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The Effects of Language Status on the Efficacy of Maker Programs
No full textThere is a growing trend in education called the ���Maker Movement.��� This movement aims to allow children to utilize hands-on activities using things like 3D printing, coding, and building circuits in order to increase students��� interest in STEM and their self-efficacy. A handful of studies have shown positive effects of maker programs on self-efficacy, possible selves, and identity with STEM subjects and careers. However, none of these studies have examined whether such effects are similar across students with different backgrounds. The current study focuses on students with low English proficiency, a group that is underrepresented in STEM careers, as compared to their fluent English-speaking peers. This study aims to investigate language status as a moderator for the effects of maker programs, specifically, the effect of maker programs on self-efficacy in regards to STEM subjects and STEM career interest. We found that the students with low English proficiency ended with higher STEM career interest than the fluent English-speaking students
Standard By Seven: The Early Years Issue 4
No full textNot dated.Includes stories reprinted from its sister zine, Standard by Seven.A gen Blake's 7 anthology with three stories: Between Black and White by Ann O'Neill, Where is Thy Victory by Viv Callaway, and It Takes a Thief by Brenda Callagher
Freezing and Thawing Survey 2023: Practices Used in the Beef Industry
No full textFreezing and thawing of beef has been a solution that allows for beef to be used past its typical shelf life, however, negative quality factors can arise from freezing. The phrase used by the beef industry to prevent negative quality factors is ���Freeze Fast, Thaw Slow.��� It is unknown if the fresh beef industry is following this method or not. The purpose of this survey was to identify areas within key segments of the beef industry that either follow or do not follow this methodology. The FSIS list of USDA inspected plants was downloaded and filtered for only establishments that have ���Meat Slaughter��� and/or ���Meat processing��� in the ���Activities��� column. Following filtering, n=4,247 establishment were selected and n=1,798 were contacted by telephone. Of the n=1,798 establishments that were contacted, n=261 establishments completed a survey answering questions about freezing and thawing practices at their plant. Out of the completed surveys, the largest frequency of establishment activities was slaughter and fabrication (42.53%). Of the plants that froze beef (n=228), 35.24% froze primal/subprimals, retail cuts, and trimming/ground beef using primarily trays (16.52%) and boxes on a pallet (16.52%). The most common freezer technologies were ���still air��� (44.89%), followed by blast (35.56%). Of the plants that thawed beef (n=108), 27.27% used boxes in a single layer on a shelf, and 13.64% thawed whole boxes on pallets. The most common freezing times reported were 6-24 hours (50.00%) and 24-48 hours (24.81%) with a reported mean temperature of -22.2 ��C. The most common thawing times reported were 24-48 hours (23.84%) and 48-72 hours (16.56%), with a reported mean temperature of 3.1 ��C. Maximum and minimum freezing temperatures were -51.1 ��C and -1.7 ��C. Maximum and minimum thawing temperatures were 19.7 ��C and -1.9 ��C. These data indicate that a large portion of establishments are using freezing methods that do not maximize product quality, with 95.52% of plants that are not optimally freezing based on temperatures reported. Therefore, additional information and or best practices for freezing and thawing might be needed to ensure that beef quality is not negatively impacted
3D Additive Metal Extrusion Manufacturing of 316L Stainless Steel
No full textThe primary objective of our research is to analyze the properties of parts produced by microwave sintering and conventional thermal sintering on 316L Stainless Steel samples produced by way of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing. FFF is a novel additive manufacturing technique that promises great reductions to inaccessibility, production costs, and operational training over more established metal additive manufacturing methods such as Metal Injection Molding (MIM), Electron Beam Melting (EBM), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). FFF printed parts require a complex heat treatment process to separate the metal particles from the polymeric binder they are embedded and to subsequently fuse together the metal particles. This work investigates some sintering options suited to FFF metal printing and the parameters thereof with respect to the quality of the final sintered piece. Some early studies have shown that with the proper set of sintering parameters the mechanical properties, density and porosity levels of the sintered part can be on par with those manufactured by conventional more costly metallurgical methods. In this present study, various sintering parameters are investigated to optimize the quality of the final part by way of both, conventional thermal sintering, and microwave sintering. The properties of the material in response to the two sintering methods, varying sintering temperatures, and sintering environments are investigated. Results are presented on surface finish, cross-sectional appearance and microstructure, internal porosity, material hardness, compression testing, and elemental composition and distribution analysis
Associations of Feed Efficiency with Performance, Feeding Behavior, Carcass Quality, and Fertility Traits in Growing Cattle
No full textThe objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of the selection of bulls for feed efficiency on progeny growth performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior patterns, carcass composition, and fertility. In study 1, 373 Angus steers sired by bulls divergently selected for residual gain (RG) over a 6-year period were used to compare growth performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior patterns, and carcass characteristics. Selected Angus sires were either high or low for RG expected progeny differences (EPD) and either high or breed average (AVG) for marbling (MB) EPDs. A 70-day feeding evaluation trial utilizing electronic feed bunks was completed to determine dry-matter intake, average daily gain, residual feed intake, and feeding behavior. After slaughter, postmortem carcass data was collected. The effects of RG and MB sire EPD classification on the growth performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior, and carcass composition traits in their Angus steer progeny was analyzed.
High RG sired steers had greater (P = 0.017) HCW than their low RG sired contemporaries along with greater (P = 0.016) LMA and lesser (P = 0.016) percentages of IMF. Steers sired by average MB bulls had 4% greater (P = 0.009) ADG per day than high MB sired steers. High MB sired steers had lesser (P = 0.012) G:F than their average MB sired contemporaries.
In study 2, performance, feed efficiency, carcass composition, feeding behavior, and fertility traits were measured in 1,013 Angus, SimAngus, and Simmental bulls (12 trials). The bulls were grouped into low, medium, and high RFI groups to evaluate the effect of their RFI classification on these response variables. Low RFI bulls consumed 27.6% less (P < 0.001) feed than the high RFI bulls and 12.3% less than the medium RFI bulls. Low RFI bulls had 21.6% and 12.1% greater G:F than high and medium RFI bulls, respectively with no differences observed in final BW or ADG. The differences in DMI manifested in differences in RFI, RFIc, and RG. These studies suggest that RFI is a more advantageous selection criterion than RG, as it is more closely associated with growth performance, feed efficiency and feeding behavior traits
