Kansas State University
Not a member yet
19105 research outputs found
Sort by
An Industry Survey of the Composition and Variability of Soybean Gums and Soapstocks Across US Soybean Processing Plants
Get PDFDepending on the soybean processing plant, gums and soapstocks may be added back to soybean meal during soybean processing. Despite the potential effects on soybean meal quality, there is limited information on the composition and variation in soybean by-products and the resulting soybean meal if by-products are added back during processing. A total of 36 soybean by-product samples from 14 plants across eight different companies were used in an industry survey evaluating the composition and variation of soybean gums and soapstocks across the US. All soybean processing plants within the study produced at least one of the two by-products: soybean gums or soybean soapstocks. Soybean by-product and soybean meal samples were collected at two different timepoints: May to July 2023 and October to November 2023. The individual plants surveyed constitute approximately 30% of total US soybean meal production, with the eight participating companies representing 80% of the total US soybean meal production. By-products were analyzed for lipid quality criteria including moisture, fat by acid hydrolysis, fatty acid analysis, and oxidation markers. Furthermore, soybean meal samples were submitted for analysis of proximate composition, neutral detergent fiber, Ca, P, and trypsin inhibitor activity. Soybean gums had a greater (P ≤ 0.05) percentage of acid hydrolyzed fat and p-Anisidine value compared to soybean soapstocks. Soybean soapstocks tended to have a greater (P = 0.085) percentage of moisture and volatile matter, as well as an increased (P = 0.052) concentration of insoluble impurities compared with soybean gums. Most notably, there was considerable variation in the composition of by-product samples between processing plants indicating differences in processing procedures or incoming soybean quality. Soybean meal containing added soybean by-products had 61% greater (P \u3c 0.05) ether extract than soybean meal samples not containing added soybean by-products on a dry matter basis, but there was no difference (P \u3c 0.10) in crude protein. Furthermore, trypsin inhibitor activity varied considerably between plants with values ranging from 1.45 to 9.26 TIU/mg of seed powder, regardless of by-product inclusion. These results provide information on the composition and variation in soybean by-products across various processing plants; however, further information is still needed to evaluate their subsequent effects on livestock diets
Nurturing Resilience: Cultivating Interdisciplinary Connections in Library Pre-Tenure Cohorts
Get PDFIn an era marked by continual shifts and uncertainties in academia, the significance of resilience among library faculty navigating the tenure-track journey cannot be overstated. Drawing on the accomplishments and lessons learned from the inception of our Interdisciplinary Pre-Tenure Cohort in response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we propose a 2024 follow-up session dedicated to delving deeper into resilient practices and fostering interdisciplinary connections amidst uncertainty.
The Pre-Tenure Faculty Cohort emerged organically as a beacon of support amidst the upheaval of post-lockdown academia, providing a nurturing environment for new library faculty at the University of Kansas to navigate the uncharted waters of the tenure-track journey. Over the past year, our cohort has witnessed both the addition of new members and the celebration of colleagues achieving tenure milestones. This session serves as a platform to reflect on our collective journey, emphasizing the pivotal role of interdisciplinary connections in fostering resilience
Data-driven collection development: Text mining college course catalogs
Get PDFAcademic librarians are trained to develop and manage collections. They rely on their own subject expertise in academic disciplines, input from teaching faculty, and professional training to make informed selections to support institutional curriculum. Professional training in collection development has, in recent years, focused on evidence-based acquisition methods (Johnson, 2018, p. 134). College and university course catalogs are a potential but untapped source of evidence for identifying topics of importance to institutional curricula. Course descriptions are concise descriptions of the subjects covered in college or university courses and therefore the topics about which students may require additional sources of information. Until recently, examining course catalogs was a time-consuming prospect. The advent of data and text mining techniques, however, makes it possible to analyze course descriptions with much less time and effort expended. This article contains a brief introduction to data science in libraries; details of tools and processes used for collecting and cleaning course catalog data; and preliminary results of a project to mine course catalogs for changes in curriculum focus to benefit library collection development decisions
Resilient Practices in High Impact Information Literacy Learning: What and How to Teach
Get PDFHigh impact learning in higher education is commonly understood as course assignments and projects show to benefit students and increase student retention. In addition, high impact learning has also been shown to result from pedagogy and information literacy learning outcomes that serve to positively change students’ behaviors in the areas of health, civic engagement, and personal finance. In this session, six categories relevant to high impact library instruction will be shared and discussed: everyday life information skills; information-related practices that cross contexts; holistic instructional practices and pedagogies; critical community engagement; searching and selection of resources; and information literacy learning outcomes that address students’ personal challenges and prepare them for quality of life
Pilot Program to Assess and Address Food Insecurity at a Student-Run Free Clinic in Southeastern Virginia
Get PDFFood insecurity (FI) has numerous adverse effects on health. Patients who attend student-run free clinics (SRFC) are at high risk for FI, but screenings and interventions are rare. This project measured FI and resource utilization among patients at a SRFC and piloted an intervention. We collected data from patients (N=139, 93% response rate) via 17-item self-report survey from which we generated a tailored resource booklet, and called patients after 5 weeks to assess resource utilization. Seventy-four percent of patients had FI, yet only 40% reported using any type of food assistance resource in the past 12 months. Chi-square analyses found significant differences between patients based on language-preference and FI status. Initial interest in the resource booklet was high, but on follow up (N=57, 69% response rate) booklet utilization was low due to logistical barriers, confusion, and problems accessing the resources. Our results demonstrate that patients experience FI in tandem with barriers to resource access and other social needs
A comparison of health literacy measurement tools in a sample of college students
Get PDFHealth literacy is an important predictor of health behavior and health outcomes, yet its measurement remains challenging. This study assessed health literacy measurement tools among college students to provide recommendations for future research. A sample of 122 college students completed a survey including the Single Item Health Literacy Screener (SILS) as well as three additional health literacy assessments. These included the Rapid Estimate of Adolescent Literacy in Medicine (REALM-Teen), Newest Vital Sign (NVS), and Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). All scored high on the S-TOFHLA, but participants with lower health literacy emerged with the SILS (21%), REALM-Teen (17%), and NVS (13%). Logistic regression analysis identified race, home language, and father’s education as predictors of low health literacy, but this varied by tool. The sensitivity of the four measurement tools also varied. Continued assessment of existing tools and exploration of new measures can advance the study of health literacy and health behavior
Public Engagement in Community Gardens: Communicating to Prepare for a Changing Climate
Get PDFClimate change threatens human health, the environment, and the global economy. Extreme temperatures, intensifying droughts, and changes in rainfall patterns and growing seasons are all results of a changing climate. Adaptations to climate change will need to be implemented in the agricultural sector to ensure the longevity and sustainability of the global supply of food. Community gardens are one part of the agricultural sector that provide access to fresh and affordable foods. The purpose of this study was to determine U.S. adults’ motivations for engagement and level of importance associated with climate-smart adaptations in community gardens. The study found respondents engaged in community gardens primarily for health and social reasons, and respondents assigned some level of importance to climate-smart adaptations in their community gardens. Environmental communicators should develop messaging that encourages adaptation in community gardens by emphasizing the risk of losing health or social-based benefits the gardens provide. The findings can inform effective communication strategies which encourage community gardens to prepare for climate change to ensure a sustainable supply of and access to fresh foods. Future research should explore the impact of rurality, food accessibility, and socioeconomic status on reasons for engaging in a community garden and associated level of importance related to climate-smart adaptations
Utilizing Data Collection and Networking to Characterize and Strengthen Farmers’ Markets in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Get PDFFarmers’ markets have been burdened with the expectation that they be spaces that improve the environment, address nutritional disparities, provide economic opportunity for small farms and businesses, create community, and overcome racial inequality. This is especially true of areas with high poverty and racial diversity. To better understand the commonalities and differences between Wisconsin’s urban and rural farmers’ markets, a statewide survey was sent to farmers’ market managers around the State. Farmers’ markets in Milwaukee County were further separated out from the State’s urban market data to better understand the relationship of the data to the counties’ demographics, segregation, and poverty rate. The primary differences between Milwaukee County markets, other urban markets, and rural markets in Wisconsin include their structure, staff, SNAP redemption, and vendor demographics. Milwaukee County markets were more likely to be stand-alone entities or affiliated with a government agency, have paid managers, accept SNAP benefits, and have more vendor racial diversity. Rural Wisconsin markets were more likely to be associated with a local business or chamber, have volunteer managers, lack SNAP redemption services and have predominantly white vendors
Constructivist Teaching in a Virtual Space
Get PDFDue to the pandemic undergraduate course, ECE 340: Constructivist Teaching with Young Children, moved to an online, asynchronous format. The in-person methods I used, group work, in-class activities, and discussion, could not be directly transposed online as might lecture and recitation. Toward the term’s end students expressed appreciation for the degree of choice they had in assignments, examples of programs in text and video, and repeated opportunities to design centers and instruction. Some declared a greater sense of confidence as educators. The comments, suggested that the shift into an asynchronous provision of the course had been effective. This study is an investigation of the robustness of this response and the influence of course design on students’ acquisition of constructivist teaching approaches
To Choose or Not to Choose: Establishing a Correlation Between Choice, Collaboration, and Classroom Engagement
Get PDFNot all 8th-grade students have an outspoken passion for reading; however, most of them do like choices. This action research study establishes a correlation between offering choices in the English Language Arts classroom and increased affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement. The participants for this research were an 8th-grade class at a Midwest, urban public school. Providing students with reading choices, assignment options, opportunities to collaborate with peers, and multiple assessment forms to choose from demonstrated an increase of not only effective engagement but also cognitive and behavioral. From observations and student data, collaboration, the researcher determines that collaboration is a crucial aspect of student engagement