Going Green with IT: A Study of Energy Consumption by Home and School Information Technology Systems in the College of Information at the University of North Texas

This paper addresses the strategies introduced by the College of Information at the University of North Texas to monitor and begin implementing approaches to enable the college to move toward the university???s strategic goal of becoming a climate-neutral, ???Green University??? [3]. Data based on monitoring selected office and home inventories of information technology equipment were used to generate estimated production-level use and standby (vampire) consumption of electrical energy. Sample-based estimations and projections regarding 2008 to 2009 progress indicate that that the College of Information at the University of North Texas has made extensive progress over one year in reducing the energy consumed by its information technology systems. New computer and printer systems have greater processing power and capabilities but consume no more power than the ones they replace, when in full operation. The computer systems consume one-half to one-third (and in some cases oneseventh) the power of the previous systems when in 'sleep???, 'hibernate' or 'shut down' states that qualify for the standard definition of consuming stand by power. The authors estimate that these actions have brought the college at least halfway toward its five-year goal of becoming climate neutral, during the first year of the initiative

Sexual offender’s experiences of polygraph testing: a thematic study in three probation trusts

Post-conviction polygraph testing of sexual offenders is controversial and the use of the polygraph as a means of supporting supervision of sexual offenders has only recently been explored. This study quantitatively examined qualitatively offender managers’ and sexual offenders’ views on the mandatory use of the polygraph in a community-based supervision. Fifteen polygraphed offenders and their 10 offender managers (polygraph group), and 10 non-polygraphed offenders and their ten offender managers (comparison group) were asked about their experiences and perceptions of a mandatory polygraph use. Using thematic analysis, the results provided four main themes: (1) truth detection, (2) perceptions of behaviour change, (3) perceptions of polygraph as part of supervision, and (4) national implementation of polygraph testing. Results suggest several benefits to mandatory polygraph testing as a support for supervision, including offenders making more high-risk disclosures, motivating offender honesty, and aiding offenders’ compliance with licence conditions

An Examination of Emotional Resilience among Athletic Trainers Working in the Secondary School Setting

Purpose: Athletic training is a demanding profession that is a stressor for many practitioners. Emotional resilience allows Athletic Trainers (ATs) to persist in their roles and benefit from long and successful careers. The purpose of this study was to explore the level of emotional resilience of ATs working in secondary school settings and identify factors perceived to contribute to or mitigate one\u27s emotional resilience. Method: A sequential explanatory mixed-method design using a cross-sectional online survey followed by in-depth interviews was used to gather information from 160 (16% response rate) secondary school NATA members - 97 (60.6%) female; 63 (39.4%) male with 13.28+9.46 years of experience. Six individuals (5 female, 1 male) participated in a follow-up semi-structured interview. The Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was used to measure perceptions of individual emotional resilience. Open-ended questions were also used to gather information from the participants who agreed to participate in a follow-up semi-structured interview about the factors perceived to both facilitate or reduce emotional resilience. Results: The mean emotional resilience score (79.84 ± 11.38) for the sample was consistent with the average US adult population. Only 14.1% of the sample reported high emotional resilience scores. There was a significant positive correlation between emotional resilience scores and years of experience as an AT (r(158) = .16, P = .048) and age in years (r(158) = .16, P = .048). There was no significant difference between emotional resilience and academic degree earned (F(2,157) = .775, P = .83). The inductive analysis resulted in the following emergent themes that were perceived to facilitate ones’ emotional resilience: social support, communication, self-care, and past experiences. Also, the following emergent themes were perceived to reduce ones’ emotional resilience: emotional responses and role overload. Conclusion: The results of this study help understand secondary school ATs\u27 perceptions of and factors that contribute to their emotional resilience. Strategies are suggested to help ATs develop emotional resilience to manage their occupational stress and reduce feelings of burnout

Drifting to oblivion? Rapid genetic differentiation in an endangered lizard following habitat fragmentation and drought

Aim The frequency and severity of habitat alterations and disturbance are predicted to increase in upcoming decades, and understanding how disturbance affects population integrity is paramount for adaptive management. Although rarely is population genetic sampling conducted at multiple time points, preand post-disturbance comparisons may provide one of the clearest methods to measure these impacts. We examined how genetic properties of the federally threatened Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard (Uma inornata) responded to severe drought and habitat fragmentation across its range. Location Coachella Valley, California, USA. Methods We used 11 microsatellites to examine population genetic structure and diversity in 1996 and 2008, before and after a historic drought. We used Bayesian assignment methods and F-statistics to estimate genetic structure. We compared allelic richness across years to measure loss of genetic diversity and employed approximate Bayesian computing methods and heterozygote excess tests to explore the recent demographic history of populations. Finally, we compared effective population size across years and to abundance estimates to determine whether diversity remained low despite post-drought recovery. Results Genetic structure increased between sampling periods, likely as a result of population declines during the historic drought of the late 1990s–early 2000s, and habitat loss and fragmentation that precluded post-drought genetic rescue. Simulations supported recent demographic declines in 3 of 4 main preserves, and in one preserve, we detected significant loss of allelic richness. Effective population sizes were generally low across the range, with estimates ≤100 in most sites. Main conclusions Fragmentation and drought appear to have acted synergistically to induce genetic change over a short time frame. Progressive deterioration of connectivity, low Ne and measurable loss of genetic diversity suggest that conservation efforts have not maintained the genetic integrity of this species. Genetic sampling over time can help evaluate population trends to guide management

Traumatic brain injuries and older adults: The implications of neck strength, muscle activation, and range of motion

Fall-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Previous research has focused on non-modifiable risk factors, such as age and gender. However, some potential modifiable risk factors to fall-related TBIs in older adults may be related to neck musculature and function. Yet, these risk factors have received less scientific scrutiny in older adults. Thus, the current project quantified isometric neck strength, active and passive range of motion, and neck muscle activation latency in response to postural perturbation in 57 participants. Participants were divided based on age with 20 Young (18 – 30 years old), 23 Young-Old (60 – 74 years old), and 14 Old-Old (75 – 89 years old) adults being included. Participants underwent isometric neck strength testing in four directions using a custom device, active and passive neck ROM were quantified using a standard goniometer, and neck muscle activation latency was quantified using electromyography in response to anterior and posterior translations. The results of the project revealed older adults have reduced isometric neck strength, when compared to young adults, with the Old-Old adults displaying the greatest declines. Furthermore, active and passive neck ROM significantly decreased with advanced age and Old-Old adults displayed the greatest reductions in ROM. Finally, neck muscle activation latency time significantly increased with age in response postural perturbation. The significant age-related differences to neck muscle strength, ROM, and muscle activation latency may be responsible for the elevated prevalence of fall-related TBI in older adults. The findings of this project may be used with future research to identify possible rehabilitation techniques to improve neck muscle strength, ROM, and muscle activation latency in older adults, establish the link between neck musculature and function and head kinematics during a fall, and establish screening and prevention protocols for this significant health problem

Gender differences in conceptualizations of STEM career interest : Complimentary perspectives from data mining , multivariate data analysis and multidimensional scaling

Data gathered from 325 middle school students in four U.S. states indicate that both male (p < 0.0005, RSQ = 0.33) and female (p < 0.0005, RSQ = 0.36) career aspirations for "being a scientist" are predictable based on knowledge of dispositions toward mathematics, science and engineering, plus self-reported creative tendencies. For males, strong predictors are creative tendencies (beta = 0.348) and dispositions toward science (beta = 0.326), while dispositions toward mathematics is a weaker (beta = 0.137) but still a significant (p < 0.05) predictor. For females, significant (p < 0.05) predictors ordered by strength of contribution are dispositions toward science (beta = 0.360), creative tendencies (beta = 0.253) and dispositions toward mathematics (beta = 0.200). Additional analyses indicate that engineering appears to be more closely aligned with STEM career aspirations for females than for males. These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge indicating that at the middle school level major contributors to choosing a path toward a STEM career differ for boys versus girls

simSchool: An online dynamic simulator for enhancing teacher preparation

A rationale for using a simulated teaching environment to train pre-service teacher candidates is presented, followed by the key components of the simSchool dynamic simulator created to accomplish this task. Results of analyses of two sets of data, for the areas of pedagogical practices and teaching skills, are used to illustrate that changes in pre-service educators can be assessed as a direct outcome of activities completed within the simulated environment. Major outcomes to date indicate that teacher candidates gain a sense of instructional self-efficacy (confidence in their competence) more rapidly using the simulator, compared to traditional teacher preparation classes and related activities. This outcome is true for pre-service candidates working with simulated students spanning the normal range of personality attributes and sensory abilities, as well as pre-service teacher candidates working with simulated students with disabilities

Case-by-Collaboration: An Adaptable Soft Skills-Based Educational Model for Health Disciplines

Purpose: The purpose of this study was two-fold and consisted of the development of a skills-based model for Case-by-Collaboration (CBC) and the collection of qualitative data from students and teachers aimed at answering the research question: What skills do individuals (students) apply during the completion of a hypothetical medical laboratory management-based Case-by-Collaboration capstone project? Method: A consensual qualitative research design was selected for this study. Students and their instructors from three Medical Laboratory Science programs located in Texas, New York, and Missouri were recruited. Students were given a case that centers on the fictitious Cheapskate Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). The project culminated when each team presented their proposal to become the sole provider of laboratory testing services to the Cheapskate HMO Board of Directors (BOD). The project was initially designed to be accessed and completed online, where students from different institutions would come together and remotely complete the requirements. Data were collected through in-person observations of the final presentation, semi-structured interviews with students and instructors, and analysis of project documents. Data was coded, and transcripts were reviewed numerous times. Two strategies were employed to ensure the integrity of the study. First, the coded data were examined across the data collection strategies, transcripts containing the data, and the themes identified by a researcher and an outside auditor. Secondly, an audit trail was established to document how the data were collected and analyzed, along with documentation of the thought processes used in the data interpretation phase of the project. Results: The current study analyzed responses from 36 students and 5 instructors across the three data collection sites. Seven themes, in the form of skill sets, were identified in the data analyzed:1) information technology, 2) collaboration/team building, 3) verbal and written communication, 4) clinical reasoning, 5) creativity, 6) managerial, and 7) research/investigative. Conclusion: These results suggest the CBC can develop desirable soft skills. This model can be transferrable and apply to CBCs independent of the studied content. Thus, the CBC is an innovative model to teach soft skills across health disciplines