Evaluation of the Potential for Ecological Treatment Technologies to Remediate Species of \u3ci\u3ePhytophthora\u3c/i\u3e from Irrigation Runoff

Increased incidences and severity of drought have reduced reliable access to freshwater sources for irrigation purposes by nursery and greenhouse plant producers. Many plant producers are now considering onsite remediation and reuse of water captured from irrigation runoff. However, potential contamination of recycled water with plant pathogens, primarily species of Phytophthora, is the primary concern preventing many growers from reusing their water. Species of Phytophthora are capable of infecting thousands of host plants and cause some of the most economically important diseases of nursery and greenhouse crops worldwide. Phytophthora spp. produce motile, swimming zoospores that often serve as propagules of dispersal and often are the primary infective propagules that initial infections on many plants. While many chemical and physical treatment methods are currently used to disinfest recycled irrigation water, there are many drawbacks to using these technologies. Biological methods for managing Phytophthora spp. in waterways, including bioreactors and constructed wetlands, are not as widely implemented and are not well understood. The overall goal of this dissertation was to assess the potential of passive biological and ecological treatment technologies to remediate Phytophthora spp. from irrigation runoff at nurseries and greenhouses, so treated irrigation runoff may be reused on site. Through a series of greenhouse experiments, we determined that the following plant species may be susceptible to the species of Phytophthora indicated: Carex stricta (P. cinnamomi and P. cryptogea), Panicum virgatum (P. nicotianae), and Typha latifolia (P. cinnamomi, P. cryptogea, and P. nicotianae). Agrostis alba, Iris ensata \u27Rising Sun\u27, and Pontederia cordata plants did not appear to be susceptible to the species of Phytophthora tested during this study; therefore, they may be suitable for use in constructed wetland systems. Using a controlled model floating treatment wetland (FTW) system, we determined that FTWs established with Pontederia cordata plants reduced the flow-through of viable Phytophthora nicotianae zoospores as compared to control units containing no FTW at a target hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4 h. Finally, we determined that laboratory-scale bioreactors containing fir bark reduced flow-through of P. nicotianae viable zoospores as compared to control units that did not contain any substrate, during low and high input nitrogen concentration conditions (11.6 ± 0.3 mg/L N and 72.0 ± 3.7 mg/L N, respectively) and at flowrates equivalent to a target 2 h and 8 h HRT. These are the first studies to evaluate the efficacy of small-scale FTWs and agricultural bioreactors to manage Phytophthora species in water and some of the only studies to evaluate ecological technologies for plant pathogen remediation at representative field hydraulic conditions. Future studies should investigate the biogeochemical transformations of nutrients and associated microbial communities within ecological remediation systems to gain further insight into the potential of microbiologically aided removal mechanisms. Interdisciplinary approaches such as this one—which involve teams of agricultural engineers, plant pathologists, plant scientists, and hydrologists—will be crucial for future studies seeking to understand the aquatic ecology of plant pathogens and potentially novel ecological methods for remediation. Increased confidence in and implementation of ecological treatment technologies will enable producers of greenhouse and nursery crops to safely, economically, and sustainably remediate runoff and drainage waters onsite so that they are able reuse this water for irrigation purposes. Recycling water will help agricultural producers gain access to a reliable water source at a time when access to surface and ground waters is becoming increasingly scarce and contentious due to overuse and increased incidence and severity of droughts

DOMESTIC RELATIONS Alimony and Child Support Generally: Amend Child Support Calculations

The Act amends the method for calculating child support awards to require fact finders in divorce cases to consider eighteen factors before determining the child support obligations of the parents. If, after considering these factors, the court finds the statutory set percentage of gross income either inadequate or excessive, the court must vary the child support obligation accordingly. The Act enhances the “Final Decree and Order” form to require additional information regarding how the child support calculation was determined. The Act allows judges to order one or both parents to obtain and maintain life insurance for the benefit of their minor children. Additionally, the Act encourages judges to require mediation in contested divorces. Finally, the Act extends the state registry of new and rehired employees until May 1, 1997

DIRECT AND INDIRECT MODIFICATION OF STREAM FLOW IN THE FLATHEAD RIVER BASIN IN NORTHWESTERN MONTANA: HYDROLOGIC PARAMETER DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

This thesis is comprised of two potential professional papers that were written to be independent of one another. Both papers were written in the context of the hydrology of the northwestern United States. The snowpack stores winter precipitation and releases it in the spring. This snowmelt-dominated streamflow is used by agriculture, municipalities and water-reliant ecosystems. Chapter 1 considered the response of unmodified snowmelt-dominated streamflow to climate change in the Flathead River basin in northwestern Montana from 1940 to 2006. A parameter to quantify annual flow regime components was developed. Drivers of natural variability of flow regime were also considered. A robust statistical analysis resulted in no significant trends in flow regime versus time, and significant trends in flow regime versus annual precipitation. There was no evidence for a linear response by flow regime to climate change. There was no significant linear trend in flow regime over the study period and flow regime was not significantly related to annual temperature in the Flathead River basin. In the upper reaches of the Flathead River precipitation is associated with flow regime variability. Precipitation, in the Pacific Northwest, is associated with natural climate oscillations. Therefore, flow regime variability may be associated with natural climate oscillations such as El Nino Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Chapter 2 compared flow characteristics of dammed and undammed streams for the Flathead River Basin from 1954 to 2006. The quantile-derived flow characteristics were broken into a pre-dam and post-dam study period. Robust regression was used for trend analysis in the post-dam study period. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to compare variance of dammed and undammed streams to downstream streamflow for both the pre-dam and post-dam study periods. Trend analysis showed that the trend in the timing of dammed streamflow was larger and opposite in sign compared to the undammed streams. In general, the dammed streams showed increased variability of the flow characteristics compared to the undammed streams. The dammed stream influenced the downstream flow early in the water year (October to September), but the undammed streams influenced the flow characteristics once snowmelt-dominated streamflow began

EVIDENCE Hearsay: Provide for Admissibility of Testimony Based on Statements by Child Witnesses

The Act amends the child hearsay statute to allow adults to testify in court regarding a child’s description of certain acts performed in the child’s presence

SOCIAL SERVICES Programs and Protection for Children and Youth: Provide Opportunity for Administrative Hearing Prior to Listing Suspected Child Abusers on Registry

The Act amends the statutory requirements for notice to individuals suspected of child abuse by providing, upon request, an administrative hearing prior to placing their names of the state child abuse registry maintained by the Georgia Department of Human Resources’ Division of Family and Child Services. The Act renames the child abuse registry as the “Child Protective Services Information System.” Additionally, the Act amends the definition of “child abuse” and adds a comprehensive definition of “sexual abuse.” The Act permits district attorneys to use registry information in criminal proceedings, so long as the information is otherwise admissible. Lastly, the Act gives named individuals access to information about their registry classification, date of inclusion and other relevant details

Identifying excellent coaching practice along the sporting pathway

First paragraph: Recognising that coaches operate within different contexts and with different participant populations is important in determining how coaches work with participants. Identifying examples of excellent coaching practice for each of these populations is a critical step towards enhancing a quality participant pathway and coaching system. The purpose of the project was to identify excellent coaching practice along the participant pathway and identify areas for future research and/or education

Healthier choices in an Australian health service : a pre-post audit of an intervention to improve the nutritional value of foods and drinks in vending machines and food outlets

Background: Vending machines and shops located within health care facilities are a source of food and drinks for staff, visitors and outpatients and they have the potential to promote healthy food and drink choices. This paper describes perceptions of parents and managers of health-service located food outlets towards the availability and labelling of healthier food options and the food and drinks offered for sale in health care facilities in Australia. It also describes the impact of an intervention to improve availability and labelling of healthier foods and drinks for sale. Methods: Parents (n = 168) and food outlet managers (n = 17) were surveyed. Food and drinks for sale in health-service operated food outlets (n = 5) and vending machines (n = 90) in health care facilities in the Hunter New England region of NSW were audited pre (2007) and post (2010/11) the introduction of policy and associated support to increase the availability of healthier choices. A traffic light system was used to classify foods from least (red) to most healthy choices (green). Results: Almost all (95%) parents and most (65%) food outlet managers thought food outlets on health service sites should have signs clearly showing healthy choices. Parents (90%) also thought all food outlets on health service sites should provide mostly healthy items compared to 47% of managers. The proportion of healthier beverage slots in vending machines increased from 29% to 51% at follow-up and the proportion of machines that labelled healthier drinks increased from 0 to 26%. No outlets labelled healthier items at baseline compared to 4 out of 5 after the intervention. No changes were observed in the availability or labelling of healthier food in vending machines or the availability of healthier food or drinks in food outlets. Conclusions: Baseline availability and labelling of healthier food and beverage choices for sale in health care facilities was poor in spite of the support of parents and outlet managers for such initiatives. The intervention encouraged improvements in the availability and labelling of healthier drinks but not foods in vending machines

Advice on healthy eating and physical activity where it is needed most : empowering home-visiting human services to provide the right information at the right time to vulnerable families

Background: Excessive weight gain adversely impacts on the health, social and economic wellbeing of children and families. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of a practice change intervention to improve the physical activity and healthy eating support offered by staff of human service organisations during home visits. Methods: The study employed a pre-post design. Sixty nine support staff and 29 managers from human service organisations from the Hunter New England Area Health Service (HNEAHS) region of NSW participated in the trial. Research officers provided staff with healthy eating and physical activity training, telephone support and resources, and encouraged managers to adopt a healthy eating and physical activity policy, and to support their staff in providing healthy eating and physical activity guidance to families. Results: Compared to pre-intervention, support staff of human service organisations were more likely to provide healthy eating and physical activity support to client families. The intervention was found to be acceptable to staff and managers. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that a variety of supportive, practice change initiatives may be a feasible approach to increasing obesity prevention support provided to disadvantaged families by human service organisation staff

Robotic Radical Prostatectomy at a Teaching Community Hospital: Outcomes and Safety

Robotic prostatectomy was found to be a safe and successful option for prostate cancer treatment in a community teaching hospital