Big Bend Community College

ABSTRACT Objective The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of agricultural workers during periods of heat and wildfire smoke exposure and to support the development and implementation of protective workplace interventions. Methods Using community-engaged research and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) framework for policy evaluation, a qualitative descriptive study was conducted with current and former agricultural workers in Central Washington (WA). Twelve participants answered semi-structured questions via interviews or by attending a focus group. Interviews and focus groups were conducted in Spanish, recorded, transcribed, and translated into English; one interview was conducted in English. Results Using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis, five themes were identified among workers from various worksites: 1) Extreme weather and working conditions are becoming increasingly hazardous to worker health, 2) Employers and supervisors lack training and education on current labor laws, and health and safety rules, 3) Employers and supervisors use intimidation and retaliation to ensure productivity and to evoke feelings of replaceability among workers, 4) Workers do not trust regulatory agencies to enforce rules or hold employers accountable, 5) Solutions to climate-driven problems in the agricultural industry need to value worker health and safety, not just productivity. Participants reported experiencing adverse health symptoms related to heat and smoke exposure at work. Workers proposed solutions including improving education, training, and communication, and increased enforcement of existing and forthcoming occupational health and safety rules. Conclusion The agricultural workforce is essential for ensuring a robust food supply and is facing extreme weather events due to climate change. Western states impacted by wildfires and heat are working to develop and implement occupational health and safety rules. Developing effective policies and interventions inclusive of worker perspectives is critical to adapt to a changing climate, retain a stable workforce and promote optimal health.

We derive the exact equations of motion (in Newtonian, F = ma, form) for test masses in Schwarzschild and Gullstrand–Painlevé coordinates. These equations of motion are simpler than the usual geodesic equations obtained from Christoffel tensors, in that the affine parameter is eliminated. The various terms can be compared against tests of gravity. In force form, gravity can be interpreted as resulting from a flux of superluminal particles (gravitons). We show that the first order relativistic correction to Newton's gravity results from a two-graviton interaction.

This study explored carryover effects from show-ups to subsequent line-up identifications using a novel paradigm in which participants rendered multiple identification judgements. A total of 160 participants studied a series of faces and subsequently viewed a series of target-absent and target-present show-ups. Following a retention interval, participants then made identification judgements from a series of target-absent and target-present line-ups. Remember-Know-Guess judgements were collected to assess the phenomenological basis of carryover effects in face identification. Our results indicated clear carryover effects from show-ups to line-ups, such that repeated exposure to a face increased the likelihood that it would later be identified, regardless of whether or not it had been presented at the time of study. The phenomenological basis for these carryover effects is discussed, as are the implications of these findings for police conduct of multiple eyewitness identification procedures.

This article describes a new biomarker known as the Early Detection of Alcohol Consumption (EDAC) test, which has been steadily penetrating the U.S. market. The EDAC uses routine laboratory tests to make a prediction of heavy drinking in any given person. When tested in mainstream insurance populations, the EDAC has shown twice the specificity of the traditional liver enzyme tests and is significantly more sensitive than the CDT test, which is expected because the EDAC uses a combination of laboratory tests. Maximum diagnostic accuracy is achieved when the CDT test is used to confirm a positive EDAC test. Since brief interventions have proven successful, the early identification of alcohol problems becomes a vital role for physicians. Improved awareness of alcohol misuse can certainly be accomplished through an increased use of biomarkers, with and without concomitant self-report. The ultimate goal is to facilitate early intervention and the successful management of patients diagnosed with heavy drinking.

SUMMARY Victim empathy is a widely used component of sex offender treatment throughout North America and Great Britain. Yet, it has been controversial over the past few years. One of the complications involves giving empathy a solid definition. Empathy was defined as the capacity to express compassion for victims. A multi-level system was developed to help specify the definition. The second issue concerns which methods to use in enhancing victim empathy. A variety of techniques are provided as specific ways in which clinicians can help enhance an offender's empathy level.

This study describes the derivation and validation of the early detection of alcohol consumption (EDAC) test, which uses linear discriminant function (LDF) analysis for the identification of alcohol misuse. This form of LDF aims to predict a categorical dependent variable (alcohol misuse) on the basis of several independent, predictor variables (routine laboratory tests). EDAC was developed to classify individuals as heavy or light drinkers using a database of 1599 subjects recruited from 25 sites in the USA. The predictor variables for the LDF were 36 routine chemistry and haematology analytes. The EDAC model produced 80.7% sensitivity and 84.4% specificity, with an overall correct classification rate of 82.5%. Using a stepwise method, 20 of the 36 routine tests used in the LDF were selected as the optimal predictor variables. The top three variables with the highest contribution in the stepwise EDAC model were: bilirubin ratio (direct to total), aspartate aminotransferase and albumin. This study shows that LDF analysis in conjunction with new, user-friendly computer packages is a practical and cost-effective laboratory tool for detecting excessive drinking using blood constituents ordered routinely in a variety of clinical settings. Diagnostic performance can be adjusted to achieve higher specificity rates.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants were grown under field conditions to determine causes of yield fluctuation throughout the growing season. Photosynthesis, dark respiration, forage yield, specific leaf weight (SLW), leaf size, leaf:stem ratio, and leaf area index (LAI) were measured for six harvests.High atmospheric temperatures during periods of reduced forage yield resulted in a maximum decrease of 38% in apparent photosynthesis and a 19% decrease in dark respiration. This reduction in photosynthesis may contribute to the “summer slump” in yield of alfalfa grown in warm climates. Specific leaf weight decreased with increased temperatures and followed a similar seasonal pattern under two plant densities.Leaf area index continued to decrease throughout the season in a pattern similar to forage yield. The data suggest that the decline in leaf area index was not a result of a decrease in leaflet size.