Barriers to Local Food Producers in Arkansas

The purpose of this study is to identify and describe the barriers that prevent local food producers from selling their food in a mainstream market. This study utilized both qualitative and quantitative analysis through a mixed-methods survey. Information collected through the study had a two-fold focus: barriers that producers face (or that they are providing assistance for) and what are consumers looking for in products that these producers are supplying. The major barriers found for local food producers in Arkansas were lack of capital and obtaining infrastructure for packaging, processing, and storing products. Qualitative analysis of textual interviews was done to establish more detailed information about the most common barriers and gather specific needs. The main barriers found were access to capital and marketing infrastructure

An Empirical Note on the Social and Geographic Correlates of Mexican Migration to the Southern United States

This research empirically examines differences in the socioeconomic correlates of Mexican migrants to the southern region of the United States. More specifically, the research considers differences between Mexican immigrants choosing the South and those choosing other U.S. destinations. Using general estimating equations, the study provides evidence that several characteristics distinguish the stream of recent migrants choosing southern destinations. Notably, rural origins as well as rural destinations have substantial explanatory power. The results also show that immigrants to the South are likely to be pioneers in the sense that they do not have strong family-specific migration capital and are likely to be from a community without a long history of sending migrants to the United States. Immigrants choosing the South are also more likely to be undocumented. Additionally, they are far more likely to have arrived following implementation of NAFTA. Ownership of houses is also a distinguishing feature of these migrants

Developing Entrepreneurship Programs to Assist New Destination Latino Immigrants

Presentation made at Latinos in the Heartland (12th : 2014 : St. Louis, Mo.) and published in the annual conference proceedingAs part of an integrated research and outreach program designed to better understand and to ultimately assist Latino entrepreneurs to establish businesses in Arkansas, educational materials and a pilot training program were developed. The results showed a renewed interest in business start-ups and expansions. Additionally, the pilot training created linkages between Latino entrepreneurs, community members, and business leaders, and also created a greater awareness of Latino concerns. Over the past two decades, many areas of the U.S. have experienced substantial in-migration of Latinos from Mexico and Meso-America. As the Latino populations have expanded, these migrants' participation in business creation has also expanded. However, a study of Latino business owners identified language and cultural barriers to establishing businesses, which are in addition to more typical barriers confronting entrepreneurs. These barriers were often found to be unique to the community in which the entrepreneurs resided. The educational materials combined existing entrepreneurship training resources with locally focused information to address the unique concerns of Latino entrepreneurs in Arkansas. The pilot training program was conducted in two rural communities with substantial Latino populations. The topics covered in the workshops were those identified as most important by Latino entrepreneurs. This paper and presentation will explain the process for developing the educational materials and pilot training, describe the educational materials created for the target audience, and present the findings and key components of a successful outreach effort to Latino entrepreneurs

Creating E-Textile Activities in a Textile Design Course to Engage Female Middle School Students in STEM Learning: An Undergraduate Design Experience

Widespread agreement exists that the United States faces a serious challenge in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). There is a particular deficit of females (Watt, 2010) and members of underserved groups like rural populations (Smith, Nelson, Trygstad, & Banilower, 2013) who are interested in STEM topics and qualified to pursue STEM careers. Initiatives are needed to encourage more students, especially females and rural students, to go into STEM fields. In this project, e-textile activities were designed by a senior level undergraduate textile design class to engage female middle-school students in STEM learning. E-textile activities have the potential to increase enjoyment of and interest in STEM activities, taking STEM courses, consideration of STEM careers, and confidence in STEM ability

Training Materials Developed for Latino Entrepreneurs

This article describes the materials and training program that Extension created to assist current and potential Latino immigrant entrepreneurs in starting businesses in Arkansas. The content-based educational materials describe the process for starting a new business, government regulatory requirements, start-up costs and considerations, and how to organize important documents. All items were designed with the ultimate goal of providing business owners with worksheets and an organizational system that can be used to write a business plan

Does a Web-first Tailored Design Method Work with Rural Populations?

Considering rural populations are historically difficult to reach, an important component of this research revolves around improving survey techniques in rural areas. To address this issue, a web-first Tailored Design Method (TDM), utilizing a mixed-mode of internet and postal mail surveys, was adapted to research the quality of life experienced by rural families. Aided by the Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology – Survey Research Services, data were collected from 62 rural counties in Arkansas. Socioeconomic-demographic factors were examined regarding survey response mode (i.e. mail vs. web) with some differences found. Logistic regression results demonstrated males were less likely to use web only responses compared to females. Similarly, higher education and income levels were associated with an increased likelihood of utilizing web response methods opposed to the mail-only response mode. Overall, the web-first TDM approach seems effective for garnering responses from harder to reach populations and should be considered when surveying rural populations

An Empirical Examination of Characteristics of Mexican Migrants to Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan

ABSTRACT This research examines differences between those Mexican migrants choosing metropolitan destinations and those choosing destinations outside metropolitan areas of the United States. Using general estimating equations, the study presents data indicating that since the 1960s migrants choosing rural destinations are less fluent in English, slightly older, much less educated, far more likely to be unskilled, more likely to be married, and more likely to be undocumented. The picture is more complex when consideration is restricted to those migrants arriving in rural areas since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement. These migrants are far more likely to be single, have more education but have less English fluency, have less work experience, and have less family experience with migration to the United States. They are more likely to come from small towns and rural areas of Mexico

Amnesia and Pain Relief after Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in a Cancer Pain Patient: A Case Report

The mechanism of chronic pain is very complicated. Memory, pain, and opioid dependence appear to share common mechanism, including synaptic plasticity, and anatomical structures. A 48-yr-old woman with severe pain caused by bone metastasis of breast cancer received epidural block. After local anesthetics were injected, she had a seizure and then went into cardiac arrest. Following cardiopulmonary resuscitation, her cardiac rhythm returned to normal, but her memory had disappeared. Also, her excruciating pain and opioid dependence had disappeared. This complication, although uncommon, gives us a lot to think about a role of memory for chronic pain and opioid dependence

Refinement of the convex shape model and tumbling spin state of (99942) Apophis using the 2020-2021 apparition data

Context. The close approach of the near-Earth asteroid (99942) Apophis to Earth in 2029 will provide a unique opportunity to examine how the physical properties of the asteroid could be changed due to the Eartha's gravitational perturbation. As a result, the Republic of Korea is planning a rendezvous mission to Apophis. Aims. Our aim was to use photometric data from the apparitions in 2020 2021 to refine the shape model and spin state of Apophis. Methods. Using thirty-six 1-to 2-meter-class ground-based telescopes and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, we carried out a photometric observation campaign throughout the 2020 2021 apparition. The convex shape model and spin state were refined using the light-curve inversion method. Results. According to our best-fit model, Apophis is rotating in a short-axis mode with rotation and precession periods of 264.178 h and 27.38547 h, respectively. The angular momentum vector orientation of Apophis was found to be (275, 85) in the ecliptic coordinate system. The ratio of the dynamic moments of inertia of this asteroid was fitted to Iaa:a Iba:a Ica =a 0.64a:a 0.97a:a 1, which corresponds to an elongated prolate ellipsoid. These findings regarding the spin state and shape model can be used to both design the space mission scenario and investigate the impact of the Eartha's tidal force during close encounters