Some strategies for sustaining a walking routine: Insights from experienced walkers

This study explores the strategies that experienced walkers felt were most useful for sustaining outdoor walking routines. To investigate this issue, a survey-based instrument was used in combination with a Conceptual Content Cognitive Mapping (3CM) exercise. Methods: Seventy-one experienced walkers were asked to complete the 3CM exercise to explore the strategies that have helped them regularly walk outdoors. After 1 week these same individuals received a survey investigating these same issues as well as demographics and physical activity participation. Results: There was general agreement between 3CM and survey data with respect to the strategies used by experienced walkers. The most highly endorsed strategies involved using health goals and supportive walking environments. Survey results also revealed that those more likely to endorse the use of social support took fewer walks per week, but engaged in more nonwalking related physical activity. Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that experienced walkers use a variety of strategies. Strategies such as focusing of the positive health outcomes, using attractive natural settings, and developing realistic action plans appeared to be the most useful. These results also indicate the 3CM technique may be an effective way to explore beliefs and motivations regarding physical activity.McIntire-Stennis grant from the Ecosystem Management Initiative, School of Natural Resource and Environment, University of MichiganPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95719/1/Duvall_&_De_Young_(2013)_Some_strategies_for_sustaining_a_walking_routine,_JPAH,_10,_10-18.pdf-

Where People Meet the Muck: An Integrated Assessment of Beach Muck and Public Perception at the Bay City State Recreation Area, Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron

In several regions of the Great Lakes, including Saginaw Bay, the proliferation of muck, decaying organics largely from aquatic plants such as Cladophora, has washed ashore, and is blamed for negatively affecting water quality and economic losses in the region. The current view is that excess nutrient loading into the system is a leading cause of this type of organic debris, though changes in food web dynamics may also be a contributing factor. Through an Integrated Assessment (IA) framework, we summarized the current state of knowledge on the causes and consequences of muck conditions at the Bay City State Recreation Area (BCSRA), including the socio-economic impacts of muck at the park and on the Saginaw Bay Region. Through this framework we identify potential management scenarios for addressing beach fouling at the BCSRA. Through a robust stakeholder engagement process, the IA team implemented a suite of models and surveys to understand public perception of muck-related issues and identified a series of feasible short and long-term management actions that could help alleviate and better manage the impacts of muck. Results indicate that even drastic reductions in external phosphorus loads will not eliminate Cladophora growth in the bay. Beach muck is likely a historical part of the system, and nutrient reduction programs may not prevent muck from fouling Saginaw Bay beaches. We identify a sustainable park management practice maybe reallocating resources previously designated for cleaning efforts to achieve bare, sandy beaches and promoting alternative ecological activities and attractions such as bird watching, kayaking, and nature walks in the park’s coastal marshes

Effects of Tetrahydropalmatine (THP) on PTSD-induced Changes in Rat Neurobehavior

The purpose of this study was to investigate tetrahydropalmatine (THP), a major compound in Corydalis yanhusuo WT Wang (Family: Papaveraceae) and its effects on PTSD induced neurobehavior in the rodent model. The aims were to determine the effects of THP on anxiety, locomotion, and memory. A prospective experimental between groups design was used. Eighty rats were randomly divided into two groups, non-stressed and stressed. They were then randomly subdivided into four groups: control, THP, midazolam, or THP and midazolam. The behavioral component was evaluated using the elevated plus maze (EPM) and Morris water maze (MWM) in a restraint/shock stress model. Data analysis was performed using a two-tailed Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and LSD post-hoc test. There were significant differences in anxiety between the groups (P<0.05). The PTSD stressed rat groups had significantly reduced time on the open arms of the EPM demonstrating significant increased anxiety compared to the control nonstressed groups. Data pertaining to the MWM did not demonstrate statistical significance. While a one-time dose of THP was insufficient in providing a significant decrease in anxiety, a multi-dose regimen may yield more effective results. Future experiments should evaluate a multi-dose or prophylactic regimen

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Revitalizing Riverside

Master of ScienceNatural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/101673/1/39015062454254.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/101673/2/39015062454254.pd

Schmidt Games, Nonuniform Hyperbolicity, and Topological Entropy

In this work we accomplish several goals. First, we show how a geometric game introduced by Schmidt can be used to estimate various notions of the size of some interesting sets in dynamical systems. Specifically, we analyze so-called exceptional sets (sets of points whose orbit closures miss a prescribed point) arising from a class of nonuniformly expanding circle maps and show that, under reasonable conditions, such sets are winning for Schmidt's game. This implies that these sets are quite large in a certain sense, having full Hausdorff dimension despite being Lebesgue-null. Second, we show how a dynamical variation of Schmidt's game introduced by Weisheng Wu may be employed to measure other Caratheodory dimension characteristics besides Hausdorff dimensions, such as topological entropy. In particular, we modify and further develop the theory of this dynamical game, showing that even if a set is not winning, one can still derive lower bounds for the entropy of a given map on the set. We also prove that the winning property of the new game is an invariant of topological conjugacy, and that the winning property is independent of the scale of the Bowen balls used in the game

Deliberate engagement as a strategy for promoting behavior change while enhancing well -being.

Changing behavior is difficult. Approaches which focus on educating people about the consequences of behavior or providing incentives for performance often do not fare well. This dissertation contrasts such an approach with one that helps individuals deliberately engage the mind by encouraging richer and more diverse interactions with the behavior setting. While this engagement-based approach is likely applicable to a number of behaviors, it is explored here in the context of promoting outdoor physical activity. To investigate this approach, 117 adults were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions-- Standard Care (schedule setting, commitment) or Engagement (awareness plans) -- and asked to take at least three, 30 minutes outdoor walks each week for two weeks. Walking behavior was measured using surveys, walking logs, and accelerometers. Survey instruments were used to investigate changes in psychological well-being and satisfaction with the walking environment. Baseline measures were collected prior to the intervention. Results show that individuals in both treatment conditions reported similar changes in walking behavior. However, only participants in the Engagement condition experienced significant improvements in multiple dimensions of psychological well-being. In addition, among participants who walked at low to moderate levels those assigned to the Engagement condition were more likely to obtain these psychological benefits. Individuals in the Engagement condition also reported being more satisfied with several distinct aspects of the walking environment. These changes in satisfaction were particularly strong for participants who walked with another person. Overall, the findings indicate that strategies designed to help individuals deliberately interact and explore a behavior setting can be useful for promoting the adoption and maintenance of outdoor walking routines. These strategies may also make it easier for individuals to achieve other important benefits, including improvement in psychological well-being and enhanced perceptions of the local environment. Because deliberate engagement is able to leverage a number of powerful but often underappreciated cognitive and motivational forces, there is reason to believe that this behavior change strategy is valuable to a wide variety of behaviors and contexts.Ph.D.Behavioral psychologyCognitive psychologyHealth and Environmental SciencesPsychologyPublic healthUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/127162/2/3429473.pd

Deliberate Engagement as a Strategy for Promoting Behavior Change while Enhancing Well-Being.

Changing behavior is difficult. Approaches which focus on educating people about the consequences of behavior or providing incentives for performance often do not fare well. This dissertation contrasts such an approach with one that helps individuals deliberately engage the mind by encouraging richer and more diverse interactions with the behavior setting. While this engagement-based approach is likely applicable to a number of behaviors, it is explored here in the context of promoting outdoor physical activity. To investigate this approach, 117 adults were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions– Standard Care (schedule setting, commitment) or Engagement (awareness plans) – and asked to take at least three, 30 minutes outdoor walks each week for two weeks. Walking behavior was measured using surveys, walking logs, and accelerometers. Survey instruments were used to investigate changes in psychological well-being and satisfaction with the walking environment. Baseline measures were collected prior to the intervention. Results show that individuals in both treatment conditions reported similar changes in walking behavior. However, only participants in the Engagement condition experienced significant improvements in multiple dimensions of psychological well-being. In addition, among participants who walked at low to moderate levels those assigned to the Engagement condition were more likely to obtain these psychological benefits. Individuals in the Engagement condition also reported being more satisfied with several distinct aspects of the walking environment. These changes in satisfaction were particularly strong for participants who walked with another person. Overall, the findings indicate that strategies designed to help individuals deliberately interact and explore a behavior setting can be useful for promoting the adoption and maintenance of outdoor walking routines. These strategies may also make it easier for individuals to achieve other important benefits, including improvement in psychological well-being and enhanced perceptions of the local environment. Because deliberate engagement is able to leverage a number of powerful but often underappreciated cognitive and motivational forces, there is reason to believe that this behavior change strategy is valuable to a wide variety of behaviors and contexts.Ph.D.Natural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77879/1/duvallj_1.pd

Attention restoration theory: Exploring the role of soft fascination and mental bandwidth

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/148514/1/2019_EandB_Basu_Duvall_and_RK.pd