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Safeguarding Texas' Wastewater Infrastructure: Key Threats and Imperatives
Get PDFWastewater infrastructure stands as a critical yet vulnerable component of Texas’ essential services, and cities and towns in the state must be aware of several key threats to these systems. Though other utilities receive considerable political, media, and scholarly attention, it is crucial to also understand the pivotal role of wastewater systems as a dimension of critical infrastructure in the realms of public health and environmental protection. The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the problems and challenges that presently face Texas’ wastewater infrastructure, which demand renewed attention from both public and private spheres. Specifically, three primary threats endanger the integrity of Texas’ wastewater systems, each of which has far-reaching implications. First, Texas cities and towns must confront the problem of aging wastewater infrastructure, as many facilities have long surpassed their intended lifespans and are susceptible to failures and inefficiencies. Second, the state of Texas is uniquely vulnerable to natural disasters that pose a significant risk to the efficacy of wastewater systems and threaten to disrupt these services. Finally, the persistent issue of inadequate funding hampers efforts to modernize and fortify wastewater infrastructure, leaving these systems ill-prepared to meet current and future demands. By prioritizing infrastructure improvements, ensuring disaster mitigation, and locating mechanisms to secure funding, Texas cities can fortify their wastewater systems and ensure that they remain reliable, resilient, and responsive to the needs of their communities
Identifying Ways to Improve Preemployment Psychological Evaluations for Law Enforcement Officers: Accounting for Context-Specific Variability in Stress and Lethal Force Decision-Making
Get PDFPreemployment psychological evaluations (PPEs) are part of the hiring process
for law enforcement (LE), which can provide information on LE officer candidates’ emotional functioning, behavioral dispositions, cognitive skills, and psychological support systems (Holzman & Kirschner, 2003). Multiple studies support the predictive validity of measures used in PPEs in predicting LE officers’ performance. One of the most commonly used instruments, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 3 (MMPI-3), is a reliable and valid broadband measure in LE settings. Its predictive qualities have been well assessed, but not in the context of predicting lethal force decision-making. The present study served as the necessary initial step in evaluating the potential of the MMPI-3 to predict variability in lethal force decision-making under normal and acutely stressful conditions. Using a convenience sample of university students, proof-of-concept was demonstrated for the proposed research design. Results did not support initial hypotheses; hypothesized scale scores on the MMPI-3 did not
significantly relate to performance on the First-Person Shooter Task (FPST) under
stressful or control conditions, nor did MMPI-3 scores moderate the relationship between FPST control and FPST stress performances. An unexpected significant relationship was shown between aggression, as measured by the MMPI-3, and performance on the FPST under stress. Manipulation checks revealed successful induction/reduction of stress as measured through self-report data, but this was not supported by non-self-report data. These results suggest self-reported stress and difficulty used as manipulation checks might be inaccurate determinants of the successful induction of stress; decision-making on the FPST did not vary as a function of successful induction of acute stress or personality and/or psychopathology as measured by the MMPI-3; and/or limitations discussed later are partly responsible for the nonsignificant findings obtained. Continuing to investigate the relationship between acute stress, decision-making, and
psychopathology/personality, has the potential to offer further insight into methods for experimentally manipulating stress, as well as the validity and utility of manipulation checks. Present results notwithstanding, the data acquired from this pilot study will contribute to future directions of the proposed research design and investigations of the MMPI-3’s potential for predicting variability in decision-making under normal and acutely stressful conditions
Associations Between Perceiver Bias on Informant-Report Personality Measures and the Informant’s Personal Attitudes toward Mental Illness
Get PDFThe use of informant report measures is a solution to improve the validity and reliability of self-reports, however informant reports can be biased (Oltmanns & Oltmanns, 2019). Informant bias, defined as perceptions and/or other factors that may impact the way an individual evaluates or rates another individual (Kraemer et. al., 2003), may be influenced by an informant’s attitudes, knowledge, beliefs, or personal judgements toward mental illness and mental health treatment (Alsubaie et. al., 2020). Thus, our primary aim was to examine the associations between informants’ knowledge of mental illness and attitudes toward individuals with mental illness and mental health services. Recruitment drew from a student population of a mid-sized state university and their associates (e.g., friends, family members, neighbors) by inviting groups (≥ 5 persons) to participate. There were 51 participants spread across 11 groups. This thesis used a social relations model approach and a round-robin design to measure informant bias. Our results showed that informant’s ratings of others were notably influenced by perceiver bias (i.e., informant bias), that there was poorer agreement across informants in rating the personality of others (target effect), and the majority of variability in informant ratings of others’ personal is due to informant’s unique perceptions and ratings of other specific people. Concerning informant’s attitudes toward mental illness, there was a significant correlation between perceiver bias on ratings of others’ trait Antagonism and informant’s feelings of pity, sympathy, and concern for those with a mental disorder was found (r = -.226, 95% CI = -.024, -.445). With regard to personal knowledge of mental health, no significant correlations emerged. Although this study has some limitations, the findings show that informants’ ratings of others are highly influenced by informant’s attitudes toward their attitudes toward mental illness, but also their relationship with said individual being rated (target). While higher informant knowledge of mental illness may cause informant’s to be less sympathetic and more detached from others in general
The diagnostic ECG: Anatomical-clinical correlation
No full textUnlock the secrets of the heart! This video explores the connection between normal heart anatomy and how electrical impulses travel through its chambers by following a live ECG correlated with heart anatomy, electrical impulses, and various ECG leads. Understanding electrode placement and the electrical pathways is key for medical students to grasp healthy heart function and for medical professionals to diagnose and manage heart disease. Original artwork by Teresa Loomis. This work has been crafted with the support of Jacob Rivas for video editing.
©2024 CC-BY-NC-ND.In this episode of the Loomis-Alvarez Medical Video Series, we present an anatomical correlation of the most frequently used diagnostic test of heart function, the electrocardiogram (ECG). From the film industry to textbook publishers and apparel designers, ECG tracings are the hallmark of medical care. While patterns can be learned and even become readily recognizable, for many learning the ECG, correlating that oscillating line on an ICU monitor with the four-chambered heart once seen and held in the anatomy lab can be a formidable challenge. But, it is that correlation that can lead to a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the ECG. Heart disease being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally underscores the importance of this deeper understanding. The electrical rhythm captured by the ECG orchestrates the mechanical response of the heart muscle, propelling blood throughout the body to meet metabolic demands. When abnormalities in the heart's structure impact this vital electrical activity leading to mechanical irregularities in the pumping process, we can see that structural abnormalities are reflected in the ECG. Correlation of the heart’s physical structure with its physiologic function and electrical image captured from anterior, left, right, and inferior leads, is crucial for healthcare practitioners. To better understand normal electrical activity during the cardiac cycle we present the live capturing of an ECG. With the approximate location of a patient’s heart and conduction system drawn on their chest, leads are placed and the tracings are captured. Each lead’s tracing is correlated with illustrations of the heart’s chambers and conductive system within a skeletal model. Arrows are overlaid to show the primary direction of the electrical impulse towards, away from, or at right angles to the different leads. This basic understanding of ECG tracings can provide a solid foundation on which to build a more sophisticated and ongoing understanding of this profoundly useful diagnostic tool.SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicin
EXPERIENCES OF US-BORN LONG-TERM EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS OF HISPANIC ORIGIN IN TITLE I SECONDARY SETTINGS
Get PDFIn this phenomenological study, the researcher examined the experiences of USborn Long-Term Emergent Bilingual (LTEB) students of Hispanic origin who tend to remain with EB designation after six or more years receiving services in an English as a second language program in high school. This study aimed to identify factors that can help reduce the achievement gap of US-born LTEBs of Hispanic origin. The context for this study was three Title I high schools in an urban school district in Texas. The data were collected using in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews. Participants comprised three language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC) administrators, two Emergent Bilingual (EB) specialists, and two teachers who worked with LTEBs. Four
major themes emerged: students’ well-being, programming and funding, professional development, and additive practices. All participants concurred that addressing well-being was vital to help students remain engaged in school and reiterated the critical role intentional district and campus-level support structures play in meeting the needs of EB students and LTEBs. Recommendations included EB-focused professional development for all content-area teachers as well as family and EB students' empowerment initiatives that promote self-advocacy. The researcher discusses research
gaps, practice recommendations, and implications for future research
The Lived Experience of Counselors Working with End of Life Clients
Get PDFPhenomenological inquiry was used to explore the feelings, experience, and education of licensed professional counselors working with end-of-life clients. Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling processes. The participants met the following inclusion criteria: (a) currently fully licensed professional counselor and (b) work with end-of-life clients. Semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted to answer the research question.
The research question guiding the study was: What are the experiences and perceived levels of preparedness of counselors working with end-of-life clients? Eleven participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. Of the 11 participants, nine were women and two were men. Participants’ years of experience ranged from two to 26 and their ages ranged from 31 to 58. Moustaka’s (1994) modification of the Stevick-Colaizzi Keen method was utilized for data analysis. A total of three themes and subthemes were identified: counselor experience (end-of-life client experience, work knowledge, and death knowledge), counselor self-management (self-care and self-awareness), and counselor’s advice
Hybrid Gangs in Texas
Get PDFLaw enforcement in Texas is understaffed, underfunded, and asked to do a job that, at times, seems impossible to accomplish. Officers in the police departments often wear many different hats when it comes to job titles and/or responsibilities. However, the officers push forward and keep the fight going. Training in law enforcement can be challenging but it is a necessary task in any agency. In this writing, the need for training in law enforcement on what seems to be a common trend in criminal activity is discussed at length. The trend of hybrid gang activity is something that is not all that new to law enforcement; however, it seems to be gaining more and more conversation and is making its way across the state. Law enforcement officers have to be able to identify the different hybrid gangs working in their specific areas of responsibility. They need to know what they are and how they are comprised. Officers need to be able to understand the structure of criminal organizations so that they can suppress, investigate, and find ways to prevent crime and protect the communities they serve. For this, all law enforcement officers should be receiving training on hybrid gangs.LEMI
Taking the ECG in the Clinical Medicine student laboratory-male version
No full textMaster 12-lead ECG electrode placement in male patients with this Loomis-Alvarez Video Series episode! Designed by and for medical students, this video guides viewers through a hands-on learning experience covering essential steps such as skin prep, limb lead positioning (RA, LA, RL, LL), and chest lead placement (V1-V6) using clear anatomical landmarks in a male student. Start practicing electrode placement on your own and master ECG skills. This work has been crafted with the support of Jacob Rivas for video editing.
©2024 CC-BY-NC-NDIn this episode of the Loomis-Alvarez Medical Video Series, we present a peer-to-peer demonstration of the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode placement in a male student. For a physician, mastering the skill of accurate electrode placement is crucial for obtaining high-quality ECGs. This peer-to-peer tutorial of a hands-on laboratory activity is designed to provide medical students with a practical understanding of the correct electrode placement for a standard 12-lead ECG in a male patient. You will identify all the basic steps from skin preparation, for optimal electrode adhesion and signal transmission, to limb lead placement (positioning of the RA, LA, RL, and LL electrodes on the arms and legs), and chest lead placement (anatomical landmarks for placing electrodes V1-V6 on the chest).SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicin
Differences in Mathematics and Reading College Readiness by Student Language Status and Economic Status: A Multiyear Statewide Investigation
Get PDFPurpose
The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the degree to which differences were present for Emergent Bilingual students and non-EmergentBilingual students in their performance on the Algebra I and English I End-of-Course exams and the degree to which Emergent Bilingual students who were economically disadvantaged and Emergent Bilingual students who were not economically disadvantaged differed in their performance on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam. All three studies were based on the three Grade Level Performance standards: Approaches
Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level. Because several school years of data were analyzed, the extent to which trends were resent were also addressed.
Method
A causal-comparative research design (Johnson & Christensen, 2020) was used in this multi-year analysis. Analyzed were archival data from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System for the 2018-2019, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 school years.
Findings
With respect to language status, non-Emergent Bilingual students outperformed Emergent Bilingual students on the Algebra I and English I End-of-Course exams in all three school years for all Grade Level Performance standards. On the Algebra I End-of-Course exam the widest gap between Emergent Bilingual students and non-Emergent Bilingual students who did not meet any Grade Level Performance standard was during the first post-pandemic year. On the English I End-of-Course exam the widest gap between Emergent Bilingual students and non-Emergent Bilingual student who did not meet any Grade Level Performance standard was during the pre-pandemic year and first post-pandemic year which was the exactly the same percentage points. Regarding economic status, Emergent Bilingual students who were economically disadvantaged
outperformed Emergent Bilingual students who were not economically disadvantaged in four out of nine comparisons. On the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, a higher percentage of Emergent Bilingual students who were economically disadvantaged met a Grade Level Performance Standard in the pre-pandemic year and the second post-pandemic year. Of note was the very low percentage of Emergent Bilingual students who met any Grade Level standard on the English I End-of-Course exam
Mandatory Wellness Programs in Law Enforcement
Get PDFLaw enforcement professionals face many physical, emotional, and psychological challenges in their line of work. These challenges can lead to high levels of stress, burnout, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a result, many law enforcement agencies have implemented wellness programs to help their officers maintain their physical, mental, and spiritual health. This paper explores the effectiveness of wellness programs in law enforcement, their benefits, and their challenges. The paper will support why law enforcement should implement mandatory wellness programs.LEMI