13251 research outputs found
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Next in Line: Exploring Owner, Business, and Family Characteristics and Farm Succession Planning
No full textThe growing average age of the American farmer raises concerns about who will be involved in the future agricultural economy. Efficient succession in family farms keeps farm values high, and farms that plan for succession have an incentive to invest more resources into the farm. Knowing what factors on family farms are common when succession occurs could help encourage earlier succession planning. The research questions were: “Are family, business, and owner characteristics significantly related to the presence of a farm succession plan on farms in the Midwest?” and “Are family, business, and owner characteristics significantly related to principal operators’ preference to keep the farm in their family in the Midwest?” Data was collected through a survey funded through the USDA NIFA Capacity Building Grant for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture, and probit models were used to measure predicted probabilities. Significant variables included the age of the principal operator, education, legal structure, and how business goals are discussed. These results may indicate what estate planners and can prioritize when discussing farm estates with farm owners to help current and future farmers maintain their operations
Bridging Academia and Industry: Enhancing Workforce Readiness through Experiential Learning
No full textIn today\u27s rapidly evolving job market, it is imperative for educational institutions to prepare students for successful transitions into the workforce. This project highlights the integration of experiential learning opportunities into the curriculum through partnerships with industry organizations. By bridging academia and industry, students gain practical skills, industry insights, and professional networks essential for thriving in their careers
Livelihood Adaptive Strategies and Marginalization in Decision-Making: A Study of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Vulnerable Communities in Northern Pakistan
No full textThis study examines livelihood adaptation strategies and the dynamics of marginalization in decision-making within communities vulnerable to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan. Grounded in a vulnerability framework encompassing exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, it addresses two objectives: identifying household and community-level adaptation strategies to GLOF risks and analyzing structural drivers of marginalization in adaptation decision-making. A mixed-methods design was used, combining a systematic review of GLOF measures in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region with a household survey of 150 respondents in Hassanabad and Hoper valleys. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) assessed how socio-demographic, economic, institutional, and motivational factors influence adaptation actions—such as floodwalls, riverbank plantations, migration, and channel excavation—and participation levels. Results show that adaptation strategies are unevenly distributed, shaped by education, disaster experience, social networks, and institutional trust. Participation remains limited and often tokenistic, particularly among marginalized groups. The study calls for inclusive, power-aware frameworks that foster both structural resilience and equitable participation. Policy recommendations include integrating local knowledge, strengthening community governance, and customizing adaptation systems to high-mountain socio-ecological contexts
Fostering Effective Practice: Using Metacognition Logs in the Private Voice Studio
No full textABSTRACT
The purpose of this case study was to examine the short-term impact of metacognition instruction on the practice of a single voice student in a private studio. Across four lessons, the student received explicit instruction in metacognitive strategies and applied them through guided practice logs supporting planning, monitoring, adjusting, and reflecting. Each lesson began with a review and discussion of the practice logs. The teacher-researcher recorded these discussions to capture the student’s thinking and maintained a journal to document observations, instructional decisions, and reflections. Data analysis involved primarily qualitative methods focused on reflections, discussions, and practice logs. Quantitative measures, such as survey statistics and pretest–posttest comparisons, supplemented the analysis to track changes in the student’s use of metacognitive skills. The findings suggest that integrating metacognitive instruction into private lessons can enhance student autonomy and the quality of practice, offering a practical model for voice teachers aiming to foster independent, reflective musicianship. These results also highlight the need for future research on adapting metacognitive frameworks for ensemble settings or implementing them over extended periods to increase their effect
A Novel Deterrence Strategy: Denial Through Space and Cyberspace
No full textThe United States faces numerous security threats now and in the coming decades. Authoritarian and revisionist powers such as China and Russia, along with regional proxies, are destabilizing the international order. The ability of the United States to adequately address these present and future threats is constrained by conventional and nuclear forces in need of recapitalization, a rising national deficit, disagreements over the direction of U.S. foreign policy, and a defense industrial enterprise that has its roots in the Cold War. In a multi-peer threat environment, this situation erodes U.S. credibility and is an invitation for aggression. Coercion, coordinated multi-theater operations, and limited strikes against U.S. interests, including the homeland, are increasingly plausible. In response to such threats, the United States may be forced to capitulate or respond with nuclear escalation; both options are dangerous. This thesis advances a novel non-nuclear deterrence-by-denial strategy that emphasizes operations in space and cyberspace, escalating to precision strikes from space if necessary. The objective is to threaten an adversary’s ability to project power by denying access to global information systems while holding critical leadership and command and control nodes at risk. Should these measures fail to restore deterrence, the United States will retain the capacity to execute overwhelming long-range precision strikes utilizing air, land, and sea platforms. This strategy prioritizes investments and the integration of terrestrial and space-deployed missile defenses to balance the offense-defense equation. An adaptable non-nuclear capabilities approach designed to achieve information dominance provides decision-makers with credible options to signal intent, manage escalation, and, if necessary, deliver a range of effects with minimal collateral damage and risk to U.S. military personnel
Venezuela Claims to Guyana Territory and Its Regional Destabilization Threats
No full textAs global tensions escalate over territorial disputes, Venezuela\u27s assertion of claims over the Essequibo territory in Guyana threaten to destabilize a pivotal region in South America known for its abundant natural resources and prospering economy. This thesis will highlight the key distinctions between different European explorers and how they diversified the legacy of colonialism, changed historical and political trajectory, and shaped modern-day Guyana and Venezuela. It will highlight the critical roles that natural resources and international law play in territorial contention and sculpting of the geopolitical landscape within this crucial region. This thesis will scrutinize the potential fallout of the Essequibo region dispute by highlighting its capacity to catalyze substantial destabilization across the region. It will also explore the border impacts on the Western Hemisphere by examining adverse external influences and shifts in international relationships resulting from challenges over this disputed territory. This thesis will examine the role of international involvement, committees, and judicial rulings to deter Venezuela’s attempts to annex the Essequibo, mitigate conflict, and prevent destabilization within this key region in Latin America. It will also discuss the legacy of colonial-era border decisions and how they continue to shape contemporary geopolitics, highlight the complex dynamics of international relations, and emphasize the challenges of addressing territorial disputes in a global context. Lastly, this thesis will discuss implications to U.S. foreign policy to reassess diplomatic engagement, international dialogue, conflict resolution efforts, and regional initiatives for Latin America to address the Venezuela-Guyana territorial dispute and preserve regional stability
Lack of Protocol Standardization for Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials
No full textVestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs) are used in the field of Audiology to allow us to evaluate otolith and vestibular nerve function, which provides us with information that prior testing could not exclusively identify. While the collection of data from VEMPs is useful for many audiologic and vestibular diagnoses, achieving accurate recordings can be challenging due to the complex nature of testing. The article below will take a deep dive into different VEMP devices and the protocol they used to record VEMPs on their participants. The purpose of developing state-of-the-art (SOTA) equipment for VEMP testing is to ensure that the future product has met all regulations, standards, and provides accurate test results. After reviewing the findings from 120 articles, it was concluded that there is a broad variability in protocol between software and across different devices. In the United States of America, there is a lack of direction for standardization of VEMPs, and these findings prove the need for standardization is a must. Based on the research findings, a standard protocol for both cervical VEMP and ocular VEMP recordings was suggested
Recollection
No full textMy work is inspired by life\u27s transient nature and objects\u27 enduring capacity to house memories. The delicate sculptures I create combine second-hand objects with paper to capture the essence of moments and possessions that define personal histories. The objects I use represent more than their form or chemistry; they are imbued with fragments of history and memory that I am driven to preserve. In this work, the sentimental nature and purpose of my belongings hold an equal or greater value than the physical nature and purpose of those belongings. I illuminate an object’s sentimentality by combining its form with painted and drawn images, textures, photographs, and patterns to explore the appreciation of memory as it exists in the past and the present. By retelling stories of everyday experiences I am sharing the gift of hindsight as a tool for appreciating the parts of life we don’t think to miss until they are lost
Development of Functional Plasmonic Nanoceria for the Ultrasensitive Detection of Ebola Glycoprotein
No full textInfectious diseases have been increasing in both severity and prevalence, leading to increasing economic burdens and health concerns. Ebola hemorrhagic fever is an infectious disease that is both highly communicable and highly fatal. Current detection methods for the virus have high specificity and sensitivity but have long and/or complicated procedures that do not allow for early virus detection in highly affected areas. Compared to the lengthy procedure of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time RT-PCR is more time-efficient; however, specificity and sensitivity are reduced. Since early detection of the virus is the only way to increase survival rates, sensitive detection methods that are rapid, specific, cost-effective, and user-friendly are vital for hospitals and infected areas. This research integrates the plasmonic capabilities of gold nanoparticles and the stabilizing properties of nanoceria to form plasmonic nanoceria. These nanosensors allow for rapid, sensitive, specific, and portable colorimetric detection of the Ebola virus in multiple media types by integrating enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a lateral flow assay
Suitability of Reintroduction as a Tool for the Conservation of the Central American River Turtle (Dermatemys Mawii)
No full textThe Central American River Turtle (Dermatemys mawii) has declined throughout its historical range to the point that it is critically endangered; the primary driver is overharvesting by humans for consumption. To help conserve this critically endangered turtle, a head-start program was established in Belize and introductions of head-started individuals have been considered to bolster populations. I released and studied hatchling and head-started juvenile Central American River Turtles during the summers of 2021 and 2022, respectively. The goal was to determine the suitability of hatchlings and juveniles for use in conservation reintroductions, along with elucidating aspects of the ecology and life history of each life stage. I tracked and recorded habitat metrics and movements of the turtles, and at the end of each summer I recaptured as many turtles as possible to assess growth rates. Hatchlings remained close to the banks and moved along them, selecting areas with shallow water and under heavy canopy. Head-started juveniles used the same habitat as wild conspecifics; juveniles preferred habitats in the stream channel, in water several meters deep, and at the edge of the canopy. Juveniles also shifted closer to shore at night to feed on vegetation. Some hatchlings moved several kilometers, while others moved only a few meters; it is unclear why there was such great variation. Head-started juveniles showed greater variation in movement than wild juveniles, but there was variation among individuals resulting in no overall difference in movement. Both hatchlings and head-started juveniles grew in mass and other body dimensions, suggesting they could forage effectively. Survival rates could not be calculated for hatchlings due to few recaptures at the end of the study. Head-started juveniles had a slightly lower survival rate than wild juveniles, and combined survival was at least 70% for the duration of the study. Given these short-term findings of movement, growth, and survival it appears both hatchling and juvenile head-started turtles are good candidates for reintroduction, but more information about survival rates is needed to support a more robust assessment. My research also offers important information on habitat preference for the two life stages which may better inform future introduction projects and enhance their success