The effect of diet alone or in combination with resistance or endurance training on fat oxidation at rest and during exercise

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of weight loss alone or in combination with resistance or endurance training on fat oxidation at rest and during exercise

The Kerry-Bush Health Care Proposals: A Characterization and Comparison of their Impacts on Connecticut (Full Report)

health care, connecticut, health insurance

The Kerry-Bush Health Care Proposals: A Characterization and Comparison of their Impacts on Connecticut (Executive Summary)

health care, connecticut, health insurance

The Kerry-Bush Health Care Proposals: A Characterization and Comparison of their Impacts on Connecticut (Technical Appendix)

health care, Connecticut, health insurance

Technical Skill Assessments as a Predictor or Agriculture Students\u27 Success after High School

This study was conducted using quantitative methods to determine if a relationship exists between former Agriculture Career and Technical Education (CTE) concentrators’ Technical Skills Assessment (TSA) performance and their attaining related placement after high school. The study included data from 13,581 agriculture students who graduated during the years 2015-2019. To investigate the relationship between TSA assessment performance and attaining related placement, multiple descriptive models were run and disaggregated by gender, race/ethnicity, Individuals Education Plan (IEP) status, and Socioeconomic Status (SES). The data revealed students who pass their TSA assessment are more likely to attain related placement compared to those not passing their assessment. Agriculture students’ rates of passing the TSA assessment and attaining related placement were high. Additional analysis to determine the relationship between TSA assessment performance and attaining related placement involved multiple binary logistic regression models. The logistic regression models helped determine how passing the TSA assessment and student demographics interacted and influenced students attaining related placement. Statistically significant findings were determined for TSA assessment, Black students, and those not disadvantaged in the SES category. The findings from this study may add merit to the numerous secondary CTE agriculture education programs in the United States. Keywords: Agriculture education, technical skill assessment, CTE accountability measures, industry-recognized credentia

What Do They Do Different? A Comparison of Practices at Award Winning Technology Centers That Work and Non-Award Winning Centers

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine characteristics of award winning Career and Technical Centers that may contribute to best practices in the integration of core academic concepts into the Career and Technical Education curriculum. These responses were compared to non-award winning schools in order to determine what award winning schools may have done differently that could have contributed to their success. Background: It is widely accepted that educators should place an increased emphasis on workforce readiness in secondary education to prepare students for a global economy that is becoming increasingly complex and knowledge-based. New participants must enter our nation’s workforce, properly equipped with the applied skills and knowledge to remain competitive throughout the twenty-first century. Methods: A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to collect data for this study. The questionnaire was based on related literature concerning integrating academic concepts into the CTE curriculum. Results: The data indicated that participants at award-winning schools perceived their school’s integration practices to be much more successful than these at non-award-winning schools in presage, process, and context variables. Conclusion: This study proved to be consistent with much of the previously published body of literature concerning the integration of academics in to the context of CTE and the value of properly supported and educated teachers and administrators. Application: The results do imply that previous researchers and practitioners were correct in their assumptions that an integrated CTE curriculum leads to higher student achieveme

Inhibition of Inflammatory Gene Expression in Keratinocytes Using a Composition Containing Carnitine, Thioctic Acid and Saw Palmetto Extract

Chronic inflammation of the hair follicle (HF) is considered a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Previously, we clinically tested liposterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESr) and its glycoside, β-sitosterol, in subjects with AGA and showed a highly positive response to treatment. In this study, we sought to determine whether blockade of inflammation using a composition containing LSESr as well as two anti-inflammatory agents (carnitine and thioctic acid) could alter the expression of molecular markers of inflammation in a well-established in vitro system. Using a well-validated assay representative of HF keratinocytes, specifically, stimulation of cultured human keratinocyte cells in vitro, we measured changes in gene expression of a spectrum of well-known inflammatory markers. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) provided an inflammatory stimulus. In particular, we found that the composition effectively suppressed LPS-activated gene expression of chemokines, including CCL17, CXCL6 and LTB(4) associated with pathways involved in inflammation and apoptosis. Our data support the hypothesis that the test compound exhibits anti-inflammatory characteristics in a well-established in vitro assay representing HF keratinocyte gene expression. These findings suggest that 5-alpha reductase inhibitors combined with blockade of inflammatory processes could represent a novel two-pronged approach in the treatment of AGA with improved efficacy over current modalities

An Examination of Georgia Young Farmer Program Participants’ Learning Style Preferences

This study was designed to describe Georgia Young Farmer Program participants’ learning style preferences. Using survey research methods, a questionnaire was designed to collect data related to the purpose of the study. The population for this study included active members in the program. Study findings showed that participants had a preference for kinesthetic learning over visual and auditory learning. While participants indicated a preference for kinesthetic learning, all three learning styles were deemed effective. Preferences for learning styles and perception of effectiveness did not differ by personal characteristics. Recommendations include taking learning style preferences into account when designing and delivering programming, training for teachers, and continuing to assess learners’ preferences

Math-enhanced Curriculum and Instructional Approach on the Performance of Secondary Education Students Enrolled in an Agricultural Power and Technology Course: An Experimental Study

Educatio

Observing Soil Changes Under Common Cropping Practices in Kentucky

Cropping production and tillage systems lead to loss of soil organic matter (SOM), lowering soil pH, and soil compaction in Kentucky. However, the magnitude of the changes varied among the soil properties. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the changes in SOM, soil pH, and soil compaction under different cropping systems like corn-soybean-tobacco rotation (Field #1), continuous corn field (Field #2), hemp field (Field #3), wheat field (Field #4), pasture with animal grazing (Field #5), and canola field (Field #6). The prominent soil textures in all fields are silt loam and silty clay loam. Disturbed soil samples were taken at the depth of 0-7 cm and 7-23 cm to measure SOM and soil pH. There were three replications from each field. The results indicated that the canola field which has been under no-till for over fifteen years had the highest SOM at an average of 4.2% in 0-7 cm. At similar depth, continuous cornfield had the second lowest amounts of SOM which was 2.8%. The canola field and the continuous cornfield had soil pH of 6.7 and 5.37, respectively indicating the highest and the lowest level of acidity. The averages of soil compaction from all fields were 159 psi in 0-7 cm, and 427 psi in 7-23 cm. The highest compaction was found in the field under animal grazing at 561 psi the lowest was under tobacco at 243.5 psi. The findings from this study revealed that SOM, soil pH, and soil compaction changed as affected by cropping practices