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School principals' have a significant impact on student achievement and positive educational outcomes (Beteille et al., 2012; Branch et al., 2013; Miller, 2009; Miller, 2013; Supovitz et al., 2010). There are concerns regarding the high turnover rate and shortage of applicants for school leadership positions currently within the United States (Beteille et al., 2012; Burkhauser et al., 2012; Burkhauser, 2015; Jensen, 2014; Whitaker, 2003). According to research, this current state of affairs significantly impacts high poverty schools (Beteille et al., 2012; Miller, 2013). This quantitative research study aimed to contribute to the body of literature regarding principal retention and investigate whether there is a significant relationship between hiring type (i.e., internal or external promotion) and principal retention in the state of Georgia when controlling for potential covariates. Using information obtained through the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA), 132 principals were included in the study cohort involving panel data from 2015-2019. Using a conceptual framework based on human resource theories and the internal promotion cycle, a random-effects logistic regression examined the relationship between hiring type and principal turnover. Principal race and CCRPI scores emerged as statistically significant variables in relationship to principal turnover. Although hiring type was not statistically significant, the practical significance of internal promotion in combination with other factors is supported. Insight is provided into identifying leadership candidates, the hiring process, and increasing principal retention rates despite the demands of the job. This knowledge could significantly impact school districts' hiring practices and the development of leadership programs in the educational community.

This study aimed to contribute to the empirical literature concerning the factors that contribute to the job satisfaction levels of public and private school teachers. Furthermore, an emphasis was placed on how governmental accountability, school procedures, and workplace characteristics affected levels of job satisfaction. This study focused on other contributing factors of job satisfaction: personal attributes, human capital, occupational characteristics, and school characteristics. Inferential statistics concluded that there was a statistically significant difference between public and private school teachers' job satisfaction levels. Specifically, private school teachers had higher levels of job satisfaction than public school teachers.

Drawing upon Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as theoretical framework and methodological tool, the present paper critically examines the legislation that has established English as official language in 30 states. This study captures the motivation and rationale of the policies, their stated outcomes and educational implications. The analysis situates the discourse embedded in official language policies within its socio-historical context and the conceptualization of race and language in the US. The results indicate that official English legislation responds to a conservative raciolinguistic ideology that seeks to reaffirm the hegemony of English as a mechanism of internal colonization. Official English attempts to establish monolingual educational and governmental practices that serve as an instrument to protect the status quo and, thus, perpetuate the privilege of whiteness and the subordination of immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

This study aimed to contribute to the empirical literature related to student discipline's influence on teacher job satisfaction. Further, this research aimed to explore the correlation between student discipline and teacher job satisfaction while controlling for the contributing factors of job satisfaction). Also, this research study's results were interpreted through the lens of the Affective Events Theory indicating a person's emotions and behaviors for the workplace may influence their job satisfaction. An Ordinary Least Squares regression found that the correlation between student discipline and teacher job satisfaction was not statistically significant. However, the directionality of the relationship between student discipline and teacher job satisfaction was negative. By studying student discipline and teacher job satisfaction, this research determined that student discipline does harm teacher job satisfaction.

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the body of literature regarding decisions school leaders make when developing strategic plans to improve student outcomes. This study investigated whether there is a significant relationship between school climate and graduation rates for public high schools in the state of Georgia when controlling for potential covariates. Using an ordinary least squares multiple regression procedure, this study found a positive school climate increased high school graduation rates (b = 0.164, p [less than or equal to] 0.01).

This study used Kanter's (1997) Tokenism theory to analyze the relationship between gender and faculty salaries in Georgia higher education institutions to determine whether pay inequity existed between male and female professors in 2018. Two separate mixed-effect regression models were estimated on a 2018 cross-sectional survey dataset of Georgia higher education faculty members where faculty demographic characteristics (i.e., gender and academic discipline) were regressed on their annual base salaries. When controlling for demographics and occupational characteristics, female faculty received significantly lower salaries than their male counterparts. In addition, when controlling for academic discipline and grouping those disciplines vis-a-vis male dominant and female dominant, males in female-dominant disciplines earned significantly more money than females, and females in male-dominant disciplines earned more money than males. Additional findings support negotiable salaries as a significant contributor to higher pay.

What goes into designing and implementing a successful program? How do both research and practice inform program development? In this article, the process through which a federally funded training curriculum was developed and piloted tested is described. Using a logic model framework, important lessons learned are shared in defining the situation, identifying and maximizing inputs, clarifying and tracking outputs, and documenting and reporting outcomes.

Simple Summary: Measurements of experimental errors between controlled laboratory bioassays and field response of insecticide on immature stages of the sweetpotato whitefly were investigated using parallel sample populations. The bioassays were more precise in measuring insecticide efficacy compared to homologous field trials. Seasonal variations in precision and accuracy indicate the importance of identifying and considering external confounding factors when estimating insecticide efficacy or predicting field response through bioassays. These results highlight the value and limitations of using quick, viable, and easy-to-set-up bioassays to quantify the efficacy of commonly used products on target pest species, particularly those commonly associated with insecticide resistance, using the sweetpotato whitefly as a model. Ecotoxicological studies often result in reports on the limitation and sometime failures of biological assay data to predict field response to similar treatments. Nevertheless, it is widely accepted that controlled bioassays can better quantify the specific mortality response of a target pest species to a specific toxin. To quantify the relationship between whitefly bioassay and field response data, we evaluated a controlled laboratory bioassay and a concurrent cucurbit field trial method to assess insecticide efficacy for controlling the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). This was based on oviposition and nymphal development. We specifically tested the assumptions that a maximum dose bioassay would more precisely measure insecticide efficacy as compared with a comparable field spray test evaluation, and the response would be equal between the bioassay and the field as a measure of control accuracy for both adult oviposition and development of nymphal stages. To make a direct comparison, we tested the same whitefly population subsamples from 352 plots in eight cucurbit field experiments in Georgia, USA, in 2021 and 2022. The bioassays provide significantly precision for estimating proportional whitefly response. As expected, treatment-specific nonequivalence in immature whitefly counts between the bioassay and field, i.e., a lack of accuracy, only occurred with insecticides that were not highly toxic to all growth stages of whiteflies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The sweet potato whitefly is a major pest of crops worldwide, causing significant damage. To control this pest, farmers often use insecticides, but the effectiveness of these treatments can vary depending on resistant population dynamics. We investigated the efficacy of insecticides on adult whiteflies in the field and laboratory conditions using maximum labeled rate methods. Fast-acting insecticides were more effective in controlling whitefly adults, and bioassays could be an effective tool for determining efficacy prior to expensive field applications. These findings will be valuable to farmers and researchers seeking to optimize control strategies for whiteflies, helping to reduce crop damage and improve yields. We conducted a rapid bioassay method to assess insecticide efficacy for controlling adult sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci in squash and cucumber crops before insecticide applications. The study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of a 24-hour laboratory bioassay in determining maximum dose insecticide efficacy in the field. Ten insecticides were evaluated using leaf-dip bioassays, and their effectiveness was tested across eight cucurbit field experiments in Georgia, USA, during the 2021 and 2022 field seasons. The maximum dose, defined as the highest labeled rate of an insecticide diluted in the equivalent of 935 L ha−1 of water, was used for all bioassays. Adult survival observed in the bioassay was compared to adult field count-based survival 24 h after treatment. A low concentration (1/10 rate) was used for imidacloprid, flupyradifurone, pyriproxyfen, and cyantraniliprole to assess insecticide tolerance in the whitefly population. Overall, significant positive correlation between laboratory bioassay and field efficacy was reported, explaining 50–91% of the observed variation. The addition of the low dosage was helpful, indicating that no rate response was consistent with susceptibility to the tested insecticide, while a rate response was associated with a loss of susceptibility between 2021 and 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory colonies of diamondback moth (DBM) larvae were established from larvae collected from four sites in Georgia and Florida where diamide, specifically chlorantraniliprole, insecticide resistance was recently documented. Based on dose–response experiments, these colonies exhibited 109- to 4,298-fold resistance to chlorantraniliprole, compared to a commercially available susceptible control colony. Colonies exhibited 50- to 107-fold resistance to another diamide, cyantraniliprole, based on similar dose–response experiments. All colonies were screened for the presence of four known mutations in the ryanodine receptor (RyR), the target of diamide insecticides, previously associated with resistance in Asian DBM populations. One mutation, G4946E, was identified in colonies from all four field sites, but not the susceptible control colony. Three additional RyR target site mutations, E1338D, Q4594L, and I4790M, were not identified in any of the screened samples. The estimated allele frequency of the G4946E mutation in these colonies ranged from 32 to 90%. These data are consistent with recently reported chlorantraniliprole control failures in Georgia and Florida. It is likely that the G4946E mutation is currently an important contributing factor to chlorantraniliprole resistance in Georgia and Florida DBM populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cowpea curculio, Chalcodermus aeneus (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the key pest of southern pea or cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.), in Georgia and elsewhere in the southeastern USA. There has never been an effective trapping method reported for this pest. We developed a modified Tedder's trap that was tested against standard boll weevil traps and yellow sticky traps. The new trap detected C. aeneus adults earlier and in greater numbers than the other trapping methods. The new trap was used to monitor weekly movement of C. aeneus adults for two annual cycles in 2012 and 2013 at multiple locations. The detection of adults was consistent with early spring movement from overwintering sites followed by a summer generation and a fall generation. No adults were collected in traps from the end of December to the end of March. The temporal distribution of C. aeneus in traps over the season suggests three distinct periods of adult activity from mid-April to mid-June, late-July to early-October and then mid-November to mid-December. The utility of monitoring C. aeneus for regional management strategies is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the degree to which polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) sorption to activated carbon are impaired by kinetic limitations, size exclusion effects and electrostatic repulsions. The study analyzes the sorption of 11 PCB congeners with activated carbon in fixed bed reactors with organic-free water (OFW) and Suwannee River natural organic matter (SR-NOM) through reconstituting freeze-dried SR-NOM at a concentration of 10 milligram (mg) L-1 as carbon. Furthermore, the result of the SR-NOM fixed-bed test shows partial PCB breakthrough which occurred over the entire 320-d test. The study concludes that the formation of PCB-NOM complexes that reduce PCB sorption are likely to be the cause of the limitation in external mass transfer.

The Skidaway River estuary, GA (USA), a tidally dominated subtropical system surrounded by extensive Spartina salt marshes, is experiencing steady increases in nutrients, chlorophyll, and particulate matter and decline in dissolved oxygen, associated with cultural eutrophication. A long-term study is documenting changes in these parameters: previous papers Verity (Estuaries 25:944-960, 2002a, Estuaries 25:961-975, b) reported on hydrography, nutrients, chlorophyll, and particulate matter during 1986- 1996; plankton community responses are reported here. Phytoplankton, bacteria, heterotrophic nanoplankton and dinoflagellates, ciliates, and copepods exhibited strong seasonal cycles in abundance driven by temperature and resource availability, typically with summer maxima and winter minima. However, cultural eutrophication coincided with altered planktonic food webs as autotrophic and heterotrophic communities responded to increasing concentrations and changing ratios of inorganic and organic nutrients, potential prey, and predators. Small (<8 μm) photosynthetic nanoplankton increased in absolute concentration and also relative to larger cells. In contrast, diatoms did not show consistent increases in abundance, despite significant long-term increases in ambient silicate concentrations. Mean annual bacteria concentrations approximately doubled, and eukaryotic organisms in the microbial food web (heterotrophic and mixotrophic flagellates, dinoflagellates, ciliates, and metazoan zooplankton) also increased. All plankton groups except copepods showed trends of increasing annual amplitudes between seasonal high and low values, with higher peak concentrations each year. These observations suggest that the eutrophication signal was gradually becoming uncoupled from regulatory mechanisms. Theory and evidence from other more impacted waters suggest that, if these patterns continue, changes in the structure and function of higher trophic levels will ensue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using radiotelemetry, we studied variation in horny-range size of the Bachman's Sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis) at the Savannah River Site (SRS), South Carolina, during the 1995 breeding season. At SRS, sparrows occurred primarily in two habitats: mature pine habitats managed for Red-cockaded Woodpecker(Picoides borealis) and pine plantations 1 to 6 years of age. The mean 95% minimum convex polygon home-range size for males and females combined (n = 14) was 2.95 ha ± 0.57 SE, across all habitats. Mean home-range size for males in mature pine stands (4.79 ha ± 0.27, n = 4) was significantly larger than that in 4-year-old (3.00 ha ± 0.31, n = 3) and 2-year-old stands (1.46 ha ± 0.31, n = 3). Home-range sizes of paired males and females (n = 4 pairs) were similar within habitat type: mean distances between consecutive locations differed by habitat type and sex. We hypothesize that a gradient in food resources drives home-range dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe antimicrobial resistance among Escherichia coli isolated from free-living Canada Geese in Georgia and North Carolina (USA). Resistance patterns are compared to those reported by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. Canada Geese may be vectors of antimicrobial resistance and resistance genes in agricultural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines niche breadth and niche overlap in habitat and nest characteristics among sympatric fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) and gray squirrels (S. carolinensis) in central Georgia during 1989-90. Details on the study; Methodology used; Results and conclusion of the study.

Simple Summary: Insecticides are commonly used to manage whiteflies in many crops including vegetables, but frequent use can cause these pests to become resistant to insecticides. Resistance can lead to control failure and severe crop damage, thus the need for insecticide efficacy testing and insecticide resistance monitoring. A study was conducted to determine whether any current methods of toxicity assays are better than others for testing whiteflies for insecticide resistance and efficacy for better information to make effective pest control decisions. Two Bemisia tabaci populations from Georgia and Florida, USA, were tested for their response to insecticides across different toxicological bioassay methods. Five insecticides in four Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) groups (imidacloprid (4A), dinotefuran (4A), flupyradifurone (4D), pyriproxyfen (7C) and cyantraniliprole (28)), were evaluated against a water check. The routes of application to the plant used were either leaf drench or (systemic) root drench. The four different whitefly bioassay methodologies tested were two published IRAC methods, a clip cage method, and a new tube method. A split–split experimental design was used to assess any interactions between application route, bioassay method and insecticide treatment. Application route had no significant effect on efficacy. However, bioassay method affected overall whitefly mortality, with the dish method having reduced mortality compared to other methods, except for the clip cage method. High rates of cyantraniliprole, dinotefuran and flupyradifurone insecticides resulted in the highest incidence of adult whitefly mortality. Significant interactions relative to percent adult mortality were found between the insecticide and bioassay method for both populations assayed. The clip cage method was more sensitive in terms of dose mortality response followed by the cup and tube methods. The dish method was the least responsive to insecticide dose. Other interactions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that monitored adult and juvenile breeding-season movements and habitat use of radio-tagged wood thrushes at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. Population decline of wood thrushes in Georgia; Experimental design used; Effects of management for red-cockaded woodpeckers on wood thrushes; Experimental effect on adult movements.

Since its discovery in the United States in 2017, the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) has been detected in most eastern states between Rhode Island and Georgia. Long Island, east of New York City, a recognized high-risk area for tick-borne diseases, is geographically close to New Jersey and New York sites where H. longicornis was originally found. However, extensive tick surveys conducted in 2018 did not identify H. longicornis on Long Island. In stark contrast, our 2022 tick survey suggests that H. longicornis has rapidly invaded and expanded in multiple surveying sites on Long Island (12 out of 17 sites). Overall, the relative abundance of H. longicornis was similar to that of lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum, a previously recognized tick species abundantly present on Long Island. Interestingly, our survey suggests that H. longicornis has expanded within the Appalachian forest ecological zone of Long Island's north shore compared to the Pine Barrens located on the south shore of Long Island. The rapid invasion and expansion of H. longicornis into an insular environment are different from the historical invasion and expansion of two native tick species, Ixodes scapularis (blacklegged tick or deer tick) and A. americanum, in Long Island. The implications of H. longicornis transmitting or introducing tick-borne pathogens of public health importance remain unknown., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) severely affects peanut production in the southeastern United States. Breeding efforts over the last three decades resulted in the release of numerous peanut genotypes with field resistance to TSWV. The degree of field resistance in these genotypes has steadily increased over time, with recently released genotypes exhibiting a higher degree of field resistance than older genotypes. However, most new genotypes have never been evaluated in the greenhouse or laboratory against TSWV or thrips, and the mechanism of resistance is unknown. In this study, TSWV-resistant and -susceptible genotypes were subjected to TSWV mechanical inoculation. The incidence of TSWV infection was 71.7 to 87.2%. Estimation of TSWV nucleocapsid (N) gene copies did not reveal significant differences between resistant and susceptible genotypes. Parsimony and principal component analyses of N gene nucleotide sequences revealed inconsistent differences between virus isolates collected from resistant and susceptible genotypes and between old (collected in 1998) and new (2010) isolates. Amino acid sequence analyses indicated consistent differences between old and new isolates. In addition, we found evidence for overabundance of nonsynonymous substitutions. However, there was no evidence for positive selection. Purifying selection, population expansion, and differentiation seem to have influenced the TSWV populations temporally rather than positive selection induced by host resistance. Choice and no-choice tests indicated that resistant and susceptible genotypes differentially affected thrips feeding and survival. Thrips feeding and survival were suppressed on some resistant genotypes compared with susceptible genotypes. These findings reveal how TSWV resistance in peanut could influence evolution, epidemiology, and management of TSWV.

Spotted wilt disease caused by Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) (family Bunyaviridae; genus Tospovirus) is a major constraint to peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) production in the southeastern United States. Reducing yield losses to TSWV has heavily relied on planting genotypes that reduce the incidence of spotted wilt disease. However, mechanisms conferring resistance to TSWV have not been identified in these genotypes. Furthermore, no information is available on how these genotypes influence thrips fitness. In this study, we investigated the effects of newly released peanut genotypes (Georganic, GA-06G, Tifguard, and NC94022) with field resistance to TSWV and a susceptible genotype (Georgia Green) on tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), fitness, and TSWV incidence. Thrips-mediated transmission resulted in TSWV infection in both TSWV-resistant and susceptible genotypes and they exhibited typical TSWV symptoms. However, some resistant genotypes had reduced viral loads (fewer TSWV N-gene copies) than the susceptible genotype. F. fusca larvae acquired TSWV from resistant and susceptible genotypes indicating that resistant genotypes also can serve as inoculum sources. Unlike resistant genotypes in other crops that produce local lesions (hypersensitive reaction) upon TSWV infection, widespread symptom development was noticed in peanut genotypes. Results indicated that the observed field resistance in peanut genotypes could be because of tolerance. Further, fitness studies revealed some, but not substantial, differences in thrips adult emergence rates and developmental time between resistant and susceptible genotypes. Thrips head capsule length and width were not different when reared on different genotypes.

Thrips-transmitted Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) (Family Bunyaviridae, Genus Tospovirus) affects onion production in the United States and worldwide. The presence of IYSV in Georgia was confirmed in 2003. Two important thrips species that transmit tospoviruses, the onion thrips (Thrips tabaci (Lindeman)) and the tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca (Hinds)) are known to infest onion in Georgia. However, T. tabaci is the only confirmed vector of IYSV. Experiments were conducted to test the vector status of F. fusca in comparison with T. tabaci. F. fusca and T. tabaci larvae and adults reared on IYSV-infected hosts were tested with antiserum specific to the nonstructural protein of IYSV through an antigen coated plate ELISA. The detection rates for F. fusca larvae and adults were 4.5 and 5.1%, respectively, and for T. tabaci larvae and adults they were 20.0 and 24.0%, respectively, indicating that both F. fusca and T. tabaci can transmit IYSV. Further, transmission efficiencies of F. fusca and T. tabaci were evaluated by using an indicator host, lisianthus (Eustoma russellianum (Salisbury)). Both F. fusca and T. tabaci transmitted IYSV at 18.3 and 76.6%, respectively. Results confirmed that F. fusca also can transmit IYSV but at a lower efficiency than T. tabaci. To attest if low vector competency of our laboratory-reared F. fusca population affected its IYSV transmission capability, a Tomato spotted wilt virus (Family Bunyaviridae, Genus Tospovirus) transmission experiment was conducted. F. fusca transmitted Tomato spotted wilt virus at a competent rate (90%) suggesting that the transmission efficiency of a competent thrips vector can widely vary between two closely related viruses.

Objectives: Most previous studies of the association between psychosocial stress and musculoskeletal illness among computer users have been cross-sectional and have yielded inconsistent results. The association between a measure of psychosocial stress, "job strain", and incident neck-shoulder and arm-hand musculoskeletal symptoms was investigated among recently hired computer users., Methods: The participants worked for one of several large employers and were followed prospectively for 6 months. The "job demands" and "decision latitude" subscales of the Job Content Questionnaire were used to estimate the job-strain quadrants and a ratio measure of job strain which was subsequently categorized. Incident musculoskeletal symptoms were obtained with weekly diaries. Proportional hazards models were used to estimate associations between job strain and incident musculoskeletal symptoms., Results: Those in the high-strain quadrant were at increased risk of neck-shoulder symptoms [hazard ratio (HR) 1.65, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.91-2.99] when compared with those in the low-strain quadrant. Those in the highest strain-ratio category were also at increased risk of neck-shoulder symptoms when compared with those in the lowest strain-ratio category (HR 1.52, 95% CI 0.88-2.62). Modification by previous years of computer use was observed, with an elevated risk observed for those in the highest job-strain ratio category who also had low previous computer use (HR 3.16, 95% CI 1.25-8.00). There did not appear to be an association between either measure of job strain and incident arm-hand symptoms., Conclusions: In this cohort, workers who reported high job strain were more likely to develop neck-shoulder symptoms.

Background: Popular culture (movies, television shows, advertising) often portrays drinking to the point of intoxication as either humorous or associated with enjoyable social activities that enhance quality of life. This study examined the association between binge drinking (consuming five or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among U.S. adults., Methods: Data are from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a continuous random-digit-dial telephone survey of adults aged >/=18 years conducted in all states. This survey included questions about alcohol consumption and HRQOL., Results: In 2001, 52% of U.S. adults were current drinkers (one or more drinks in the past 30 days). Of current drinkers, 11% were frequent binge drinkers (three or more episodes in past month) and 14% were infrequent binge drinkers (one to two episodes in past month). After adjusting for confounding factors, frequent binge drinkers were more likely than non-binge drinkers to experience >/=14 unhealthy days (physical or mental) in the past month (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.24-1.56), primarily because they had more mentally unhealthy days than non-binge drinkers (AOR=1.52, 95% CI=1.32-1.75)., Conclusions: Frequent binge drinking is associated with significantly worse HRQOL and mental distress, including stress, depression, and emotional problems. Effective interventions to prevent binge drinking should be widely adopted and may help improve quality of life.

During the performance of medical physics surveys on diagnostic imaging equipment, it is not unusual to find problems requiring service. In the work described in this article, two existing and separate databases, one for radiology equipment maintenance and the other for medical physics surveys were linked. By linking the two databases we have closed the loop in our documentation. The two databases are integrated so that when logging a survey, a single mouse click will allow the user to initiate a service call and link it to the survey. In addition, any survey linked to a service call permits the user to view the service record with a single mouse click. This allows us within the medical physics database to document the resolution of problems as well as to keep track of the status of service calls initiated as a result of medical physics surveys.

The department of radiology at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics has developed an equipment quality control web site. Our goal is to provide immediate access to virtually all medical physics survey data. The web site is designed to assist equipment engineers, department management and technologists. By improving communications and access to equipment documentation, we believe productivity is enhanced. The creation of the quality control web site was accomplished in three distinct steps. First, survey data had to be placed in a computer format. The second step was to convert these various computer files to a format supported by commercial web browsers. Third, a comprehensive home page had to be designed to provide convenient access to the multitude of surveys done in the various x-ray rooms. Because we had spent years previously fine-tuning the computerization of the medical physics quality control program, most survey documentation was already in spreadsheet or database format. A major technical decision was the method of conversion of survey spreadsheet and database files into documentation appropriate for the web. After an unsatisfactory experience with a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) converter (packaged with spreadsheet and database software), we tried creating Portable Document Format (PDF) files using Adobe Acrobat software. This process preserves the original formatting of the document and takes no longer than conventional printing; therefore, it has been very successful. Although the PDF file generated by Adobe Acrobat is a proprietary format, it can be displayed through a conventional web browser using the freely distributed Adobe Acrobat Reader program that is available for virtually all platforms. Once a user installs the software, it is automatically invoked by the web browser whenever the user follows a link to a file with a PDF extension. Although no confidential patient information is available on the web site, our legal department recommended that we secure the site in order to keep out those wishing to make mischief. Our interim solution has not been to password protect the page, which we feared would hinder access for occasional legitimate users, but also not to provide links to it from other hospital and department pages. Utility and productivity were improved and time and money were saved by making radiological equipment quality control documentation instantly available on-line.

Staphylococcus aureus is an important opportunist that can cause superficial to life-threatening illnesses in a variety of animal species. In poultry, this organism has been implicated in osteomyelitis, synovitis, and cellulitis. Whereas most infections can be treated with antibiotics, because of the organism's propensity to acquire antimicrobial resistance, it is important to continually monitor antibiotic susceptibilities of clinical isolates. We surveyed 77 clinical poultry S. aureus isolates, collected from 1998 to 2000, for susceptibilities to a panel of 18 antimicrobial agents. Thirty-six percent of isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics. Forty-three and 16% of avian S. aureus were resistant to one and two antibiotics respectively. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were commonly resistant to tetracycline (40%; minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC]90 > 32 microg/ml), lincomycin (19%; MIC90 > 32 microg/ml), erythromycin (12%; MIC90 > 8 microg/ml), and kanamycin (8%; MIC90 < 128 microg/ml). All S. aureus isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol, gentamicin, streptomycin, nitrofurantion, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin, vancomycin, and the production antimicrobials virginiamycin, salinomycin, and flavomycin. A periodic assessment of antimicrobial susceptibilities of important avian pathogens like S. aureus will be important in helping the clinician's choice of antibiotic to control infection.

The Medical College of Georgia's radiology department has developed computer software that helps the department manage its radiology equipment insurance program. By providing clear menus and choice boxes instead of manual typing wherever possible, the software minimizes the time spent on data entry and management functions. In addition, the software helps track vendor invoices and unreimbursed claims, and maintains a service call log. It also provides a bar-coded service ticket for use by in-house engineers. Completed tickets, which are copied and filed, have replaced ledger books. Furthermore, the software helps the department comply with JCAHO requirements, since service tickets link the documentation of quality control problems to their resolution.

Software has been developed to aid in the management of a radiation safety quality control program in diagnostic radiology. The core of the system is a data base of radiation safety activities. Software design goals were the prioritization, scheduling, and reporting of these activities. Computerization has helped organize the timely performance of surveys necessary for compliance with regulatory and accreditation agencies. Clear, concise program documentation and reporting are also provided.