2. To identify the number of agricultural education specific concerns and compare the number of concerns across the three participant groups. Methods and Procedures Data Collection This descriptive research study used a survey instrument to gather data. The research population consisted of pre-service students in the sophomore level Introduction to Teaching Agriculture course (N = 40), and pre-service students in the Methods of Teaching Agriculture course (N = 15) at North Carolina State University. The study also involved teachers in North Carolina who had just completed their first year teaching (N = 22) during the 2008-2009 school year and were beginning their second year. The population frame for first year teachers was established through the North Carolina Agricultural Education Directory and through contact with the North Carolina Agricultural Education Coordinator. While it was recognized Fuller and Brown compared teacher concerns across a pre-teaching phase, early teaching phase, and late teaching phase, this study intended to focus on concerns of preservice teachers and novice teachers to address their needs at the most appropriate times within their coursework and teaching career. Students were given the survey instrument in class with response rates of 89% for the Introduction to Teaching Agriculture course and 100% for the Methods of Teaching Agriculture course. First year teachers were sent the online survey instrument using SurveyMonkey.com. An initial e-mail was sent to teachers informing them of the study. The e-mail containing the survey link was sent one week later. Subsequent reminder e-mails were sent to non-respondents and a follow-up paper copy of the survey instrument was provided for teachers who had not responded after the third reminder. The total response rate for first year teachers was 68%. Instrumentation The survey instrument contained three main parts. The first part of the instrument collected basic demographic data including gender, anticipated teaching level, classification, involvement in agricultural education as a student and age for the student groups. Gender, level currently teaching, certification, level of education, and involvement in an agricultural education program during high school were collected for the teacher group. The second part of the instrument was based on the Teacher Concerns Statement instrument designed by Self Concerns Will I be able to do all of the tasks I am expected to do? Self Concerns I worry that the students won't like me. Task Concerns I am concerned about finding a way to present material in a way that makes it interesting and easy for students to understand. Task Concerns I want to provide classroom activities that help my students problem solve and think critically. Impact Concerns Is our curriculum really preparing students to work in the current agricultural industry? Impact Concerns Note. Examples of concerns in the Teacher Concerns Statement Manual The third part of the instrument was a Likert-type scale of 20 items identified through agricultural education research as problems or areas of concern for agriculture teachers (organizing an effective alumni chapter, organizing an effective advisory committee, organizing FFA activities, managing student discipline in the classroom, recruiting and retaining alumni members, balancing personal and professional responsibilities, recruiting and retaining students, building support of faculty, counselors and administrators, time management, managing finances of the agricultural program, making special education/ESL accommodations, class preparation, developing and managing effective SAE programs for students, motivating students, completing paperwork, developing community support, self confidence, reputation of the previous teacher, multi-teacher issues, and managing and developing program facilities). For each item, participants were asked to rate their level of concern on a scale of one to five with one being not concerned and five being extremely concerned. Part three was reviewed for content validity by a panel of teachers and teacher educators in agricultural education and was determined to have a final Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of .89. Data analysis Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS v. 17.0 (2008). Descriptive characteristics were used to describe the demographics of the groups, overall concerns, and the frequency of concerns identified in the study. The chi square test for independence was used to determine if the types of concerns expressed by the respondents were independent of their experience level. An alpha level of .05 was set a priori. Findings/Results For group one, the pre-service students in the Introduction to Teaching Agriculture course, 69% were female (n = 24) and 31% were male (n = 11). The majority of respondents (66%) were sophomores in college (n = 23), while 31% were juniors (n = 11) and one student was classified as a senior (3%). Out of the population, 83% (n = 29) planned to teach at the high school level, 11% (n = 4) at the middle school/junior high level and 6% (n = 2) planned to teach at the community college level or higher. Thirty-one respondents (89%) were involved in agricultural education in high school. The age range of this group varied from 18 to 23 with most students being either 19 (51.4%) or 20 (25.7%) years of age. The second group consisted of pre-service students in the Methods of Teaching Agriculture course and was made up of 60% (n = 9) females and 40% (n = 6) males. Because this course is only available to students during their last year in the education program, 100% of the students were seniors. The majority of this group planned to teach at the high school level (93%), one respondent planned to teach in a middle school/junior high setting (7%). Thirteen of the respondents were involved in agricultural education in high school (87%). Ages of this group were from 20 to 26 with 50% (n = 7) of respondents being 21 and 29 % (n = 4) of respondents being 22. Of the first year teachers, 53% (n = 8) were female and 47% (n = 7) were male. Most of the first year teachers surveyed were teaching at the high school level (93%, n = 14) though one respondent was teaching at the middle school/junior high level (7%). Over half of the teachers were certified through traditional certification program (60%, n = 9). For most of the teachers (n = 8) the highest level of education completed was their bachelor's degree (53%). Only 40% had completed their master's degree (n = 6) and one was currently enrolled in a master's degree program (7%). The majority (73%) of the first year teacher respondents were involved in agricultural education programs when they were in high school (n = 11)
Efficient, high-throughput transfection of human embryonic stem cells
INTRODUCTION: Genetic manipulation of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) has been limited by their general resistance to common methods used to introduce exogenous DNA or RNA. Efficient and high throughput transfection of nucleic acids into hESC would be a valuable experimental tool to manipulate these cells for research and clinical applications. METHODS: We investigated the ability of two commercially available electroporation systems, the Nucleofection(® )96-well Shuttle(® )System from Lonza and the Neon™ Transfection System from Invitrogen to efficiently transfect hESC. Transfection efficiency was measured by flow cytometry for the expression of the green fluorescent protein and the viability of the transfected cells was determined by an ATP catalyzed luciferase reaction. The transfected cells were also analyzed by flow cytometry for common markers of pluripotency. RESULTS: Both systems are capable of transfecting hESC at high efficiencies with little loss of cell viability. However, the reproducibility and the ease of scaling for high throughput applications led us to perform more comprehensive tests on the Nucleofection(® )96-well Shuttle(® )System. We demonstrate that this method yields a large fraction of transiently transfected cells with minimal loss of cell viability and pluripotency, producing protein expression from plasmid vectors in several different hESC lines. The method scales to a 96-well plate with similar transfection efficiencies at the start and end of the plate. We also investigated the efficiency with which stable transfectants can be generated and recovered under antibiotic selection. Finally, we found that this method is effective in the delivery of short synthetic RNA oligonucleotides (siRNA) into hESC for knockdown of translation activity via RNA interference. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that these electroporation methods provide a reliable, efficient, and high-throughput approach to the genetic manipulation of hESC
The Grizzly, May 5, 1992
Smells Like Summer • Psychology Conference a Success • Whitians Recognize Honor Students • Theatre Workshop Presentations • Lily Redner Speaks: Lessons of The Holocaust • Record Review: Tori Amos • Movie Review: Death Stalker II • Senior Reflection Special: A Look Back on the Last Four Years; Most Memorable Moments at Ursinus • The Knowledge of Experience • Valete Ursini • Medinger Pottery Exhibit Opens • On Government and the People • America the Innocent • Letter: Wismer Abuses • Ursinus Joins All-Sports Conference • Breakdown on NBA \u2792 • Women\u27s LAX Snag MAC Title, End Seasonhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1297/thumbnail.jp
Three Drinking-Water–Associated Cryptosporidiosis Outbreaks, Northern Ireland
Three recent drinking-water–associated cryptosporidiosis outbreaks in Northern Ireland were investigated by using genotyping and subgenotyping tools. One Cryptosporidium parvum outbreak was caused by the bovine genotype, and two were caused by the human genotype. Subgenotyping analyses indicate that two predominant subgenotypes were associated with these outbreaks and had been circulating in the community
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Engagement intervention versus treatment as usual for young adults with serious mental illness: a randomized pilot trial
Background: Young adults have elevated rates of mental health disorders, yet they often do not receive consistent care. The challenge of continuing to engage young adults has been pervasive worldwide. Few engagement interventions have been designed for young adults with serious mental illness. Just Do You is a theoretically guided engagement intervention. It uses innovative modalities (i.e., technology, expressive arts activities, narrative expression, mentoring) to engage participants in conversations about services and how they work, while simultaneously orienting them to treatment.
Methods/design: This pilot and feasibility study utilizes a hybrid research design, examining feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact, alongside implementation. The study combines qualitative methods, a small pilot randomized trial, and a small cost-benefit analysis. Respondents are clinic staff and young adults who have made initial contact with the Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS) program. Quantitative survey data are collected at baseline, 2 weeks (post-intervention), 1 month, and 3 months. The assessments focus on measuring feasibility, acceptability, engagement, and mental health outcomes. Medical record extraction will be used to triangulate self-report data. We will conduct single degree of freedom contrasts to examine whether Just Do You leads to improved outcomes relative to Treatment-As-Usual using robust regression for each outcome measure. We will examine whether changes in the proposed mediating variables occur across groups using a similar contrast strategy. In addition, we will use structural equation modeling to examine the contribution of mediators to ultimate outcomes. Finally, we will use constant comparison coding techniques for qualitative analyses.
Discussion: The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility of a young adult engagement meta-intervention through an intensive preliminary pilot trial, learning through collaboration with stakeholders. Just Do You has the potential to fill a gap in the service system for young adults with serious mental illnesses, improving the seemingly intractable problem of disengagement. The program uses culturally responsive strategies, is recovery-oriented, and builds upon the best evidence to date. Our efforts align with local and national health care reform efforts embedding people with lived experience.
Trial registration: This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03423212) on April 18, 2018, as Protocol Record R34 MH111861-01, New York University, as the Just Do You Program for Young Adults with Serious Mental Illness
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