The LAIR at East Texas A&M
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Reproductive Impacts of Fenbendazole on Northern Bobwhite Quail
No full textFenbendazole is a widely used benzimidazole veterinary anthelmintic for the treatment of parasitic infections in domestic and wild animals. Recently, the medicated feed QuailGuard (with fenbendazole as the active ingredient) was approved by the FDA to treat cecal parasites in wild Northern Bobwhite quail. However, reproductive harm to Northern Bobwhite quail was not evaluated in the approval process, which is critical since population sustainability is dependent on healthy and consistent reproduction. Northern Bobwhite quail populations have declined \u3e80% since the 1960s, and any reproductive harm could be detrimental to the population recovery. The goal of this study was to evaluate the reproductive impacts of QuailGuard on Northern Bobwhite quail. I hypothesized that fenbendazole would negatively impact egg laying rates and increase corticosterone levels in Northern Bobwhite quail, and that fenbendazole will be maternally transferred to egg yolk. To test these hypotheses, QuailGuard was fed to Northern Bobwhite quail breeding pairs (N=15 breeding pair; N=30 Northern Bobwhite quail) for the recommended 21-day treatment cycle. Eggs and fecal samples were collected daily from a control group and a treatment group. Egg laying rates, egg lengths and egg widths were all recorded. Stress levels were analyzed using Arbor Assays protocol for the DetectX® Corticosterone Multi-Format ELISA Kit, and egg yolk was tested for the presence of fenbendazole using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). An increase in stress levels was not detected between the control and experimental groups. HPLC analyses confirmed the presence of fenbendazole in egg yolk samples from quail fed QuailGuard
The Comparison of Fresh and Dry Duckweed to Remove Cr, Cd and Zn From Wastewater
No full textThe contamination of environments by heavy metals is a significant ecological concern. Duckweed is a promising plant for the remediation of metal-contaminated water, yet a direct comparison of the efficiency between living (fresh) and non-living (dried) biomass in wastewater treatment systems is limited. This study compared the efficacy of fresh and dried Lemna minor in removing hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺), cadmium (Cd²⁺), and zinc (Zn²⁺) from wastewater. Fresh duckweed was cultivated hydroponically to assess active bioaccumulation, while dried biomass was used to evaluate passive biosorption. Experiments were conducted over 168 hours across variable metal concentrations, and the removal behavior was characterized using kinetic and isotherm models. Metal uptake by fresh duckweed followed zero- or first-order kinetics, indicating continuous biological accumulation controlled by transport and metabolic processes. In contrast, dried duckweed reached equilibrium within 4–48 hours, with its adsorption behavior best described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm. Overall, fresh duckweed demonstrated a higher metal removal rate, particularly at low and medium concentrations, whereas dried biomass achieved faster cadmium removal at low concentrations. These findings show that L. minor can provide parallel processes for wastewater treatment: long-term phytoremediation using living biomass and rapid biosorption using dried biomass, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly strategy for heavy metal removal
A Phenomenological Study Exploring Full-time Non-tenure Track Faculty Perceptions of Mattering and Engagement
No full textThis phenomenological study explored how full-time non-tenure track (FTNTT) faculty at Texas four-year institutions experience institutional mattering. Despite FTNTT faculty comprising a growing percentage of full-time appointments, limited research examines their experiences of mattering and engagement within institutions. Using an adapted UniversityMattering Scale (UMS), this study investigated how FTNTT faculty experience awareness, importance, reliance, ego-extension, and appreciation in their professional roles. Through surveys and interviews completed by faculty across diverse institutional contexts, the study revealed three major findings. First, institutions depend heavily on FTNTT faculty for essential functions but provide limited reciprocal investment. Second, meaningful recognition occurred at department levels through individual administrators. Third, student relationships emerged as the primary source of validation to sustain engagement. Findings suggest the need for institutional policy reform and department-level leadership practices that align institutional dependence with reciprocal investment, moving from ad hoc support to systematic structures recognizing FTNTT faculty as permanent, valued members of the academic workforce
Teaching Math Word Problem-Solving to Students with High Incidence Disabilities: A Case Study
No full textThis dissertation explored the perceptions of special education teachers in one North Texas school district regarding their effectiveness and experiences with teaching math word problem-solving to students with high-incidence disabilities. Teachers’ perspectives, prior experiences, thoughts, and judgements about themselves and their students substantially influence their instructional choices and impact student performance (Lambert & Tan, 2017; van Garderen et al., 2019; Woodward & Tzur, 2017). This study used a qualitative case study design to investigate the practices, experiences, and opinions of two special education teachers, one novice and one veteran. Data was collected through classroom observations, photographs of artifacts used to teach math word problem-solving, and semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. Data was analyzed using a constant comparative method of analysis (Merriam, 1998). Thematic findings suggest that while both participants questioned their effectiveness teaching math word problem-solving, one participant consistently used evidence-based practices while the other implemented more procedural or outdated methods, resulting in instructional inequalities for students with high-incidence disabilities. This research contributes to the literature on special education teachers’ perceptions, practices, and experiences related to teaching math word problem-solving to students with high-incidence disabilities and offers implications for professional and curriculum development, district policies and procedures, and future research in this area
STAAR 2.0 Redesign: Literacy Implications for New Critical Questions
No full textSTAAR 2.0 includes new question types across all content areas and grade levels that are unfamiliar to educators and students. These new question types include short constructed responses (SCRs), multiselect questions, multipart questions, and extended responses. Educators and students should be aware of the literacy demands required with these changes. This article will describe the new question types, analyze the skills required to attack the questions, consider the literacy significance for the different content areas, and provide instructional support for educators
Tea Party in Period Costume
No full textA black and white negative of people in period costume to celebrate the centennial of East Texas State University. Linda King is pictured on the left.https://lair.etamu.edu/scua-univ-photos-browse-all/2690/thumbnail.jp
Tea Party in Period Costume
No full textA black and white negative of people in period costume to celebrate the centennial of East Texas State University.https://lair.etamu.edu/scua-univ-photos-browse-all/2691/thumbnail.jp
Tea Party in Period Costume
No full textA black and white negative of people in period costume to celebrate the centennial of East Texas State University. Linda King is pictured on the left.https://lair.etamu.edu/scua-univ-photos-browse-all/2693/thumbnail.jp
A Descriptive Quantitative Study of Positive Behavior Intervention Supports on Student Behavior and End-of-Course Testing Outcomes in a Small Rural Middle High School in Texas
No full textThe solution to African American students’ achievement gap could be the positive behavior intervention support (PBIS) framework. Educators address students proactively and nonpunitively to reduce misbehavior and increase academic performance. This descriptive quantitative study was conducted to identify any improvement in the students’ end-of-course (EOC) English I, English II, and Algebra I tests and discipline placements after the 10 months of PBIS incentives at a small rural middle high school serving Grades 6 to 12 in Texas by answering nine research questions. The researcher collected the archival EOC data from the district’s Texas Academic Performance Reports and discipline summary reports for the 2021-2022 (pre-PBIS) and 2022-2023 (post-PBIS) school years to identify any differences between the pre-post measurements. The sample was derived from the rural middle high school serving 243 students (48.8% African American, 24% Hispanic, and 18% White). First, pre-PBIS to post-PBIS English I EOC outcomes showed improvement for the approaches and meets content categories, but the number of English I EOC scores in the masters content category did not increase. Second, pre-PBIS to post-PBIS English II EOC outcomes showed improvement in the approaches and meets content categories, but the number of scores in the English II EOC in the masters content category did not increase. Third, pre-PBIS to post-PBIS Algebra I EOC outcomes showed improvement in all three achievement categories. Fourth, pre-PBIS to post-PBIS English I EOC outcomes between White, African American, and Hispanic students produced mixed results. Fifth, pre-PBIS to post-PBIS English II EOC outcomes between White, African American, and Hispanic students produced mixed results. Sixth, pre-PBIS to post-PBIS Algebra I EOC outcomes between White, African American, and Hispanic students increased for all three groups in the approaches and meets content categories, but the masters content category produced mixed results for Hispanic and White students. Seventh and eighth, the post-PBIS discipline numbers increased from the pre-PBIS year for out-of-school and in-school suspension placements. Finally, the disciplinary alternative education program placement data improved as assignments dropped 39%. Chapter 5 provides conceptual implications, policy and practice implications, and future research recommendations
Examining Lived Experiences of Special Education Directors in Inclusive School Districts
No full textSpecial education directors in Texas oversee programing for special education services, including inclusion for students with disabilities. There is ample existing research on campus leader and teacher roles in implementing inclusive education. However, a review of literature conducted for this study indicated a need for further research on the role of special education directors supporting inclusive education. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore special education directors’ experiences when implementing inclusive education. Through the use of hermeneutic phenomenology, the researcher sought to understand the essence of the lived experiences of directors in inclusive Texas school districts in relation to social model theory. In this study, the researcher used a semi-structured interview approach protocol to collect data. NVivo software was used to assist the researcher in interpreting the data and identify themes and subthemes described by participants and presented in the findings. Findings from this study include what special education directors of inclusive school districts identify as challenges in implementing district-wide inclusive services based on their lived experiences. Special education directors also identified what they have experienced to helpful. Among these are: are providing clear guidance and systems for meaningful decision-making and systems to support inclusive education, providing professional development that is differentiated for stakeholder groups, having a structured department with clear roles and high expectations for supporting campuses, having and communicating a shared vision and sense of community, leveraging principals since they are critical to inclusion, and developing relationships that are collaborative and grounded in trust