20566 research outputs found
Sort by
Maternal Emotion Socialization on Children\u27s Social Competence
No full textMaternal emotion socialization plays a crucial role in children\u27s social and emotional development (Chan et al. 2024). Previous studies have consistently shown that maternal emotion coaching is positively associated with children\u27s social competence (Chan et al., 2024; Perkins et al., 2022; Rogers et al., 2016). However, less is known about how maternal emotional characteristics influence their emotion coaching and dismissing practices. The current study investigates whether maternal emotional clarity is associated with children\u27s social competence through its relationship with maternal emotion coaching and dismissing behaviors. Mothers (N = 163) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Maternal Emotional Style Questionnaire, and the Early School Behavior Scale to report maternal emotional clarity, maternal emotion coaching and emotion dismissing practices, and child social competence, respectively. Structural equation modeling tested the hypothesized mediational relationships among these variables. Results indicated that mothers who had greater difficulty describing their own emotions were more likely to engage in emotion dismissing behaviors. Additionally, maternal emotion coaching was positively related to children\u27s social competence. Interestingly, maternal emotion coaching and emotion dismissing behaviors were positively associated, suggesting that mothers who frequently use emotion coaching might simultaneously exhibit higher levels of dismissing behaviors
Developing Protective Measures to Reduce the Incidence of Bacterial-Induced Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis in Broiler Chickens
Get PDFBacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness is a significant animal welfare and food safety issue affecting the commercial broiler industry in the United States and worldwide. Bacteria can translocate from the respiratory system and/or the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream, eventually settling in bone microfractures leading to necrosis and BCO lameness.
This study evaluated the effects of Probiotic 1 and Probiotic 2 on the incidence of BCO lameness in broiler chickens. Probiotic 1 was applied as a spray on Day 1-old chicks, while Probiotic 2 was administered prophylactically (orally in feed) from Day 1 to Day 56. Birds were assigned to five groups: a positive control (PC) group (T1) and a negative control (NC) group (T2), both receiving no treatment, and three treatment groups: one receiving the Probiotic 1 program (T3), another receiving Probiotic 2 (T4), and a third receiving a combination of Probiotic 1 and Probiotic 2 (T5). The positive control group was raised on a wire floor and used as a source of BCO infection. This model replicates the epidemic spread of BCO lameness in broiler production facilities. Our objective is to identify management protocols that can mitigate BCO lameness. Effective Prophylactic protocols would be of great interest to the commercial broiler sector, particularly in facilities with a history of high lameness related mortality. Probiotic 1 and Probiotic 2 have been recognized for enhancing gut health and immune function, which are critical factors in decreasing the incidence of BCO lameness in broiler chickens. According to this study probiotics do decrease the instance of symptoms correlating to BCO induced lameness. When the tested probiotics (Probiotic 1 and Probiotic 2) were administered independently, there was a significantly lower number of BCO infected birds when compared to the control groups who were not administered any probiotic. However, when the probiotics are given in tandem, there was a greater decrease of incidence. This study concludes Probiotics 1 and 2 are effective in preventing BCO lameness when administered appropriately to Broiler chickens
Understanding the Impact of Language Barriers and Visit Duration on Caregiver Satisfaction in Pediatric Primary Care
Get PDFBackground: Children from households that speak languages other than English (LOE) face barriers in accessing healthcare, leading to poorer health outcomes. Language barriers contribute to these disparities, often resulting in diminished communication between providers and families. Visit duration may play a key role in facilitating effective communication and improving patient satisfaction.
Purpose: This study examines how language barriers affect caregiver satisfaction in pediatric primary care, and whether visit duration mediates this relationship. We hypothesized that caregivers from LOE households would have comparable visit durations to English-preferring caregivers but report lower satisfaction due to receiving less information within that time.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study recruited 46 caregivers of pediatric patients at the Community Clinic, a federally qualified healthcare center in Springdale, AR. Participants were recruited at the end of healthcare visits and completed the Session Rating Scale (Duncan et al., 2003), the Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction Scale (SAPS; Hawthorne et al., 2006), and a demographic questionnaire. Participants also consented to the research team accessing pediatric patients’ medical records to collect demographic and clinical data. The sample included 27 LOE caregivers and 19 English-speaking caregivers, with the mean child age being 6.82 years (SD = 5.67). Visit duration was recorded as the time between check-in and check-out. Statistical analyses included an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to compare SAPS scores by language preference while controlling for child age, and a bivariate correlation to assess the relationship between visit duration and satisfaction.
Results: The hypothesis was not supported. SAPS scores were similar between English and LOE-speaking caregivers (p = .082). Visit duration was not significantly associated with satisfaction (r = 0.05, p = .367), and there was no significant difference in total visit duration between groups (p = .103). As a result, visit duration was not explored as a mediating factor. However, LOE caregivers rated PCP explanations significantly lower than English-speaking caregivers (p = .004), indicating potential communication barriers.
Discussion: While overall satisfaction did not differ between groups, LOE caregivers’ lower ratings of provider explanations may suggest a need to more closely examine translation services for improving communication from provider to patient. These findings commend the providers at Community Clinic for their service to a diverse population but highlight the potential benefit of enhancing language access initiatives. Future analysis will explore visit types, results from the Session Rating Scale, and the impact of patient-provider language concordance. Further research should investigate qualitative factors influencing satisfaction, including perceptions of provider empathy, trust, and engagement, to enhance culturally competent pediatric care
Poultry Litter Blending as a Means for Managing Nutrient Content and Variation
No full textPoultry litter varies widely in nutrient content. Statistical analysis of litter sample data was conducted: i) to determine how nutrient concentration mean and variance obtained from replicate nutrient sampling from fifteen different litter sources translates to mean and variance in nutrient content of ten litter blends each from two, four or six randomly selected sources; and ii) to assess how the average and variance of replicate sample mean and variance of nutrient content across the fifteen litter sources compare to their counterpart of ten 2-way, ten 4-way and ten 6-way litter blends. Should i) the average of nutrient content across blended litters not differ from the average of the initial sources, and ii) the variation in nutrient content across blended litters decline in comparison to variation in nutrient content observed across the initial sources, then blending of litters would add value to litter to enhance the likelihood of transporting litter further form their source. Insights on how many initial sources of litter to use in blends to minimize nutrient content variation could also be observed. To that end, fifteen different 5-gallon buckets of poultry litter were collected from UA farms growing broiler chicken and breeder hens. Several 10-oz subsamples from the initial poultry litter sources were blended from randomly chosen two-way, four-way or six-way mixtures to create 120-oz mixtures. Those mixtures were exposed to the same length of mixing time in a cement mixer to assess whether blending from two, four, or six sources would impact deviations from expected average and variance of nutrient content calculated from the parent sources. Each of the fifteen poultry sources were sampled four times each to arrive at mean/variance estimates of the parent sources. Each of the ten randomly chosen combinations of two-way, four-way, six-way mixtures were also sampled three times each to arrive at mean/variance estimates of the mixtures. Results suggested that mixing significantly reduced nutrient concentration variance across the three sets of mixtures while leaving mean nutrient concentrations unaltered. Examining the range of mean nutrients across mixtures in comparison to the range in mean nutrient concentration of the initial sources suggested that minimum range in mean nutrient concentration is achievable when randomly sourcing from four to six sources pending nutrient targeted. This supports the potential practice of litter blending. Prediction of range of within mixture standard deviation of nutrient concentrations lead to less statistically significant findings as the range of standard deviation within mixtures changed very little as a result of blending. Considering small sample sizes and a three-minute mixing interval in a cement mixer, further experimentation may need to be conducted to better understand blending effects of poultry litters and how results might translate to larger batches of poultry litter mixtures
Bridging the Gap: Management vs. Leadership and the Path to Mastering Both
Get PDFManagement and leadership, though often conflated, represent distinct but complementary skills that are critical for organizational success. This thesis aims to explore the fundamental differences between management and leadership, highlighting how these roles interact and the necessity for individuals to master both to excel in today’s dynamic business environment. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from psychology, organizational behavior, and case studies, this research synthesizes academic literature to address key questions: What core competencies distinguish leaders from managers? How do these competencies align or conflict with one another in real-world settings? And what practical steps can individuals take to develop proficiency in both domains? A comprehensive review of literature explores contemporary views, including traits such as vision, influence, and innovation in leadership versus operational control, planning, and efficiency in management. The analysis further explores the interplay between emotional intelligence and decision-making, focusing on how leaders inspire, while managers implement.
The findings suggest that mastering both management and leadership is critical to organizational performance. Key pathways for developing these skills include adaptive learning, mentorship programs, and experiential training that promote situational flexibility. The thesis concludes with a roadmap for aspiring leaders and managers, proposing a holistic development strategy that integrates the art of leading with the science of managing, ensuring individuals are equipped to meet the complex demands of modern organizations
Enhancing Asphalt Mix Design through Film Thickness and Bailey’s Gradation Method
Get PDFContemporary asphalt research aims to strike a balance between rutting and fatigue cracking to enhance pavement longevity. The performance of asphalt mixtures is influenced by factors such as aggregate gradation and asphalt film thickness. Although gradation typically adheres to the mid-gradation method, asphalt film thickness is included in certain mix designs, even though it is not universally regarded as an essential parameter. Nonetheless, no current method primarily addresses both gradation and asphalt film thickness together. In this research, aggregate gradations were designed using the principles of Bailey’s method along with various other criteria such as control points, the dust to binder ratio, and the maximum density line. The preliminary mix design was carried out based on an asphalt film thickness of 9 ± 3 microns, and the binder content was determined accordingly. The results indicated that average binder content varied from 3.6% for an AFT of 6 microns in both HMA and BHMA gradations to 6.4% for an AFT of 12 microns in the HMA gradations. For both HMA and BHMA gradations, as the AFT increased, the standard deviation increased from 0.3 to 0.5 microns and the coefficient of variation also rose by 0.009, indicating greater variability in binder content with higher AFT values. Using ARDOT weighted average prices, the Bailey method of gradation shows the potential to reduce the price per ton of asphalt by 2.2% to 5.1% for HMA mixes and 0.4% to 1.0% for BHMA mixes, depending on the target film thickness and binder grade. In summary, the results of this study indicated that Bailey’s method could decrease the quantity of asphalt binder in an asphalt mixture, which could reduce the costs of asphalt production
Barriers and Supports for Latinx Students Pursuing Higher Education
Get PDFLatinx students make up a growing portion of the student body in Northwest Arkansas, yet they continue to face unique barriers in their pursuit of higher education. This study explored senior Latinx students’ perceptions of barriers and supports they encounter as they begin the college enrollment and admissions process. This research takes place at Valley High School, a majority-Latinx public school in Northwest Arkansas. My intention was to better understand how financial concerns, access to college knowledge, staff support, and school-based resources shape their school experiences, future aspirations, and decision to pursue college after high school. A quantitative approach was used, including a 135 question survey taken by 95 Latinx seniors, 71% completion rate, and contextual interviews with two teachers and one school counselor. I completed a comprehensive review of previous research done on examining barriers and supports for Latinx students across several different regions. Drawing from existing research, I formulated my questions to evaluate potential barriers and supports students in the Northwest Arkansas region may experience. After reviewing the data, the following four core themes emerged: financial concerns, limited knowledge about the college process, access to school-based resources, and teacher and counselor support. An online survey platform Qualtrics was used to collect data for this study and generate charts using statistical analysis. Results showed that Latinx students often feel uncertain about how to pay for college, lack step-by-step guidance, and experience limited access to individualized support for their needs as first-generation Americans and first-generation college students. At the same time, many students identified support from teachers and counselors, family encouragement, and access to plenty of school-based resources. This study offers insight for educators, counselors, and school leaders seeking to better serve first-generation and low-income Latinx students. Recommendations include initiating peer mentorship programs within the school and community, expanding family outreach and involvement, training school staff to support the unique needs of Latinx students, diversifying leadership, and offering more individualized pathways for college planning
Voting with Culture: Assimilation and Civic Engagement Among Latinos in the U.S.
Get PDFHow does assimilation explain voting and voter registration rates among Latinos? Using data collected from the 2020 Collaborative Multi-Racial Post Election Survey (CMPS), this paper examines the role of assimilation of Latinos into mainstream U.S. society on political participation. I measure assimilation using factors such as racial identity, education, income, and language to analyze how these factors have led to increased or decreased political participation, such as voting and voter registration. This research finds that Latinos generally are more likely to participate in voting and voter registration as the level of education and income increases. This study also found that Latinos who tend to speak more Spanish at home also tend to participate more in political activity. While there are some gaps in the research that can be attributed to the limited amounts of Latinos with higher levels of education and income, this study is representative of the current spread of the demographic