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Enhancing Business Students' Learning Experiences Through a Hands-On Research Project Using Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)
No full textWharton Research Data Services (WRDS) is a widely used database by researchers in finance, economics, and many other areas, and it also offers materials suitable for the classroom. In the fall 2022 semester, we implemented a WRDS research project in four FIN 3320 Business Finance sections. Students gathered financial statements for a publicly traded company using the WRDS database, calculated and analyzed financial ratios for the company and industry, and wrote a 3- to 5-page report. The finance project supports the Amarillo National Bank School of Accounting, Economics, and Finance's initiative to engage students with hands-on research activities by utilizing a professional national dataset.
We surveyed face-to-face and online students enrolled in FIN 3320. IRB approved.Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) is a widely used database by researchers in finance, economics, and many other areas, and it also offers materials suitable for the classroom. In the fall 2022 semester, we implemented a WRDS research project in four FIN 3320 Business Finance sections. Students gathered financial statements for a publicly traded company using the WRDS database, calculated and analyzed financial ratios for the company and industry, and wrote a 3- to 5-page report. The finance project supports the Amarillo National Bank School of Accounting, Economics, and Finance's initiative to engage students with hands-on research activities by utilizing a professional national dataset. We developed the Student Perception of WRDS Research in Finance Courses online survey to examine business students' perceptions toward using WRDS and the research project. In addition to student perceptions, we examined students' knowledge of financial ratios, a first step in financial data analysis, and developed a pre and post-test to measure business majors' aptitude levels using and analyzing financial ratios. We address students' benefits and challenges of utilizing the WRDS platform and a hands-on research project in F2F and online introductory finance courses. The results show that online and face-to-face (F2F) students' general perceptions of using WRDS and hands-on projects were positive. Both groups of students substantially improved their performance on the post-test relative to their results on the pre-test. The poster also provides implications for business school administrators and faculty teaching undergraduate courses and working with business students
Implementing Instructional Coaching: A Focus Group Study
No full textPurpose: This study explored the perceptions and instructional coaching experiences of teachers, emphasizing the role of instructional leaders. It also observed the influence of instructional leaders and their impact on student achievement and school climate. Research Method: This study used a qualitative design. It conducted focus group discussions to explore how instructional coaching is implemented through instructional leaders. This study provides an in-depth examination of how high-quality instructional coaching is perceived and utilized by educators to improve their instructional practices. Findings: The findings for this study resulted in four themes: (a) leadership, (b) professional development, (c) instructional best practices, and (d) positive perceptions. These themes were demonstrated throughout the data obtained from the focus group discussions. The findings supported the literature, indicating that instructional coaching is an imperative aspect of effective instructional leadership. Conclusion: Instructional coaching was demonstrated throughout this study to be a crucial component of instructional leadership. The findings and data from this study help further support the effective implementation of instructional coaching by school leaders. The main premise of this is to improve teachers’ instructional practices to provide students with high-quality instruction so that they can achieve academic success
TEXAS EQUINE VETERINARY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON VACCINATION OF ADULT NON-BREEDING EQUINE IN 2023
Full text linkIn safeguarding the health and well-being of equine populations, vaccination practices stand as a cornerstone of preventive veterinary care. The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify the recommended vaccination protocols for core antigens (Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, Rabies, Tetanus, and West Nile virus), Equine Influenza virus (EIV), and Equine Herpes virus (EHV) by equine or mixed-practice Texas Equine Veterinary Association (TEVA) members in 2023, and 2) examine the demographics of veterinarians and compare vaccination recommendations based on demographics, and 3) explore and analyze the factors that influence a veterinarian’s decisions around vaccine usage. The West Texas A&M University Institutional Review Board reviewed and approved the survey (#2023.08.005, Vaccination Recommendations by Veterinarians in Texas to Determine Vaccine Effectiveness on Adult Non-breeding Equine). This study was conducted in partnership with the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Education, Research, and Outreach (VERO) campus in Canyon, TX. Five hundred TEVA members were surveyed between November 1 to 14, 2023. A total of 39 respondents filled out the survey, achieving a response rate of 7.8%. All respondents filled out both sections of the provided survey. All responses were exported into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and imported into RStudio version 4.3.2 to conduct statistical analyses. A Chi-square test was conducted to test whether the distribution of responses for a particular question was even or not. A Fisher's Exact test was run to determine whether there was a significant association between the vaccination perspectives and demographics. The findings regarding core vaccination recommendations indicated that 92.3% of respondents advocated for administering an initial dose of vaccine for all core antigens to horses lacking a vaccination history, followed by a vaccination booster dose within 3 to 4 wk. Additionally, 95% of respondents agreed on an annual vaccination for horses with a history of core vaccination. Findings regarding EHV vaccination recommendations indicated that 82% of respondents advocated administering an initial dose of the EHV vaccine to horses without a vaccination history of EHV. Findings regarding EIV vaccination recommendation indicated that 76.9% of respondents advocated for administering an initial dose of EIV vaccine to horses without a vaccination history of EIV. Findings regarding the preferred type of vaccine for EIV resulted in 59.0% expressing a preference for the inactivated form (IM) of EIV. Findings regarding the preferred type of vaccine for EHV resulted in 79.5% expressing a preference for the inactivated form (IM) of EHV. Overall, this study suggests that horses in Texas are receiving the AAEP vaccine protocols for both core and risk-based vaccines due to TEVA respondents adhering to the AAEP guidelines
Rural Young Adults' Perceptions of Cannabis: A Survey Study
Full text linkProject overview Cannabis is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2021), and public opinion on it has been rapidly evolving in recent years (Carliner et al., 2017). While existing health communication research has generated novel insights into cannabis-related attitudes, norms, and behaviors of various demographic segments, including adolescents (Thrash & Warner, 2019), high school students (Palamar, 2014), college students (Earle et al., 2020), and older adults (Arora et al., 2020), little is known about rural young adults' perceptions of cannabis, even though they are more likely to engage in risky behaviors (Gupta & Petti, 2022; Lambert et al., 2008). This study aimed to reveal rural young adults' attitudes toward regarding cannabis. Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) Built upon virtual theories and cultural psychology (Haidt & Joseph, 2004), the MFT is consisted of five universal foundations to explain the moral intuitions that shape individuals' reactions to ethical dilemmas (Haidt & Joseph, 2004), attitudes toward social issues (Haidt & Graham, 2007), and behaviors (Hopp et al., 2021). The five foundations are Care/Harm, Fairness/Reciprocity, Ingroup/Loyalty, Authority/Respect, and Purity/Sanctity. Moral foundations shape one's "fast, automatic gut-reactions of like and dislike when certain patterns are perceived in the social world, which in turn guide judgements of right and wrong" (Koleva et al., 2012, p.185). This study applies the MFT theory to a controversial health communication topic, young adults' perceptions of cannabis.
The data collection methodology was a survey.This project examines rural young adults' perceptions of cannabis (marijuana). The results of a paper-and-pencil and an online survey yielded four major findings. The research findings show the associations between exposure to social media messages about cannabis, moral foundations, perceived risks of cannabis, attitudes toward cannabis legalization, and word of mouth intentions to talk about cannabis in person and online. Data analysis suggests that young adults' attitudes toward recreational cannabis and cannabis legalization are not predicted by time spent on social media, but are associated with specific moral foundations. The research findings show that health educators may consider embedding latent moral values in their drug-prevention campaigns that target rural young adults
Circadian Regulation of Peripheral Serotonin and Platelets in Mice
Full text linkCircadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles of biological processes that persist under constant conditions. These rhythms are entrainable to external cues (known as zeitgebers), such as light or food availability, but persist in the absence of these cues. Nearly all organisms, including humans and other mammals, have circadian rhythms (1), which are outputs of oscillators comprised of transcriptional feedback loops (1,2). Central tissues are known to be strongly coupled with the light entrainable oscillator (LEO), located within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). This structure serves as a circadian pacemaker in mammals and other vertebrate species. On the other hand, peripheral tissues have generally been shown to be more strongly influenced by entrainment to food availability than to light cycles, thus more tightly coupled to the food entrainable oscillator (FEO) than to the LEO (3). However, this has not been directly demonstrated for all outputs of circadian oscillators, including peripheral serotonin. Serotonin, or 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine), derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan, is reported to be an output of the circadian clock in some species and tissues (4). Serotonin has been shown to be involved in a number of different physiological processes (4). For example, gut-derived serotonin can regulate stimulation of propulsive and segmentation motility patterns, epithelial secretion, vasodilation, immune function, and possibly skeletal growth (5,6). Most of the body's serotonin is transported into the blood before being taken up by platelets, and rhythms of serotonin abundance have also been measured in the plasma and serum of blood in various species including rodents (4). However, the processes by which peripheral serotonin is regulated by the circadian clock are not completely understood. The study of peripheral serotonin may give more valuable insight into the role of circadian clocks in regulating gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and other functions.
This research study aims to:
1. Determine how serotonin levels in the colon and duodenum of mice are regulated by environmental cycles of light or food availability.
2. Assess circadian control of circulating platelet levels under similar conditions.
In these experiments, mice were fed ad libitum (AL) or placed on a gradual daytime restricted feeding regimen (DRF) while maintained in a 12:12 light-dark cycle (LD) or constant darkness (DD). During the sampling period, eight mice were sacrificed every four hours, beginning two hours after the start of the photophase, at ZT2. Whole trunk blood was be collected and diluted 1:100 with Rees and Ecker blood diluting fluid (Ricca Chemical, VWR Radnor, PA), then loaded into a hemocytometer for manual counting. Additional tissue samples (whole blood, liver, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) were taken from each animal, flash-frozen, and maintained at -80C. In a separate study, stool samples were collected every four hours using a repeated-measures design under similar conditions. Stool and gut samples were transported to TTUHSC for analysis using LC/MS/MS. mRNA levels of tph1 and SERT were quantified using qPCR. Cosinor statistical analysis was performed using CircWave software.
References:
1. Bell-Pedersen D, Cassone VM, Earnest DJ, Golden SS, Hardin PE, Thomas TL, et al. Circadian rhythms from multiple oscillators: Lessons from diverse organisms. Nature Reviews Genetics. 2005Jun10;6(7):544-56.
2. Takahashi JS. Transcriptional architecture of the mammalian circadian clock. Nat Rev Genet. 2017 Mar;18(3):164-179.
3. Damiola F, Le Minh N, Preitner N, Kornmann Benoı̂t, Fleury-Olela F, Schibler U. Restricted feeding uncouples circadian oscillators in peripheral tissues from the central pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Genes & Development. 2000;14(23):2950-61.
4. Valdés-Fuentes. "Effect of Daytime-Restricted Feeding in the Daily Variations of Liver Metabolism and Blood Transport of Serotonin in Rat." Physiological Reports, vol. 3, no. 5, 2015.
5. Mawe, Gary M., and Jill M. Hoffman. "Serotonin Signaling in the Gut-Functions, Dysfunctions and Therapeutic Targets." Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, vol. 10, no. 8, 2013, pp. 473-486.
6. Ebert-Zavos E, Horvat-Gordon M, Taylor A, Bartell PA. Biological clocks in the duodenum and the diurnal regulation of duodenal and plasma serotonin. PLoS One. 2013 May 30;8(5):e58477.Most organisms are known to possess biological clocks, which control and coordinate numerous physiological processes over each 24-hour day. Circadian oscillators play a role in generating biological rhythms and coordinating numerous processes with environmental stimuli, such as timing of a meal or exposure to light. The indolamine molecule, serotonin, is an important peripheral hormone produced by the intestinal mucosa of mammals, but its regulation as an output of the circadian clock is not well understood. Recent studies in our lab have investigated circadian rhythmicity of serotonin and its entrainment to light stimuli or food availability in various tissue compartments in mice, including blood serum, stools, and the intestinal wall. Because most serotonin is released into the blood and taken up by platelets, we investigated regulation of circulating platelet levels as well. In these experiments, mice were fed ad libitum (AL) or placed on a gradual daytime restricted feeding regimen (DRF) while maintained in a 12:12 light-dark cycle (LD) or constant darkness (DD). We assessed serotonin levels in duodenum, colon, and stool and demonstrated a high-amplitude circadian rhythm of serotonin in stool samples that persisted in constant conditions and entrained to both light and food availability, with a peak occurring close to the day-night transition under LD conditions. In contrast to some published findings, no circadian rhythm of serotonin was detected in blood serum. Serotonin levels from duodenum and colon also exhibited food-entrainable circadian rhythms, peaking in the early morning under LDRF. mRNA levels of tph 1, the rate-limiting enzyme for non-neuronal serotonin biosynthesis, was also rhythmic in the duodenum, and entrained to food availability, with a peak occurring approximately 16 hours prior to the peak in serotonin. This delay may reflect the kinetics of protein synthesis and turnover, as well as rising levels of serotonin transporter (SERT) measured in the late evening under RF conditions. Interestingly, a circadian rhythm in total platelet number was strongly entrained to cycles of food availability, but not to light
Understanding the Texas Farmworkers, 1966-1982
No full textData collection methodology is archival research.My research centered on the UFW-Texas Records at the Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. My aim was to uncover the nature of a dispute that took place between César Estrada Chàvez, head of the United Farm Workers, and Antonio Orendain, his top representative in Texas from 1966-1975. Orendain split with Chàvez in 1975, dividing the farmworkers' movement in Texas for approximately the next decade
Courageous Conversations Among Assistant Principals: How Trust and Time Influence Confidence and Capacity when Discussing Issues like Race
No full textAchievement disparities between students of color and their White peers continue to manifest despite the best intentions of educators around the county. When data is disaggregated by race and educators are expected to talk about achievement disparities, teachers often become defensive. The purpose of this research study is to determine if Glen Singleton’s (2021) protocol helped to build the capacity and confidence of school leaders in facilitating conversations about race. This study is a mixed-methods participatory action research study in which the author had dual roles as both a partiicipant in the focus groups and as a researcher. Elementary assistant principals participated and actively engaged in focus groups to simulate courageous conversations about race. Reflections, discussions, and implementation exercises were documented in each participant's journal as evidence of growth. Journals were the primary source of qualitative data and were analyzed using coding for themes and categories. Using Observation-Oriented Modeling (OOM) software (version 5.1.2022), ordinal comparisons were made between pre-and post-survey scores to determine if participant confidence and perceived capacity had grown. Trust and psychological safety are required for these types of conversations to be effective. Qualitative data indicated that participants grew in their awareness and understanding of race, privilege, and bias. Unexpectedly, this awareness was associated with lower self-assessments of confidence and capacity
When the Faculty Feels Like Family: The Role of the Principal-Teacher Relationship in Rural School Improvement
Full text linkThe research focus of the scholarly delivery is the principal-teacher relationship in rural schools during times of mandated school improvement. The first scholarly deliverable is a case study that can be used for teaching doctoral or master’s candidates in the field of educational leadership. The title of this article is “When a Teacher Chooses Non-Compliance: Harnessing the Power of the Principal-Teacher Relationship”. This case study uses the story of a new rural school principal’s conflict with one of her teachers to highlight the importance of building trust and using effective communication to strengthen the principal-teacher relationship. The final scholarly deliverable is an empirical article titled “When Faculty Feels Like Family: The Role of the Principal-Teacher Relationship in Rural School Improvement”. This article details how two rural Texas principals used positive relationships to garner academic growth on their campuses
Effects of a maternal bovine appeasing substance and/or metaphlyaxis with tulathromycin in high-risk, newly received feedlot heifers
No full textMaternal bovine appeasing substances (MBAS) act on the vomeronasal gland to reduce physiological stress; whereas antimicrobial metaphylaxis is a proven strategy to control bovine respiratory disease in stressed cattle. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of MBAS alone or in combination with metaphylaxis using tulathromycin on health and performance during a 63-d receiving period. High-risk beef heifers [n = 552; initial body weight (BW) = 187 ± 7 kg] were procured from auction markets in Central and South Texas and transported 726 km to the West Texas A&M University Research Feedlot near Canyon. Upon arrival (d -1), individual BW and pre-existing ear-tag status were recorded. On d 0, individual BW were recorded, and heifers were administered 1 of 4 treatments arranged in a 2 2 factorial: 1) MBAS administration on d 0 and 14 (FERA), 2) metaphylaxis with tulathromycin on d 0 (META), 3) FERA and META administration (FERAMETA), and 4) no FERA or META (CON). A generalized complete block design was used where heifers were blocked by truckload (n=5) with each block consisting of 2 pens per treatment for a total of 10 pen replicates/treatment and 20 pen replicates/main effect. Tulathromycin was administered subcutaneous in the neck at 2.5 mg/kg BW and MBAS was administered topically at 5.0 mL directly behind the poll and 5.0 mL directly above the muzzle. Blood was collected periodically to evaluate bovine viral diarrhea virus-specific antibody titer and immune status using the diameter to diagnostics assay. Heifers administered FERA tended (P = 0.08) to have reduced BRD morbidity (52.3 vs. 60.6%); whereas a main effect (P < 0.01) of META existed for reduced percentage of initial, secondary, and tertiary BRD treatment. Furthermore, heifers receiving META had reduced (P ≤ 0.04) 1st relapse and respiratory mortality rate. Total antimicrobial cost and units were less (P < 0.01) for META. Heifers that received META had greater (P 0.01) ADG from d 0 to 14 (0.80 vs. 0.33) and overall (1.12 vs. 0.97; d 0 to 63) compared to non-META cattle. There was a tendency for an interaction (P 0.08) for DMI from d 0 to 14 such that cattle receiving FERAMETA had greater DMI. An interaction existed (P = 0.05) for G:F from d 0 to 63 such that FERA was greatest, META and FERAMETA were intermediate, and CON was least. The BVDV-specific antibody titer and D2Dx index increased with time (Day effect; P 0.03) but no other differences were observed. In conclusion, FERA was not an effective alternative to metaphylaxis with tulathromycin, but the combination of FERA and META suggest some additive benefit. In this high-risk heifer population, META resulted in improved health and performance and reduced antimicrobial use and cost overall
POSITIVE INTERVENTION BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN RURAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Full text linkThis final composite explores classroom behavior management and the use of positive intervention behavior management strategies (PIBMS) in rural middle schools. The first scholarly deliverable is a case study article that could be used for teaching doctoral or master’s candidates in the field of educational leadership. The title of this article is “A Case Study on Classroom Behavior Management.” This case explores how organizational communication and accountability can be used to impact and empower classroom behavior management strategies. The final scholarly deliverable is an empirical article titled “Positive Intervention Behavior Management Strategies in Rural Middle Schools.” This empirical article focuses on the most difficult challenges rural middle school administrators face in implementing PIBMS successfully