Virginia Technology and Engineering Education Association 1978-2018: Celebrating Six Decades of Progress

(First Paragraph) Technology and engineering education in Virginia and the nation is coming to a crossroads. Recent growth in state directives, new courses, and ever-changing funding for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education influences the supply of Technology Education teachers, leading to what some say is a dire future for our profession and association. This history is gathered to emphasize the importance and value of what we teach in Virginia public schools. It also captures who was involved with the association leadership over the years

Pre-hospital risk factors for inpatient death from severe febrile illness in Malian children.

BACKGROUND: Inpatient case fatality from severe malaria remains high in much of sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of these deaths occur within 24 hours of admission, suggesting that pre-hospital management may have an impact on the risk of case fatality. METHODS: Prospective cohort study, including questionnaire about pre-hospital treatment, of all 437 patients admitted with severe febrile illness (presumed to be severe malaria) to the paediatric ward in Sikasso Regional Hospital, Mali, in a two-month period. FINDINGS: The case fatality rate was 17.4%. Coma, hypoglycaemia and respiratory distress at admission were associated with significantly higher mortality. In multiple logistic regression models and in a survival analysis to examine pre-admission risk factors for case fatality, the only consistent and significant risk factor was sex. Girls were twice as likely to die as boys (AOR 2.00, 95% CI 1.08-3.70). There was a wide variety of pre-hospital treatments used, both modern and traditional. None had a consistent impact on the risk of death across different analyses. Reported use of traditional treatments was not associated with post-admission outcome. INTERPRETATION: Aside from well-recognised markers of severity, the main risk factor for death in this study was female sex, but this study cannot determine the reason why. Differences in pre-hospital treatments were not associated with case fatality

Landscape Assessment and Monitoring of Mountain Pine Beetle Mortality in Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Whitebark Pine

Since 2000, USDA Forest Service Aerial Detection Surveys (ADS) and ground-based surveys indicate mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreaks have caused catastrophic loss of whitebark pine (WBP) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). However, the full extent of the damage is unknown because of limitations to the traditional survey methods. We describe a new method aimed at quickly and cost-effectively documenting landscape conditions. The method utilizes low-flying airplane overflights, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies along with digital photography to categorize MPB outbreaks based on a new landscape classification scheme. We conducted a pilot study consisting of four overflights covering large portions of the Teton Wilderness, Wind River, Absaroka, Gallatin, and Beartooth mountain ranges. Results indicate our approach is a reliable and repeatable method to assess the extent and severity of MPB related WBP mortality. Significant MPB activity was documented throughout the area surveyed - only the center core of the Wind River Range, the Beartooth Plateau and Northern Gallatin Range remain in a healthy condition. A vast area of approximately 450,000 acre covering the northern Wind River Range, Southwestern Absoroka Range and the Teton Wilderness, was found to be the most heavily impacted. Here the overflights document an ecological collapse of the WBP ecosystem due to unprecedented MPB outbreaks. This pilot study provided an independent validation of previous computer simulations and corroborates the general trend indicated by US Forest Service ADS. Additionally, results extend previous information in several ways: (1) The outbreaks are outpacing computer simulations that were based on climate warming predictions. (2) Our approach identified greater mortality when compared to the ADS results. (3) Overflights were conducted in several regions of the GYE not recently or never surveyed by ADS, and therefore provide a more comprehensive documentation of MPB impact in WBP than previously available

Epidemiology of unintentional fatal drowning among migrants in Australia

Objective: This study aimed to describe the epidemiology and risk factors contributing to drowning among migrants in Australia. Methods: A total population retrospective epidemiological study of unintentional drowning deaths in Australia between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2019 of people born outside Australia (migrants). Cases were extracted from the National Coronial Information System. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and relative risk were calculated. Crude drowning rates were based on country of birth and population in Australia. Results: There were 572 migrant deaths over the study period, 28.9% of total drowning deaths, 82.9% were male. Twenty-one per cent were aged 25–34 years and 40.8% had lived in Australia for 20+ years. Migrants at highest risk of drowning were from: South Korea (2.63/100,000 95%CI: 0.85–8.25), Taiwan (2.29/100,000 95%CI: 0.27–13.44), and Nepal (2.15/100,000 95%CI: 0.23–11.55). Migrants were more likely to drown when around rocks (p<0.001) compared with Australian-born people, who most frequently drowned in rivers (p<0.001). Conclusions: Migrants are not over-represented in drowning statistics. However, unique trends were found for drowning among migrants based on country of birth and length of time in Australia. Implications for public health: Holistic drowning prevention strategies and policies are required to effectively lower drowning risk among migrant communities