Open Research Oklahoma (Oklahoma State Univ.)
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Validating the list of tasks associated with teaching school-based agricultural education
No full textSchool-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers face diverse and extensive expectations from students, administrators, parents, and stakeholders, often requiring them to assume numerous roles and responsibilities. Insights into the needs of teachers, the challenges they encounter, and the traits of effective teachers shed light on the nature of the roles expected of SBAE teachers. The interplay of professional needs, challenges, and desired characteristics forms a complex set of expectations for SBAE teachers. Despite this complexity, SBAE teachers are expected to master an ever-growing array of skills, challenges, and attributes pertinent to their profession. To better describe such, Best (2023) developed a list of 238 tasks associated with teaching SBAE through a nationwide Delphi study. The purpose of this study was to validate the list of tasks SBAE teachers are expected to complete as part of their professional roles and responsibilities. Human Capital Theory served as a the theoretical framework for the study, in particular, job-specific tasks of SBAE teachers were examined. The validation of the list of tasks consisted of a descriptive, non-experimental research design which sought to ascertain the opinions of SBAE teachers nationwide. For each task, participants were asked to rate their agreement to the statement, “This task is important for my role as a school-based agricultural education teacher.” Respondents did so on a five-point, Likert-type scale (1= Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree). Principal Component Analysis was used to evaluate responses and determine the primary tasks associated with teaching SBAE. In total, 69 primary tasks were identified across five components: Supervised Agricultural Experiences, Advising a FFA Chapter, Other Professional Responsibilities, Classroom and Laboratory Instruction, and FFA Awards and Degrees. Further, internal reliability estimate (Cronbach’s alpha) coefficients were calculated for the instrument and each of its five components. All Cronbach’s alpha scores were acceptable, and inter-item correlations were deemed adequate. The findings of the study yielded five general conclusions which are presented and discussed along with recommendations for practice and research
Microbial decontamination of alfalfa seeds for sprout production by atmospheric cold plasma
No full textAlfalfa sprouts are rich in phytochemicals, essential enzymes, minerals, and vitamins, making them highly popular among consumers. However, numerous outbreaks of foodborne illnesses have been linked to alfalfa sprouts. Traceback investigations have revealed that contaminated seeds were the source of these pathogens. As a result, there is a growing demand for effective decontamination methods for alfalfa sprout seeds.
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) in inactivating Shiga toxin-producing E. coli on alfalfa sprout seeds and to assess the potential impact of ACP and bleach treatment on seed germination.
Germination studies of alfalfa seeds were conducted for a three-day period. The treatments included chlorine 20,000 ppm and 200 ppm, ACP, ACP combined with chlorine 200 ppm, and RO water as control. For inactivation study, seeds inoculated with a cocktail E. coli O157:H7 culture were treated by the same treatments as in germination study, with untreated inoculated seeds as control. Germination and inactivation data were analyzed using the SAS program’s general linear model to perform variance of analysis and mean comparisons.
The results from the germination studies revealed that the treatments had no significant effect on the vitality of alfalfa seeds. For the inactivation studies, there was a synergistic effect in the combined treatment of ACP+200 ppm chlorine, resulting in a significantly (p<0.05) higher pathogen reduction (4.9 log CFU/ml) than ACP and 200 ppm chlorine alone (2.06 and 1.89 log CFU/ml, respectively).
Results from this study demonstrated that ACP in combination with chlorine treatment has the potential to be used in the decontamination of alfalfa sprout seeds
Books after book-in: The roles of shame, guilt, and empathy in bibliotherapy
No full textThere are few, if any experiences that are strictly, and truly unique to us. Through telling our stories to others, we can see we are not alone in this world, for our experiences are shared. Storytelling has existed for thousands of years, and it seems in today’s day and age, the tales will be able to spread quicker than ever before. Through written works, voice recordings, videos, and more, we can share our experiences with others. What is so special about telling these stories and is there anything we can gain or learn as the audience? This study examines how persons imprisoned show empathy to written personal narratives while experiencing guilt and shame
Geography of nature-based solutions in the global public water sector
No full textWater is a basic human right essential for sanitation, health, food security, cultural practices, and livelihoods. Yet as of 2022, a quarter of the world’s population still lacked access to clean drinking water. While proposing solutions to water insecurity is as complex as water systems themselves, nature-based solutions (NbS) are one potential means of increasing water access in equitable ways. NbS are defined as systems that are designed to conserve or rehabilitate ecosystems in order to improve natural processes responsible for ecosystem services, such as the filtration and distribution of water. An important hub for improving the health of water resources and ensuring equitable water access is the public water sector. When implemented in public water municipalities, NbS can reduce water insecurity by improving the quality and quantity of water resources and managing water-related risks. To date, there are not yet studies that systematically explore how the global municipal water sector is incorporating NbS into new designs. Using semi-structured interviews and online surveys to collect data, this study sought to fill this research gap by investigating the usage of nature-based water management techniques in water municipalities spanning four continents. These municipalities were identified using Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms. Synthesizing the data allowed for conclusions to be drawn related to how and why nature-based solutions were implemented, how effective they were at meeting their intended aims, and what improvements could be made for future applications of NbS. More specifically, results indicated that nature-based solutions are implemented in context-specific ways, largely due to geographic and economic considerations. Additionally, various water issues led to the application of NbS, such as climatic changes, drought, and water pollution. Overall, NbS were employed to build resilience and protect water resources in response to pressing water issues. This research found that NbS can be improved by gaining more public support, along with expanding and optimizing systems to accommodate for pressing water-related challenges
Oklahoma reading specialist’s experience implementing dyslexia intervention under HB 2804
No full textOklahoma's implementation of House Bill 2804 increased the responsibility of reading specialists to improve dyslexic intervention. This qualitative study is to examine reading specialists lived experiences in implementing dyslexia intervention with the recent legislative changes in the state of Oklahoma, specifically HB 2804. Understanding how Oklahoma reading specialists make meaning of their lived experiences may improve the dyslexia intervention process in the future. I conducted this study using a philosophical hermeneutics framework under the lens of Max van Manen’s phenomenology of educational practice. This study focused on prioritizing needs within the classroom in constraints of time and data analysis, resiliency of reading specialists, the necessity of funding, and reflections of student success
Comparison of table addition methods approximating elementary functions and finding optimal partition schemes
No full textElementary functions, such as reciprocals and trigonometric functions, are critical in computer engineering applications like digital signal processing and graphics processing. However, their direct computation in hardware is resource-intensive. Table-based approximation methods, such as the Symmetric Table Addition Method (STAM) and the Multipartite Table Method, address this challenge by using two or more tables and an adder to approximate a target elementary function. This thesis compares the STAM and Multipartite table methods through a rigorous analysis of their partitioning schemes, compression techniques, and error equations. In this Thesis, algorithms are developed to identify optimal partition schemes that minimize table sizes while still ensuring faithful rounding, and in some cases pushing the boundaries on previously reported partition schemes. Additionally, a Python-based GUI was implemented for exploring these methods. The findings reveal that Multipartite’s slope method offers negligible error reduction over the STAM’s derivative-based approach for small partition counts, and error bounds were slightly too strict, missing optimal configurations. These insights suggest potential hybrid approaches combining Multipartite’s notation with the STAM’s Taylor-series framework, giving us more exact constraints for finding optimal partition schemes
Visible light-induced electron and energy transfer: Applications in strong bond activation and transiently strainable cycloalkenes and their use in cycloaddition chemistry
No full textLight has a remarkable ability to inject substantial amounts of energy into chemical reactions. However, many reactions are unable to utilize this light due to their transparent nature. Using a dye can resolve this issue by absorbing the light. Herein, we investigate two distinct mechanisms- electron transfer and energy transfer, that serve to drive otherwise very challenging reactions. Ir-dyes are among the most potent reducing photocatalysts available, making them exceptionally suited for reducing organic molecules with very extremely negative reduction potential.
Previous research in our lab demonstrated that combining a catalytic amount of Ir-dye along with a perfluoroarene and a tertiary amine along with blue light led to the mesolytic fragmentation of Csp²–F bonds to accomplish hydrodefluorination. We explore how to leverage the reduction capabilities of Ir-dyes, in conjunction with additional factors, to expand the range of Csp²–F that could be activated, thereby expanding the range of products that can be obtained starting from just a few commercially available highly fluorinated starting materials. Mild reaction conditions and excellent regioselectivity make the approach ideal for synthesis. Additionally, we have developed expedited synthetic routes for a wide range of pharmaceutically significant molecules.
Next, we investigate the ability of the Ir-dye to mediate energy transfer to cycloalkenes. This process generates an excited-state alkene, which can then undergo rotation around the former double bond, leading to the formation of a highly strained trans-cycloalkene. Previous work has provided evidence for this phenomenon through the observation of conjugated products and their relative stereochemistry. Our research builds upon this foundation by aiming to enhance the practicality of this chemistry and address existing limitations. Ultimately, by gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying reaction mechanisms, we were able to design a cycloalkene that obviates the need for the Ir-dye altogether, further broadening its applicability and utility. Additionally, we developed a light-driven skeletal editing strategy exploiting strain energy to drive cycloreversion of the aryldihyropyrans, producing reactive dienes which further enabled the synthesis of diverse arylcyclohexenes in a one-pot process, expanding synthetic capabilities through precise structural modifications
Landowner attitudes toward supplemental feeding of wildlife and mycotoxin risks
No full textSupplemental feed, often provided by private landowners to wildlife, can be beneficial to both wildlife and humans. However, supplemental feed can harbor harmful contaminants, such as mycotoxins, which pose health risks. Mycotoxins are byproducts of mold that have toxic effects that can cause bodily harm and even death in humans and animals. Previous research has focused on mycotoxin development and general health impacts, though there is little social science research on supplemental feeding and mycotoxin risks. This study aimed to fill this social science gap by assessing the perceptions of private landowners in Oklahoma on mycotoxin risks and best management practices for supplemental feed that may be used to mitigate mycotoxins. To achieve this, we sent a survey to 3,000 private landowners in Oklahoma. To understand factors influencing risk perceptions, we performed an ordered logistic regression. Results revealed that willingness to take personal action, concern for human health and economic impacts, and trust in the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation were associated with greater perceived risk. Factors such as viewing mycotoxin risks as exaggerated and having recently fed wildlife were associated with lower perceived risk. To understand landowners’ willingness to adopt best management practices and their general views toward these practices, we employed a multinomial logistic regression model and cluster analysis. Results from the regression analysis revealed that factors associated with higher willingness to adopt included concern for human and wildlife health, agency trust, concern for increased contamination, willingness to pay for certified feeds, and intention to take action against mycotoxins. The cluster analysis revealed three groups of landowners: Dismissive, Concerned, and Disengaged. These findings highlight the importance of educational outreach to landowners to increase awareness of mycotoxins and their risks, as well as the importance of extending support to landowners to encourage the implementation of best management practices for supplemental feeding
On the nature of the classification of semisimple complex Lie algebras via root systems: Or how I learned to stop worrying and analyze root systems
No full textRoot systems arise from semisimple Lie algebras, from the structure of their subalgebras. We
will look at Lie algebras, some of their properties, then how root systems arise from their
subalgebras. Root systems can also be constructed axiomatically, studied as objects in and of
themselves. In this paper, we will discuss their construction, properties, and classify all root
systems of rank 1 and 2. Finally, we will look at a relation between root systems and semisimple
complex Lie algebras, the Serre Relations
Chasing chivalry: Revival and reinvention of chivalric knights throughout twentieth and twenty-first century America
No full textChivalric knights campaigned across the regions of Europe throughout the medieval period until their decadence as the late Middle Ages gave way for the dawn of the Renaissance. This research examines the ways in which chivalry and chivalric knights have maintained relevance across the twentieth and twenty-first century through consistent revivals and reinventions. Focusing on the four main avenues of historical scholarship, military commercials, cinema, and live performance, this study demonstrates the tensile nature of chivalry as it has been stretched and molded to fit the zeitgeist of the day. Chivalry’s place in historical scholarship experienced a steady evolution throughout the twentieth century from histories primarily based on literary sources, to the inclusion of new methodologies ushered in with New Social History, and later wider attention alongside the growing popularity of fantasy media. At the same time, the United States Marine Corps produced three commercials from 1985 to 1990 utilizing the imagery of chivalric knights to redefine their waning public image following the Vietnam War. Chivalric knights and their actions at tournaments have also experienced continuous reinvention across popular movies and television shows. A Knight’s Tale, Galavant, Game of Thrones, and House of the Dragon demonstrate the complexities of revisiting the past through medievalism and how genre impacts the portrayal of chivalric knights. Chivalric knights have also experienced an evolving physical resurrection sparked by the Gothic Revival. Since the first joust held on American soil in 1778, tournaments have continued in practice into the twenty-first century, with an expansion of the practice in the 1980s. Despite this multi-century history, little scholarship has covered the phenomenon of knights of the Old World riding along the tilts of the New. Five oral history interviews were conducted with members of the greater jousting community, as well as one of theatrical jousting’s founders to begin closing the gaps in scholarship. This study ultimately demonstrates the ways in which chivalric knights have been revived and reinvented within the lens of four main avenues across twentieth and twenty-first century America