CONTRIBUTION OF THE NORTH DAKOTA AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS UTILIZATION COMMISSION PROGRAMS TO THE STATE ECONOMY

The North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC) has the mission of creating new wealth and jobs through the development of new and expanded uses for North Dakota agricultural products. The Commission administers four grant programs encompassing basic and applied research, farm diversification, marketing and utilization, and prototype development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Commission's success in attaining its goals. The project team examined the outcomes of a sample of grant recipients from each program type to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program in meeting its stated objectives. The time frame for the evaluation was 1995-2004. During the study period, a total of $9.3 million was awarded to 396 projects. Marketing and utilization grants accounted for 54 percent of awards and 70 percent of total funds awarded. The review of the four APUC grant programs indicates that each program appears to be quite successful in meeting its objectives. The farm diversification grantees who were contacted generally indicated that their projects had been implemented as planned, and most had plans to continue or expand their new enterprises. Prototype development by its very nature is a high risk venture, but of seven grant recipients contacted, two had commercialized their products, reporting annual gross revenues of$100,000 and $750,000, respectively. Two others reported that their products were nearing commercialization and were planning to begin marketing in 2007. Basic and applied research grants typically represent front-end efforts to develop and commercialize new products, crops, or value-added opportunities. Several of the basic and applied research grant recipients contacted were able to report very concrete outcomes with substantial economic impacts. Finally, the marketing and utilization grants program supports a diversity of projects directed at market analysis, feasibility studies, business plan development, and related services to support the launch and/or expansion of value-added enterprises. This program has supported the launch of a number of major processing ventures, as well as a number of smaller projects. The larger and more successful projects assisted by this program have made very substantial economic contributions. For example, nine agricultural processing projects supported by APUC during the 1995-2004 period are estimated (when fully operational) to contribute more than$157 million annually to the state economy, to support almost 2,300 new jobs, and to result in $2.4 million in added state sales and use and personal income tax revenues annually. In addition, APUC support has assisted the launch of a number of smaller enterprises which are important to the livelihood of the individual, may provide employment opportunities that would not otherwise exist, and may have potential for future growth.economic development, agricultural processing, North Dakota, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Mother–infant interaction in schizophrenia:Transmitting risk or resilience? A systematic review of the literature

Purpose: The parent–infant relationship is an important context for identifying very early risk and resilience factors and targets for the development of preventative interventions. The aim of this study was to systematically review studies investigating the early caregiver–infant relationship and attachment in offspring of parents with schizophrenia. Methods: We searched computerized databases for relevant articles investigating the relationship between early caregiver–infant relationship and outcomes for offspring of a caregiver with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Studies were assessed for risk of bias. Results: We identified 27 studies derived from 10 cohorts, comprising 208 women diagnosed with schizophrenia, 71 with other psychoses, 203 women with depression, 59 women with mania/bipolar disorder, 40 with personality disorder, 8 with unspecified mental disorders and 119 non-psychiatric controls. There was some evidence to support disturbances in maternal behaviour amongst those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and there was more limited evidence of disturbances in infant behaviour and mutuality of interaction. Conclusions: Further research should investigate both sources of resilience and risk in the development of offspring of parents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and psychosis. Given the lack of specificity observed in this review, these studies should also include maternal affective disorders including depressive and bipolar disorders

Understanding challenging behaviour in people with severe and profound intellectual disability: a stress-attachment model

Background. Advances in our knowledge of attachment, stress and coping may foster new explanations for the development of challenging behaviour in people with intellectual disability (ID). Method. Research on stress and coping among people with ID was reviewed initially, and then studies on the security of the attachment relationships of people with ID with their caregivers were analysed. Results. There is evidence that people with ID are more vulnerable to stress and use less effective coping strategies. Furthermore, the body of studies on attachment indicates that people with ID are at risk for developing insecure, especially disorganized attachment. There is evidence from other populations that the combination of stress, and insecure or disorganized attachment may put people at risk for developing behaviour problems. Conclusion. A stress-attachment model of the development of challenging behaviour among people with ID shows promise as an explanatory frame-work. The uncovering of these developmental mechanisms may be particularly useful for the prevention of behavioural problems

Wellbeing and resilience:Mechanisms of transmission of health and risk in parents with complex mental health problems and their offspring—The WARM Study

The WARM study is a longitudinal cohort study following infants of mothers with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and control from pregnancy to infant 1 year of age. Background: Children of parents diagnosed with complex mental health problems including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, are at increased risk of developing mental health problems compared to the general population. Little is known regarding the early developmental trajectories of infants who are at ultra-high risk and in particular the balance of risk and protective factors expressed in the quality of early caregiver-interaction. Methods/Design: We are establishing a cohort of pregnant women with a lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and a non-psychiatric control group. Factors in the parents, the infant and the social environment will be evaluated at 1, 4, 16 and 52 weeks in terms of evolution of very early indicators of developmental risk and resilience focusing on three possible environmental transmission mechanisms: stress, maternal caregiver representation, and caregiver-infant interaction. Discussion: The study will provide data on very early risk developmental status and associated psychosocial risk factors, which will be important for developing targeted preventive interventions for infants of parents with severe mental disorder

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CONTRIBUTION OF THE NORTH DAKOTA AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS UTILIZATION COMMISSION PROGRAMS TO THE STATE ECONOMY

The North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC) has the mission of creating new wealth and jobs through the development of new and expanded uses for North Dakota agricultural products. The Commission administers four grant programs encompassing basic and applied research, farm diversification, marketing and utilization, and prototype development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Commission's success in attaining its goals. The project team examined the outcomes of a sample of grant recipients from each program type to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program in meeting its stated objectives. The time frame for the evaluation was 1995-2004. During the study period, a total of $9.3 million was awarded to 396 projects. Marketing and utilization grants accounted for 54 percent of awards and 70 percent of total funds awarded. The review of the four APUC grant programs indicates that each program appears to be quite successful in meeting its objectives. The farm diversification grantees who were contacted generally indicated that their projects had been implemented as planned, and most had plans to continue or expand their new enterprises. Prototype development by its very nature is a high risk venture, but of seven grant recipients contacted, two had commercialized their products, reporting annual gross revenues of$100,000 and $750,000, respectively. Two others reported that their products were nearing commercialization and were planning to begin marketing in 2007. Basic and applied research grants typically represent front-end efforts to develop and commercialize new products, crops, or value-added opportunities. Several of the basic and applied research grant recipients contacted were able to report very concrete outcomes with substantial economic impacts. Finally, the marketing and utilization grants program supports a diversity of projects directed at market analysis, feasibility studies, business plan development, and related services to support the launch and/or expansion of value-added enterprises. This program has supported the launch of a number of major processing ventures, as well as a number of smaller projects. The larger and more successful projects assisted by this program have made very substantial economic contributions. For example, nine agricultural processing projects supported by APUC during the 1995-2004 period are estimated (when fully operational) to contribute more than$157 million annually to the state economy, to support almost 2,300 new jobs, and to result in $2.4 million in added state sales and use and personal income tax revenues annually. In addition, APUC support has assisted the launch of a number of smaller enterprises which are important to the livelihood of the individual, may provide employment opportunities that would not otherwise exist, and may have potential for future growth