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A Copula Model of Ramp Crash Frequency by Severity Outcomes
No full textThe approach presented in the study aims to advance the freeway interchange safety analysis by introducing the copula bivariate count model to analyze crash frequency at off-ramps by severity outcomes. Previous research uses univariate count models for crash data categorized by severity levels, overlooking the potential dependence, which can reduce the model's efficiency. Two years of crash data for Washington State's interstate system was analyzed. Three bivariate count models with three copula functions outperformed all other bivariate (without copula) and univariate count models in the study, while Frank copula was the best fit for the data. The statistical power of the copula model motivated a plausible joint modeling architecture for crash occurrence on the different interchange components. Findings indicate significant dependence parameters between fetal, severe, and evident injury (KAB) and possible, and property damage-only injury (CO), which was also confirmed by the likelihood ratio (LR) dependence test. This study investigates the influence of ramp terminal geometry and traffic control on crash occurrence on the off-ramp segment. Traffic signal on the ramp terminal, sharpest horizontal curve radius, average daily traffic at the off-ramp, illumination on the off-ramp, and number of horizontal and vertical curves had significant estimated effects in the model results
Slicing Through the Noise: Exploring Meat Science Conversations on Social Media across the Fake News Spectrum
Get PDFThis study evaluated the conversational landscape of meat science and residues across multiple social media platforms using social monitoring software then explored the connection between fake news, social media, and social monitoring. This thesis follows a two-paper model, where we conducted and present two separate studies utilizing the same message sample collected through social monitoring software, Sprout Social. Guided by Agenda Setting Theory, the authors, purpose, and engagement metrics were recorded through a content analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the conversations about the meat science industry through the eyes of consumers and the information available on social media. After analyzing 343 messages across five social platforms, it was found that many social media users are concerned about how meat affects their health from a nutritional and safety standpoint. Additionally, users from our sample did not provide concrete credentials or hold verification badges that might add credibility to their messages.
Metrics, such as reach and engagement, were compared between messages labeled as credible, questionable, suspicious, and fake. A content analysis identified patterns in content, metrics, and authors. We found emotion and sentiment were the strongest indicators of fake news. Further research should be conducted to determine if these patterns are the most reliable across other sectors of the agricultural industry and if instruction to follow the Fake News Checklist helps decrease the impact of fake news on social media users
The Role of Gender Differences and Familial Support in Sexual Health Knowledge: Impacts on Sexual Communication Self-Efficacy and Self-Awareness Among College Students
No full textThe sex education system in the U.S. leaves many young people with gaps in their knowledge regarding sexuality, their bodies, and communication surrounding sex. Through the framework of social cognitive theory (SCT; Bandura, 1986), this study seeks to explore how gender differences and familial support can impact sexual health knowledge and how this knowledge can affect sexual communication, specifically as it relates to self- awareness and self-efficacy. The results demonstrated that women score signficanly higher than men in sexual health knowledge and those that had more familiar support scored higher in sexual health knowledge. Additionally, those with more sexual health knowledge had higher levels of sexual communication self-efficacy and sexual self-awareness. Future research should consider examining sexual health knowledge as it relates to other populations and more diverse college campuses
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Alcohol-Related Outcomes: A Machine Learning Study
No full textAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a highly prevalent risk factor for a multitude of negative health outcomes (e.g., alcohol dependence; Pilowsky et al., 2009; Rhee et al., 2019; Khosravani et al., 2019) and are commonly represented by two overarching categories: abuse (e.g., emotional) and household dysfunction (e.g., parent substance use). ACE-related literature often applies a cumulative sum-score of ACE categories and a tacitly agreed upon cut-score of four or more ACEs which is consistently related to severe negative outcomes (Anda et al., 2020; Campbell, 2020; Hughes et al., 2017; Lacey & Minnis, 2020), including alcohol-related outcomes (e.g., Baiden et al., 2022). The present study explored the commonly applied standards that assume ACEs carry equal predictive weight on health outcomes alongside the potentially inherent interrelations among ACEs. In a college sample (n = 373), we assessed the individual and interactive influences of a series of ACEs (as measured by the ACE-IQ; World Health Organization [WHO], 2018) on three alcohol-relevant outcomes (i.e., consequences of alcohol misuse, frequency of binge drinking behavior, and age of regular alcohol consumption onset), across four ACE-IQ scoring strategies (i.e., binary, ordinal, standard ACE categories, and factors identified in Gette et al., 2021). Given their robust performance, ability to navigate non-linear interactions, and improved model evaluation strategies (Lantz, 2019; Orrù et al., 2020), we used common machine learning algorithms (i.e., random forest and elastic net) to test for ACE interactions, compare classification performance of these more complex techniques with traditional logistic regression approaches, and calculate empirically derived cut-point scores. Our work did not identify any particular strengths between analytic strategy (AUC: 0.57-0.60), scoring approach (AUC: 0.54-0.61), nor outcome of interest (AUC: 0.58-0.63), thereby supporting current practices used in the greater ACE literature
Investigating the effects of intermittent flow on the resilience and vulnerability of fish assemblage structure
No full textSupra-seasonal droughts are natural occurrences that can have economic and
environmental consequences that are exacerbated by climate change and anthropogenic water
use. These long-term droughts have a direct impact on fish and fisheries. Our study aimed to
assess the vulnerability and resilience of tributary fish assemblages within the Colorado River
Basin (Texas) to drought-induced intermittent flows. Our objectives were to 1) document stream
flow to determine the timing, duration, and severity of drying events, and 2) assess fish
assemblage structure between intermittent and perennial stream reaches over differing seasonal
flow conditions. Sites were sampled on four tributaries, focusing on logger deployment, habitat
mapping, and fish assemblage surveys. Stream temperature intermittency and conductivity
(STIC) loggers were used to document water presence. Drought severity varied among
intermittent reaches from a minimum of 10 consecutive no-flow days on the San Saba River to a
max of 60 days on Onion Creek. Drought severity did not follow expected longitudinal gradient
patterns and more research should be done to determine if other factors such as local
anthropogenic population size are driving forces of severity. The occurrence of fish was affected
by habitat surface area (p = 0.04), sampling round (p <0.001), and temperature (p = 0.001).
Species richness decreased by an average of 1 species per 10 days of no-flow across all sites (p =
0.007, R2 = 0.39). Fish assemblage composition differed among intermittent and perennial sites
within tributaries as indicated by multivariate analysis. RLQ analysis showed that species that
are elongated, long-lived, non-guarding, open substrate spawners or species with a primary diet
of macrophytes and vascular plants are vulnerable to drought conditions. This information can be
used to predict vulnerability of different species with similar traits that inhabit other basins
Teacher Identity under a Micropolitical Lens: Multiple Readings of the Chilean EFL Teacher Education Cartography
No full textTeacher identity is a critical term that has gathered a significant amount of attention in teacher education. And within a neoliberalist system characterized by standardization and accountability, teacher educators are tasked with the responsibility of developing cohorts of new teachers who can respond to the effective teacher being outlined in teacher evaluation rubrics. Positioned with a poststructuralist lens, this collection of rhizomatic inquiries perceives teacher education as an entangled assemblage of actors and semiotics and therefore questions the influence that macro and micropolitics have on the identity work that teacher educators and preservice teachers engage in. Set in the Chilean EFL initial teacher education, each inquiry works on exploring multiple readings of this teacher education assemblage that is characterized by a socio-political history deeply engrained in neoliberalism. The first inquiry utilizes scenario planning through a casual layered analysis approach to interpret how the current litany, social causes, worldviews, and metaphors can creatively inspire various future scenarios and therefore help deconstruct the dominant vision of the teacher education future. Moving from a more systematic perspective, the second narrative inquiry focuses in on the relational experiences between teacher education and preservice teachers, looking to understand how the micropolitical behaviors shape the identity work that each actor reads within the classroom. With these rhizoanalytical studies in hand, the author moves to discuss the potential of an imaginative teacher education curriculum, considering the importance of opening up creative spaces in the classroom discussion for multiple and evolving readings of who teachers are
Low-Current Behavior of β-Gallium Oxide RRAM Devices: A Temperature Dependent Study
No full textWith the ever-increasing demands for fast, energy-efficient, and scalable memory, Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) devices have gained rigorous research interest as a potential substitute for existing memory technologies. The simple Ti/TiN/Ga2O3/Ti/Pt device structure exhibits excellent switching characteristics under ultra-low compliance current levels, which is highly desirable for RRAM devices for efficient data storage and retrieval. Moreover, the temperature-dependent behavior of this device is examined at different temperatures. Excellent performance is observed from room temperature - up to 250O C while operating under ultra-low current levels in nA scales. To the best of our knowledge, operating at the compliance current of ~10 nA that we have demonstrated for the Ga2O3 RRAM is the lowest to have been recorded for this type of RRAM device. The switching voltage exhibits a strong temperature dependence. It decreases with increasing temperature. Additionally, the resistance ratio (ROFF/RON) reaches as high as 106, indicating a clear distinction between resistance states and an improved read margin. On top of that, the device's multilevel cell (MLC) storage capability was observed for 3-bit storage. These findings highlight the potential of β-Ga2O3 for next-generation memory applications
Measuring Religiosity’s Associations with Mental Health and Mental Health Stigma: A Two Study Approach Comparing Linear and Curvilinear Models
Get PDFThis study assesses religiosity and its association with mental health in college student samples from Healthy Minds Network’s 2021-2022 dataset (Study 1; N = 95,680) and from a Prolific 2023 dataset (Study 2; N = 250). Study 1 found that religiosity, operationalized as religious affiliation and religious importance, had a small to null practical (but statistically significant) association with all measures of both mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, suicidality, loneliness, and flourishing) and mental health stigma. Study 2, however, found that religious importance had a statistically significant and small practical effect only on flourishing (r = .23, p < .001) and that religious belief salience had a significant effect only on flourishing (r = .20, p < .001) and the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help scale (r =.13, p = .04); all other measures did not meet statistical or practical significance levels. Findings suggest that religiosity is associated with mental health, especially flourishing, and mental health stigma. However, differences in how religiosity is assessed led to different associations. Further research, using multiple measures of religiosity, and assessing their relationships with statistical and practical significance is needed to further understand religiosity’s relationships with mental health and stigma in college student samples. Implications for researchers, higher education institution administrators, and university health and counseling center providers are discussed
Effects on ruminal fermentation influenced by substrate, exogenous fibrolytic enzymes, and solventogenesis pathways
Get PDFThe effects of dietary pre-treatment with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes on ruminal substrate degradation kinetics and ruminal microbiome relative abundances were evaluated. A 5 × 4 unbalanced Latin square design using ruminally cannulated steers (n = 5; BW = 520 ± 30 kg; experimental units) was performed. A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was used, in which the first factor was a beef cattle grower diet type (high quality = HQ; and low = LQ); and the second factor being the dietary pre-treatment with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (0 or 0.75 mL/kg of diet DM = ENZYME; AB Vista, UK). Steers were offered diets to ad libitum intake during four 21-d periods. The ruminal in situ degradation kinetics model was performed with pre-dehydrated (55ºC for 72 h) wheat hay substrate, which was ground (2 mm) and placed into 10 × 20 cm (28 µm) nylon bags (5g, as-is) in duplicates. Substrate in situ bags were placed within a nylon mesh (with weights) at the ruminal ventral sac on d 17, while reversely removed at 0, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 48, 72, and 96 h after feeding. Upon removal, samples were rinsed and dehydrated for 72 h at 55oC (forced air oven). Degradation residues duplicates were composited and organized within period, steer, and incubation time. Samples were adjusted for residual moisture (100oC, 4 h), and analyzed for ash, NDF, and ADF content, while hemicellulose was calculated by difference (NDF - ADF). Substrate bag residues of each nutritional analysis was used to fit a first-order kinetics model using the NLIN procedure of SAS and the Glimmix procedure of SAS, in which the effective degradability of fractions among other variables were calculated. Ruminal content samples (45 mL) were collected on d 16 at 6 h after feeding from five locations within the rumen for DNA extraction and determination of microbial relative abundances. Microbiome data were sequenced by Illumnia® NovaSeq™ 6000 (16S rRNA). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedures of SAS using the fixed effects of dietary type, addition of enzyme, and the interaction between them, while steer within sequence of dietary treatments was used as random effect. ENZYME increased (P = 0.03) the substrate fraction B (potentially degradable) and decreased (P = 0.03) substrate fraction C (undegradable fraction) of HQ grower diets, while such effect was not observed for LQ diets. No diet × ENZYME interaction (P ≥ 0.14) was observed for other kinetic of degradation variables, except by tendencies (P = 0.09) in which ENZYME numerically increased rate of degradation (kd, %/h) of organic matter (OM) and the fraction B of hemicellulose of HQ diets while not affecting the LQ. Regardless of dietary type, ENZYME increased (P ≤ 0.05) the substrate effective degradability of OM, NDF, ADF; the kd (P ≤ 0.01) of DM, OM, and hemicellulose; and the fraction B of ADF (P ≤ 0.01); while decreasing (P ≤ 0.01) the fraction C of ADF, with few other tendencies (P = 0.06) following a similar positive pattern of response with the use of ENZYME. Regardless of the use of ENZYME, HQ diets had greater (P ≤ 0.01) DM kd, fraction B, while lower fraction C compared to LQ diets. Similar response was observed for OM, ADF, and hemicellulose. The ruminal microbiome relative abundance of the Class Bacilli tended (P = 0.11) to be numerically greater when ENZYME was used in LQ diets, while such indication was not observed for HQ diets. The same trend (P = 0.11) was also observed for the Order Lactobacillales, while no other interactions or main effects of ENZYME were observed (P ≥ 0.17). Regardless of ENZYME, steers offered LQ diet had greater (P ≤ 0.05) relative abundances of: Domain Bacteria; Phylum Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi; Class Firmicutes (unclassified), Bacteroidia, Bacilli, Anaerolineae; Order Firmicutes (unclassified), Bacteroidales, and Lactobacillales; Family Firmicutes (unclassified), Prevotellaceae, and Ruminococcaceae; and Genus Firmicutes (unclassified) and Prevotella. Steers offered HQ diet had greater (P ≤ 0.05) relative abundances of: Domain Archea; Phylum Euryarchaeota; Class Clostridia, Methanobacteria, and Chloroplast; Order Clostridiales, Methanobacteriales, and Chloroplast; Clostridiales (unclassified) and Methanobacteriaceae; and Genus Clostridiales (unclassified). The pre-treatment of beef cattle grower diets with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes enhanced the ruminal effective degradable fraction of wheat hay substrate and tended to positively affect the relative abundance of ruminal microbiota within the Class Bacilli, represented by the Order Lactobacillales. A reduction in the ruminal degradation lag time does not seem to fully explain the effect of enzyme, but rather an improvement in the rate of degradation of organic matter, especially represented by hemicellulose.
The effects of inoculum type and starch substrate level on in vitro ruminal fermentation gas production kinetics, volatile fatty acid (VFA) profile, ammonia-N, pH, lactate, and solvent production were evaluated. Ruminally cannulated crossbred beef steers (n = 6; BW = 550 ± 50 kg) were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square design with factors including ruminal fluid inoculum type (wheat-hay based diet [HAY]; steam-flaked corn-based grower diet [GROWER]; and steam-flaked corn-based finisher diet [FINISHER]); and corn starch substrate inclusion level (0, 6, and 12 g, as-is basis). The in vitro incubations were conducted on dry incubators for 24 h at 39°C with a constant agitation at 125 rpm. Gas kinetics were measured using 330 mL fermentation flask units equipped with pressure sensor (ANKOM system) and residual gas collection system (sealed foil sampling bag with septa and Tygon hoses) using 250 mL of inoculum with no buffer (the inoculum collected from the steer-pairs offered the same diet was mixed prior to the in vitro incubation). Fermentation units were incubated in triplicate, while results were averaged within each treatment lab-replication before being included in the statistical model. Metabolites were measured post-incubation (frozen samples [20oC] added with 1% of a 20% H2SO4 v/v solution), except by pH which was measured immediately after fermentation kill (ice bath) and room temperature stabilization. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedures of SAS using incubation batch as the experimental unit (n = 3), the fixed effects of inoculum type, starch level, and the interaction inoculum-type × starch-level, and the random effect of incubation batch (inoculum × starch). Ethanol production (mM) was not affected (P ≥ 0.24) by treatments and showed measurable levels (3.11) for HAY+12g and GROWER+12g combinations only. Maximum gas production (mL/g substrate) was greater (P < 0.01) for GROWER+0g (528) and FINISHER+0g (478) compared to other treatments (100). The greatest gas production lag time was observed for HAY+0g (5.75 h) compared to other treatments (0.97 h). The greatest (P = 0.04) CH4 production (mL/L ruminal fluid) was observed for GROWER+6g (482) while the least observed for HAY+0g (73), with other treatments being intermediate (269). The greatest (P = 0.05) molar proportion (mM/100mM of tVFA) of butyrate was observed for GROWER+0g & 6g (25.7), while the least was observed for HAY+0g and FINISHER+6g & 12 g (14.6), with other treatments being intermediate (20.7). Acetate molar proportion tended (P = 0.09) to increase (57.61) for HAY+0g compared to other treatments (42.16). Kill-time in vitro pH was the greatest (P = 0.02) for HAY+0g (6.16), and the least observed for GROWER & FINISHER+6g &12g (4.78), while other treatments were intermediate (5.21). The least (P < 0.01) ammonia-N (mg/dL) was observed for HAY+6g & 12g (2.12) compared to other treatments (25.56). No other inoculum × substrate interaction (P ≥ 0.24) was observed. Regardless of starch inclusion level, HAY produced the least (P < 0.01) total gas, CO2, total VFA, and propionate molar proportion, while the largest (P < 0.01) acetate and C4:C3 ratio. Other subtle differences (P < 0.01) were observed for less prominent short chain fatty acids. Regardless of inoculum, 6 & 12g of starch substrate showed the greatest (P ≤ 0.02) % and volume of CO2, total gas production, total VFA, propionate, and lactate; while the least C4:C3 ratio, and acetate compared to 0g. Other subtle differences (P < 0.01) were observed for less prominent short chain fatty acids. Current in vitro ruminal fermentation model was capable to ratify expected outcomes of ruminal inoculums collected from beef steers consuming hay, grower, and finisher diets, as well as raising starch levels. However, it was not able to detect meaningful differences in cumulative 24 h solvent production
Mapping the Drivers of Multisectoral Nutrition Governance and Its Link to Nutrition Outcomes in Kenya: A Qualitative Inquiry
No full text© 2025 by the authors. cc-byBackground: Malnutrition remains a significant public health issue in Kenya. Multisectoral Nutrition Governance (MNG) is increasingly being acknowledged as a catalyst for enhancing nutrition programming and outcomes. Effective MNG establishes policies, systems, and mechanisms that enable coordinated, adequately funded, and sustainable nutrition actions across sectors; however, its understanding and progress assessment remain inadequate. Objective: This study aimed to qualitatively assess the status of MNG and propose strategies to strengthen MNG mechanisms for improved nutrition actions and outcomes in Kenya. We hypothesized that effective performance across the MNG domains is associated with effective multisectoral nutrition actions and improved nutrition outcomes. Design: This study used a qualitative design to assess the MNG status over the past 10 years (2012–2023). Nineteen program managers and officers from government and non-governmental institutions implementing nutrition at the national level were included. Data collection was conducted between January and March 2024 through key informant interviews (KIIs). Thematic analysis, guided by both inductive and deductive coding, was carried out using MAXQDA (Maximizing Qualitative Data Analysis) software. Results: The findings indicate progress in strengthening MNG in the previous decade, though gaps persist. The progress was driven by improved political awareness and commitment, the adoption of nutrition policy and planning frameworks, and improved coordination. Constraints that impede MNG progress include inadequate financing and over-reliance on donor funding, limited translation of commitments to actions, lack of unified monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems and fragmented policies. Conclusions: Strengthening multisectoral M&E systems that allow timely collection and utilization of data, ensuring sustainable financing for nutrition, enhancing accountability mechanisms and improving coherence across sectors are important for further improvement of MNG