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Examining the Role of Drones in Public Safety Agencies Across Texas
Get PDFOver the past several years, numerous industries have begun using drones to save time and money and enhance safety. One industry where drones have become increasingly popular is in public safety. Prior research shows that public safety officials use drones for a variety of situations (e.g., combatting fires, tracking fleeing suspects), while also enhancing efficiency and mitigating personnel risk. Yet, like any technological advancement, drones present a number of challenges that officials must address, such as potential privacy violations and the monetary costs associated with managing a UAS program. While this information is important, much of the prior literature on the use of drones in public safety comes from the viewpoint of academics, journalists, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A missing link from this body of literature, then, is research documenting the advantages and disadvantages of managing a UAS program from the perspective of public safety officials. To address this issue, the present study conducted qualitative interviews with approximately 11 public safety agencies in Texas to address the main benefits and challenges to implementing drones in the field, as well as their agencies’ training requirements and recommendations for departments looking to implement their own UAS program
Improving Road Damage Detection Accuracy Using Deep Learning Image Enhancement Models
Get PDFIt is important to accurately detect and classify road damage to ensure road human safety. Current road damage detection systems suffer from detection accuracy loss due to low-quality images. This work endeavors to elevate the efficacy of road damage detection systems by leveraging state-of-the-art deep learning techniques in image enhancement. Specifically, this project experiments with different image enhancement models (including Super Resolution Residual Network or SRResNet and Super Resolution Generative Adversarial Network or SRGAN) and evaluates how they help detection models (You Only Look Once versions 7 and 9 or YOLOv7 and YOLOv9) improve their detection accuracy. The experimental results show that SRResNet helps generate super-resolution images that subsequently improve the detection performances by approximately seven times, and SRGAN, though it produces good-looking images, does not help improve the performance as much as SRResNet due to generating unrealistic patterns
Local Law Enforcement’s Role in Combating Human Trafficking
Get PDFHuman trafficking has exploded into one of the fastest-growing criminal acts in the world. Very rapidly, its popularity has surpassed that of the gun and drug trade, earning criminals billions of dollars in profit. It is important to identify that there is a difference between “human smuggling and “human trafficking”. These two terms are commonly misused and are erroneously thought to mean the same thing to the average citizen. “Human trafficking involves exploiting men, women, or children for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Human smuggling involves the provision of a service—typically, transportation or fraudulent documents—to an individual who voluntarily seeks to gain illegal entry into a foreign country” (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2017). The key difference between these two crimes is the individuals’ freedom of choice. Additionally, these terms should not be used interchangeably. It is estimated that each year between 600,000 and 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders. “Victims are forced into prostitution, or to work in quarries and sweatshops, on farms, as domestics, as child soldiers, and in many forms of involuntary servitude. The U.S. Government estimates that over half of all victims trafficked internationally are trafficked for sexual exploitation” (U.S. Department of State, 2004). Human trafficking victimizes innocent women and children and overall deteriorates the quality of life within all our communities. To combat this horrific crime, local law enforcement must take a lead role. Through training, education, and expanded partnerships, local law enforcement can be effective in combating human trafficking. The concerted effort of local law enforcement agencies will be more effective than deferring this responsibility to federal agencies.LEMI
Latino Osteopathic Medical Student Audio Series – Vanessa Molina
No full textBridging Horizons: Audio Series on a medical career journey for undergraduate students with Vanessa Molina There is an undisputable need to increase Hispanic diversity in medical education and healthcare. Discover the inspiring world of medicine through "Bridging Horizons," an audio series designed to empower and guide Hispanic undergraduate students on their path to medical school. Delve into the personal stories and triumphs of Hispanic medical students, giving insights into their cultural perspectives on how to start the journey to becoming a medical professional. This audio series highlights the cultural attributes of medical students and their successful stories from navigating fears and uncertainties to initiating their medical career path up to their school’s admission. "Bridging Horizons" is a platform that celebrates the resilience, achievements, and contributions of Hispanic individuals in the initial journey to becoming medical professionals. Join us in fostering a supportive community for Hispanic prospective med students, offering practical advice on engagement to break down barriers, bridge cultural gaps, and provide a roadmap for aspiring Hispanic medical professionals. Tune in for a roadmap to success, from undergraduate studies to medical school admission.SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicin
Treat Me Right: Black Women's Experiences with Intimate Partner Violence Service Organizations
Get PDFIntimate partner violence is a significant public health issues, specifically for Black women who are one of the most vulnerable. Despite the decline in IPV rates among all racial/ethnic groups, violence among the Black population is still evident and concerning. Limited research exists on the effects of cultural context as it relates to IPV help-seeking decisions, and less is known on how the COVID-19 pandemic in conjunction with these factors impede help-seeking services and decisions for Black women. Understanding culturally relevant factors and stages of uncertainty, such as a global pandemic, which influence Black women help-seeking, centered within an Africana womanist framework, is critical for developing culturally competent support and resources for these survivors. Using secondary semi-structured interviews, the current research included 12 Black women in the U.S. to: 1) identify cultural factors that impact decisions to seek help, 2) assess experiences with agencies once help is sought, and 3) explore how a global pandemic influence survivors decision-making and services towards them. Theoretical implications, policy recommendations, and future research directions are discussed
The Effect of Breakfast on a Resistance Training Session in Female Collegiate Athletes
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to examine the effect of breakfast consumption on collegiate female athletes during a resistance training session and their nutritional habits throughout the remainder of the day. Of 32 recruited, 23 female collegiate Division I athletes from Sam Houston State University participated. The study consisted of three visits. The first visit included baseline measures for heart rate (HR), blood glucose (BG), and salivary cortisol (SC), a wellness questionnaire, 5-repetition maxes for a goblet squat, Romanian deadlift, dumbbell bench press and dumbbell row, and participant familiarization. The next two visits consisted of the randomized conditions: a resistance training session with breakfast (experimental) and another with breakfast omission (control). For each condition, BG, HR, and SC was collected after wait period and prior to resistance training and BG, RHR, SC, heart rate recovery (HRR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was collected after resistance training. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to examine how the condition (breakfast or breakfast omission) and time (pre and post) affected BG, HR, and SC. BG was more stable between pre and post in the experimental condition compared to the control. A matched pairs t-test revealed that breakfast had no impact on RPE. Lastly, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that breakfast increased happiness and was associated with lower academic stress. This study demonstrates the importance of breakfast to female collegiate athletes, coaches, and administration as well as informs the research on nutrition among female collegiate athletes
Increased Integrated Response Training for Active Threats
No full textActive shooter incidents, Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks (CCTAs), bombings/IEDs, fire-as-a-weapon, vehicle-as-a-weapon, and more are all considered active threat incidents. These incidents represent a wide classification of incidents that call for an “all hazards” approach. The concern is not if first responders are receiving the necessary training, but if they are getting enough integrated response training, that is, fire, EMS, and law enforcement training together, to efficiently mitigate active threat incidents. This is important because continuous integrated response training will improve information flow, strategy and direction, and trust among the agencies involved in a Unified Command (UC) response. This type of training will also assist in dealing with emergent behaviors such as self-dispatched resources, disorganized staging, and differences in culture. The intent is only to provide a better understanding and perspective on the capabilities and limitations of fire/EMS and law enforcement, the barriers that may be preventing better coordination in training, the emergent behaviors that happen in response to an active threat, and to build trust and relationships, particularly between the fire service and law enforcement. The idea is to provide some insight and self assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the training in how first responding agencies will respond and mitigate these types of incidents together. First responders must be able to function together to address the shooter(s), or the threat, and to address the victims and their injuries. To do so, first responders (fire, police, EMS, public works, OEM, etc.) should be required to have increased integrated response training for active threat incidents.LEMI
INEQUITIES IN EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE CONSEQUENCE ASSIGNMENT TO STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR BY ETHNICITY/RACE AND BY ECONOMIC STATUS: A MULTIYEAR ANALYSIS
No full textPurpose
The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the primary reasons that students are assigned exclusionary discipline consequences. Another purpose involves ascertaining the degree to which differential consequences are present by
student ethnicity/race in the discipline consequence assigned for the same misbehavior. These determinations will be performed for Grade 6 boys, Grade 6 girls, and for middle school students in poverty. Moreover, the extent to which trends are present in these areas will be addressed.
Method
A causal comparative research design was used in this journal-ready dissertation. Data on three major ethnic/racial groups of students in Texas (a) White, (b) Hispanic, and (c) Black were analyzed herein for, the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019- 2020 school years.
Findings
Descriptive statistics were calculated to determine the most commonly committed student misbehaviors and then the most common disciplinary consequences assigned as a result. Grade 6 boys committed similar misbehaviors, such as Tardy, Disruption of Class, General Misconduct, and Noncompliance regardless of their ethnicity/race. In-School Suspension and Out-of-School Suspension were assigned to Grade 6 Black and Hispanic boys for the same misbehaviors more often than they were assigned to Grade 6 White boys. Grade 6 girls also committed similar misbehaviors, such as Tardy, General Misconduct, Disruption of Class, and Absent Without Permission regardless of their ethnicity/race. Grade 6 Black and Hispanic girls were assigned In-School Suspension, Detention After School, and Out-of-School Suspension more often than Grade 6 White girls. Grade 6 White girls were assigned Administrative Conference and Lunch Detention more often than Grade 6 Black and Grade 6 Hispanic girls. Middle school students, regardless of economic status, committed Tardy violations, Disruption of Class, General Misconduct and Noncompliance at similar rates. In-School Suspension, Out-of-School Suspension and Detention After School were assigned more often to middle school students in poverty than it was assigned to their peers who were not in poverty. Non exclusionary consequences such as Administrative Conference and Detention Before School were assigned more often for similar misbehaviors to middle school students who were not economically disadvantaged than they were assigned to their peers who were in poverty
The Pitcairn Anthology: The Second 25 Years, 1999-2024 (cover and table of contents)
No full textImages of the cover and table of contents for The Pitcairn Anthology: The Second 25 Years, 1999-2024.Environmental & GeosciencesPitcairn Islands Research Statio
Evaluation of Weaning Methods on Performance and Immune Response to Vaccination in Beef Calves
No full textThe weaning process is a stressful process for any species. In beef cattle, several weaning methods have been employed in an attempt to minimize this stress and the effects of this stress which include decreased growth rate and suppression of the immune system. This study was conducted to compare weaning methods of beef calves regarding post-weaning growth and immune function. To accomplish this, a sample of Angus and Angus cross beef calves (n = 147) were stratified by age, sex, and sire and divided into three treatment groups: abrupt weaning (AW), fence line weaning (FL), and nose flap weaning (NF). All calves were vaccinated at weaning (d 0) and weaned according to their treatment group. Blood samples were collected via coccygeal venipuncture on d 0 and d 14 to evaluate immune response to vaccination and quantify cortisol concentration as an indicator of stress. Weights for each calf were recorded biweekly for 42 d after weaning. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS with main effects of treatment and sex and their interaction using ANOVA. Weaning weight, post-weaning weights, and post-weaning gain data were analyzed with age of calf included as a covariate. Body weights were not different among treatment groups at weaning, or 14 d, 28 d, or 42 d post-weaning, however, the FL group had a greater (P < 0.05) total post-weaning gain than the AW group with the NF group being intermediate to the other treatment groups. There was no effect of weaning method on cortisol concentration at weaning or 14 d post-weaning, but a difference in immune response was observed. Calves in the NF weaning group had a greater (P < 0.05) immune response to vaccination than calves in the AW or FL weaning groups. Based on the results of this study, alternative methods of weaning may have a positive impact on calf weight gain throughout the post-weaning period and immune response to vaccination in beef cattle by diminishing the stress of the weaning process