ANALYSIS OF CORN PRODUCTION AND USAGE

A selection of three-dimension graphs shows the supply and usage of corn for the U.S. at the state level, and for Texas at the county level. An example of a three-dimension price surface is provided for select counties in Nebraska. All was done using Arch View software.Demand and Price Analysis, Production Economics,

The Impact of COVID-19 on smoking behaviours and support for smoke-free zones in Saudi Arabia.

This article focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on smoking and smoking cessation behaviours and support for smoke-free zones in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A pre-tested structured survey was distributed by email in October–November 2020 to students and staff at the University of Jeddah. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics with summative content analysis of open text. Participants providing open text comments (n = 374/666; 56.4%) were non-smokers (n = 293; 78.3%), former smokers (n = 26; 7.0%) and current smokers (n = 55; 14.7%). Some had household members (n = 220; 58.8%) and friends who smoke (n = 198; 52.9%) plus daily exposure to secondhand smoke at home (n = 125; 33.4%). There was an awareness during COVID-19 of: smoking inside cafes/restaurants and other indoor and outdoor public places; exposure to warnings in the media both against and promoting smoking; widespread support for smoke-free zones. Smokers plans for accessing smoking cessation support are inconsistent with retrospective reports. Many express positivity highlighting reductions in smoking but there were also negative reports of increased smoking. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of society worldwide. People have been at home more with restricted freedom of movement and limitations on social liberty. These individual accounts can help to focus evidence-based smoking prevention and cessation programmes during and post-COVID-19

Staff and student experiences and attitudes towards smoking and smoking cessation, University of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Tobacco smoking causes an estimated 7 million deaths per annum with 70 thousand of those occurring in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) where the National Transformation Program highlights the need to prioritize smoking cessation. The objective of this study was to determine the experiences and attitudes of university staff and students, who have been or are currently smokers, towards smoking and smoking cessation. Methods: A link to a cross-sectional online survey was distributed by email in October and November 2020 to students and staff (n=34872) at the University of Jeddah, KSA. The survey was based on WHO GATS, CSS-21 and a systematic review. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in JASP (version 0.14.1) [Computer software]. Results: A total of 666 responses were collected. Most respondents had never smoked (n=556; 83.5%) with some current smokers (n=72; 10.8%) and few former smokers (n=12; 1.8%). Major challenges of quitting smoking identified by the CSS-21 tool were intrinsic factors such as 'withdrawal symptoms' (n=28; 37.8%), 'being addicted to cigarettes' (n=24; 34.8%), 'having strong emotions or feelings' (n=28; 38.4%), and 'seeing things or people which reminded me' (n=25; 34.2%). The extrinsic factors were mostly reported as 'not a challenge', such as 'use of other substances like cannabis, alcohol, etc.' (n=60; 87.0%) or 'lack of support or encouragement from health professionals to stop smoking' (n=50; 69.4%). Many staff and students were 'asked if you smoked tobacco products' at a healthcare professional appointment with (n=5; 83.3%) and (n=27; 71.1%), respectively. Both staff (n=6; 75.0%) and students (n=19; 34.5%) thought 'face-to-face counselling' would help support their future attempts to quit. Conclusions: The majority of smokers who participated saw intrinsic factors more of a challenge than extrinsic factors. This new knowledge has the potential to influence decision makers. There is potential for encouraging healthcare practitioners to promote smoking cessation conversations

Ancestra - Part of the Intersections Project

The vision of The Department of Theatre and Dance’s Intersection Project was to provide points of intersection between artists and community with experiences that all creative artists share, focusing especially on inter-generational exchanges. One element of the Intersections Project was the collaborative creation of an original performance entitled Ancestra. Four student researcher/performers joined twelve Cleveland performance artists, ages 18-73, to create and present the docu-performance, Ancestra. Research for this project focused on the transcript of the 1853 National Women’s Rights Convention held in Cleveland, OH as well as other primary sources from the Women’s Suffrage Movement. The group also examined epigenetic scientific discoveries, which hypothesize that humans are genetically linked to the experiences of ancestors as well as their physical traits. These two lines of research provided the basis for a rich conversation between past and present which was integrated into the performance. Women in the project also researched their personal histories and wrote poetry, prose, and dialogue based on themes, memories, and experiences. These writings, together with the research discoveries were montaged into the final script which was rehearsed and performed in a “work in progress” showing at CSU on August 2nd, followed by a discussion about the work and process.https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/u_poster_2013/1021/thumbnail.jp

Comparing the Efficiency of Nursery and Direct Transplanting Methods for Restoring Endangered Corals

Restoration of plants, corals, and other sessile species often involves transplanting individuals to sites chosen for rehabilitation. Transplanted individuals are sometimes harvested directly from wild populations (direct transplanting), and sometimes propagated or cultured in a “nursery” before being transplanted (nursery outplanting). The ecological effectiveness and cost-efficiency of these methods have rarely been compared, so we performed an experiment to address this. Coral fragments, Acropora cervicornis (n = 780), were collected and assigned to one of three treatments: 1) directly transplanted to a restoration site and placed loose on the reef; 2) directly transplanted and manually attached to the reef; 3) moved to a nursery site near the restoration site for three months before being transplanted and manually attached to the reef. Treatment 1 was inefficient simply because these corals survived poorly. After 15 months, the survival and growth of corals assigned to treatments 2 and 3 was similar. The nursery method (3) was more expensive and time-consuming than direct transplanting (2), so treatment 2 yielded twice as many surviving corals per hour of work invested and three times as many survivors per dollar of set-up costs as treatment 3. The net production of live coral tissue per hour or per dollar invested was also greatest for direct-attached transplants. Cost- and time-efficiency are important considerations for practitioners seeking to maximize the area of reef rehabilitated and, in this case study, were maximized by bypassing a nursery stage

The effectiveness of non-pharmacological sleep interventions for people with chronic pain:a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: About two thirds of people with chronic pain report problems sleeping. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of non-pharmacological sleep interventions for improving sleep in people with chronic pain. DESIGN: We conducted a systematic review of non-pharmacological and non-invasive interventions to improve sleep quality or duration for adults with chronic non-cancer pain evaluated in a randomised controlled trial. Our primary outcome of interest was sleep; secondary outcomes included pain, health-related quality of life, and psychological wellbeing. We searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL from inception to April 2020. After screening, two reviewers evaluated articles and extracted data. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane tool. RESULTS: We included 42 trials involving 3346 people randomised to 94 groups, of which 56 received an intervention targeting sleep. 10 studies were of fair and 32 of good methodological quality. Overall risk of bias was judged to be low in 11, high in 10 and unclear in 21 studies. In 9 studies with 385 people randomised, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia showed benefit post-treatment compared with controls for improved sleep quality, standardised mean difference − 1.23 (95%CI -1.76, − 0.70; p < 0.00001). The effect size was only slightly reduced in meta-analysis of 3 studies at low risk of bias. The difference between groups was lower at 3 and 6 months after treatment but still favoured cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia. Pain, anxiety and depression were reduced post-treatment, but evidence of longer term benefit was lacking. There was no evidence that sleep hygiene interventions were effective in improving sleep and there was some evidence in comparative studies to suggest that cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia was more effective than sleep hygiene. Numerous other interventions were evaluated in small numbers of studies, but evidence was insufficient to draw conclusions about effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia is an effective treatment to improve sleep for people with chronic pain, but further high-quality primary research is required to explore combined CBT content that will ensure additional improvements to pain, quality of life and psychological health and longer-term maintenance of benefits. Primary research is also needed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for which insufficient evidence exists. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019093799. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12891-022-05318-5

Interlinked Computing in 2040 : Safety, Truth, Ownership and Accountability

Computer systems are increasingly linked together, with systems controlled by different parties cooperating to deliver services. Such links offer both huge benefits and possible risks. Both the potential benefits and risks may be magnified as novel technologies such as Artificial Intelligence are integrated into these toolchains. What are these risks, and how might we begin to address them? Using a Delphi-based method, we interviewed twelve experts at envisaging technology futures to gain insight into likely trends, their impact on society, and how we might start to mitigate negative impacts. From the results, we highlight five forecasts, and six possible interventions that could help. The forecasts include major challenges related to Artificial Intelligence and system complexity, particularly where these involve interactions between independent systems. Addressing these challenges using the suggested interventions offers a good strategy to prepare ourselves for 2040

The Grizzly, March 26, 1990

Wismer Plans Alternatives • Reaction to Idaho Law • 101 Blaze Update • Letters: Cleaning Service Working?; Fix, Please! • Broaden our Horizons • Sex and Religion • Doughty Discusses Seminar • Time is Now for Men\u27s Lacrosse • Bears Win First • Track Team Beats the Cold • Hackers No More • Tennis Sweep • Bears Roll • Comedy Plays at Ritter • This Week\u27s Video Reviews • Fun With Jell-Ohttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1255/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 22, 1989

Kane Claiming Greeks Shall Survive • Olin Noise Annoys All • Letters: Boot Booze Begs Senior; Rovers Rotten • DiFeliciantonio: A Mouthful • McNulty Directs Residents • Surprise, surprise! UC Stomps Swarthmore • Ursinus Closes Gap with F&M Diplomats • Commentary; Why Bush War Can\u27t be Won; HPER Lab a Strong Addition • Intramurals: Full Steam Ahead! • One Giant Step • Sports Summary • Pledging: End of an Era? • BWC Causes Electrical Overloadhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1241/thumbnail.jp