Food Waste Management Networks: Novel Methods for Overcoming Emerging Logistics Challenges

The U.S. produces an estimated 63 million tons of food waste per year. Interest from state and local governments in diverting unused food from landfills to alternative treatment facilities is growing. However, this emerging food waste (FW) stream will face logistics challenges as diversion networks expand. Current methods for evaluating challenges are insufficient for providing solutions for network development because they do not explore the impacts of variability in the food waste management system. This dissertation aims to fill this knowledge gap by exploring three key research areas. First, variability in FW generation from different types of commercial generators is characterized. Empirically collected data is combined with the prevailing FW estimation method to characterize how generator attributes, temporal variability, and spatial heterogeneity in FW generation could impact development of diversion networks. Results show that representing FW generation from commercial sources in New York State with a single annual value is likely inadequate for policy and planning purposes due to the uncertainty surrounding anticipated FW generation. Second, two transportation models are presented to understand how variability in spatial locations and generation rates affects FW collection. Results indicate that in residential systems with uniform generation rates, increasing spatial density of participants is critical to reducing service costs. In commercial systems, the inherent heterogeneity of food waste generation rates is important to reduce costs for initial collection services. Finally, material inputs and digestate management are incorporated into a FW treatment facility siting method. Results show that digestate transportation distance is critical for ensuring that land application of digestate does not overload nearby farm fields with phosphorus. This dissertation contributes to the body of scientific knowledge for waste management through the creation of novel, generalizable methods that investigate the impacts of variability on logistics decisions to inform development of effective food waste management networks

Take a Deep Breath: How Yoga Postures and Breathing Techniques Can Impact PTSD Symptoms

Yoga postures (asana) and yoga breathing techniques (pranayama) could be an effective method of treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study investigates the importance of the style of yoga treatment (pranayama, asana, or both) and the frequency with which these interventions are conducted (two or five times per week). The participants in this study will be military personnel with diagnosed PTSD who are currently receiving CBT and pharmaceutical treatment. All participants will have their PTSD symptoms assessed before the study begins, and then once a week each of the 12 weeks of the study. Structured interviews will be administered to both participants and loved ones of participants before and after the study in order to verify construct validity. It is proposed that all groups will show improvement in all three styles (asana, pranayama, and both) over the span of 12 weeks and the groups that practice five times a week will improve more than groups that practice twice a week. Therefore, participants who practice both pranayama and asana twice a week will have the most decrease in PTSD symptoms

An objective check list for the evaluation of teacher selection in public schools.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

SB62-20/21: Resolution Regarding Ballot Language for the MontPIRG Reaffirmation Vote

SB62-20/21: Resolution Regarding Ballot Language for the MontPIRG Reaffirmation Vote. This resolution was approved unanimously during the March 3, 2021 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM)

SB63-20/21: Resolution Regarding Ballot Language for the Modification of the Sunset Provision for the MontPIRG Fee

SB63-20/21: Resolution Regarding Ballot Language for the Modification of the Sunset Provision for the MontPIRG Fee. This resolution was approved unanimously during the March 3, 2021 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM)

The Determinants of New-firm Survival across Regional Economies

The process of the entrepreneurial decision is decomposed in seven engagement levels ranging from never thought about starting a business to gave up, thinking about it, taking steps for starting up, having a young business, having an older business and no longer being an entrepreneur. By using a multinomial logit model we allow the effect of covariates to differ across the various entrepreneurial engagement levels. Data from two Entrepreneurship Flash Eurobarometer surveys (2002 and 2003) con-taining over 20,000 observations of the 15 old EU member states, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and the US are used. Other than demographic variables, the set of explanatory variables used includes the percep-tion by respondents of administrative complexities, of availability of financial support and of risk tolerance, the respondents preference for self-employment and country specific effects. Among our results we find that the perception of lack of financial support has no discriminative effect across the various levels of en-trepreneurial engagement while perception of administrative complexities plays a negative role only for high levels of engagement

The development of the pianoforte fugue since Bach

Thesis (B.M.)--University of Illinois, 1918.Typescript.Includes bibliographical references (preliminary leaf [4])

SB22-20/21: Resolution Endorsing Ballot Initiative 190

SB22-20/21: Resolution Endorsing Ballot Initiative 190. This resolution passed on a 21Y-1N-1A roll call vote during the September 9, 2020 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM)