Women, race and place in US Agriculture.

Research on women in U.S. agriculture highlights how, despite real challenges, women have made and continue to make spaces for themselves in this male-dominated profession. We argue that, partly due to data accessibility limitations, this work has tended to use white women's experiences in agriculture as universal. Analyzing micro-data from the 2017 Census of Agriculture, this paper offers descriptive statistics about women and race in U.S. agriculture. We examine numerous characteristics of U.S. farms, including their spatial distribution, the average number of acres farmed, predominant crop types, and other characteristics to describe how white, Black, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander/Asian women farmers are faring. Our findings suggest significant differences in women's farms by race. We argue that these are related to the history of forced and voluntary migration within the U.S. Our results indicate that understanding women's experiences in farming requires understanding the impact of race and these broader historical patterns. Finally, because of these differences across races, we suggest that supporting "women in agriculture" may require tailored responses from agricultural policy and programming that addresses unique needs in specific communities.

Quantitative UHPSFC-MS analysis of elemental sulfur in mineral oil via derivatisation with triphenylphosphine: application to corrosive sulfur-related power transformer failure.

An ultrahigh-performance supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPSFC-MS) method has been developed as a rapid and reliable analytical method for the detection and quantification of elemental sulfur in mineral transformer oil. The method described in this paper is based on the selective reaction of elemental sulfur with triphenylphosphine (TPP). The derivatisation of elemental sulfur requires minimal sample preparation and resulted in the formation of a single compound, namely triphenylphosphine sulfide (TPPS). This derivative is quantified from the complex oil composition using electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, and the reported UHPSFC-MS method allows detection and quantification of the derivative at ppb levels. As sulfur contamination in mineral transformer oil has been linked to costly failures of oil/paper-based power transformers due to corrosion, the analytical approach is demonstrated through its application to mineral oil samples from in service and decommisioned power transformers. The method is ideal as a routine test or to confirm the presence of elemental sulfur in samples where corrosion has occurred.

Stroke participants' perceptions of robotic and electrical stimulation therapy: a new approach.

PURPOSE: User perceptions are critical, yet often ignored factors in the design and development of rehabilitation technologies. In this article, measures for collection of patient perceptions are developed and applied to a novel upper limb workstation that combines robotic therapy and electrical stimulation (ES). METHOD: Five participants with chronic upper limb hemiplegia post-stroke used a robotic workstation to undertake supported tracking tasks augmented by precisely controlled ES to their triceps muscle. Following a 6 week trial, a purpose designed set of questions was developed and individual interviews were conducted by an independent health psychologist. RESULTS: The simple, quick to administer question set showed that participants had a positive response to the system, and contributed valuable feedback with regard to its usability and effectiveness. Participants want a home-based system targeting their whole arm. CONCLUSION: This article demonstrates the value in assessing user perceptions of a rehabilitation system via a simple question set. While the results of this study have implications for a wider audience, our recommendations are for a qualitative study to develop a generic evaluation tool which could be used across the growing number of devices to provide feedback to enhance future development of any new technology for rehabilitation.

A model of the upper extremity using FES for stroke rehabilitation.

A model of the upper extremity is developed in which the forearm is constrained to lie in a horizontal plane and electrical stimulation is applied to the triceps muscle. Identification procedures are described to estimate the unknown parameters using tests that can be performed in a short period of time. Examples of identified parameters obtained experimentally are presented for both stroke patients and unimpaired subjects. A discussion concerning the identification's repeatability, together with results confirming the accuracy of the overall representation, is given. The model has been used during clinical trials in which electrical stimulation is applied to the triceps muscle of a number of stroke patients for the purpose of improving both their performance at reaching tasks and their level of voluntary control over their impaired arm. Its purpose in this context is threefold: Firstly, changes occurring in the levels of stiffness and spasticity in each subject's arm can be monitored by comparing frictional components of models identified at different times during treatment. Secondly, the model is used to calculate the moments applied during tracking tasks that are due to a patient's voluntary effort, and it therefore constitutes a useful tool with which to analyze their performance. Thirdly, the model is used to derive the advanced controllers that govern the level of stimulation applied to subjects over the course of the treatment. Details are provided to show how the model is applied in each case, and sample results are shown.