Ripple Effect Mapping of Youth & Adult Dyad Pairs Demonstrating Community Impact from iCook 4-H Intervention

Introduction: Creating effective dissemination and implementation tools within community based, obesity prevention research is needed to bridge the current science to practice gap. Ripple Effect Mapping (REM) using Community Capitals Framework (CCF) is a community impact evaluation tool that is hypothesized to positively capture activity during dissemination within community programs. Although REM is a proposed impact evaluation method, it has not been widely adopted within the research sector. In order to facilitate the translation of research into evidenced based practice, a stepwise process must be described and tested to determine efficacy and effectiveness, followed by a method to translate findings into useable and understandable information for the immediate users, the community, and larger public.;Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine REM as an effective impact evaluation tool in determining participants\u27 (youth/adult dyads) perceptions of the ripple effect of a 24 month, iCook 4-H multistate intervention program on self, family and community for future dissemination.;Methods: Seventy dyad (A=adult, Y=youth) participants (35=A, 35=Y ages 9-10 years) participated across 5 states (10 groups; ME, NE, SD, TN, WV). Three core themes of iCook 4-H were assessed: cooking, eating and playing together. Group dyads responded to open ended questions by leader driven dialogue about ways in which the iCook program has affected the individual, family and community. Three main questions were asked: 1) what are people doing differently as a result of the iCook program; 2) who has benefited from the iCook program and how; 3) are there changes in the way community groups and institutions do things as a result of the iCook program? Questions and dialogue were recorded by trained note-takers using a template with set instructions. Directed data content analysis was used to determine individual, family and community impact.;Results: Participants reported adopting new behaviors such as an increase in physical activity, frequency of trying new foods were increased and improved communication skills as well as increased harmony within family units. Directed content analysis resulted in one theme, seven categories with eight subcategories, and 41 supporting subcategories. Participants reported positive family behavior change affecting all capitals within the CCF leading to an amplified awareness of the importance of togetherness.;Conclusions: Findings indicate that the REM evaluation tool was an effective approach in determining participant perceptions for future dissemination and implementation. Additionally, findings show youth obesity prevention programs such as the iCook 4-H program have the potential to positively affect self, families and communities. Applying a tool such as REM can be used by researchers, community members and participants as an effective evaluation tool to demonstrate through a visual mapping image, the positive effects of obesity prevention programs to further the dissemination and implementation mileage, replicability and sustainably

Psycho-markers of weight loss. The roles of TFEQ Disinhibition and Restraint in exercise-induced weight loss

yesEating behaviour traits, namely Disinhibition and Restraint, have the potential to exert an effect on food intake and energy balance. The effectiveness of exercise as a method of weight management could be influenced by these traits. Fifty eight overweight and obese participants completed 12-weeks of supervised exercise. Each participant was prescribed supervised exercise based on an expenditure of 500 kcal/session, 5 d/week for 12-weeks. Following 12-weeks of exercise there was a significant reduction in mean body weight ( 3.26 ± 3.63 kg), fat mass (FM: 3.26 ± 2.64 kg), BMI ( 1.16 ± 1.17 kg/m2) and waist circumference (WC: 5.0 ± 3.23 cm). Regression analyses revealed a higher baseline Disinhibition score was associated with a greater reduction in BMI and WC, while Internal Disinhibition was associated with a larger decrease in weight, %FM and WC. Neither baseline Restraint or Hunger were associated with any of the anthropometric markers at baseline or after 12-weeks. Furthermore, after 12-weeks of exercise, a decrease in Disinhibition and increase in Restraint were associated with a greater reduction in WC, whereas only Restraint was associated with a decrease in weight. Post-hoc analysis of the sub-factors revealed a decrease in External Disinhibition and increase in Flexible Restraint were associated with weight loss. However, an increase in Rigid Restraint was associated with a reduction in %FM and WC. These findings suggest that exercise-induced weight loss is more marked in individuals with a high level of Disinhibition. These data demonstrate the important roles that Disinhibition and Restraint play in the relationship between exercise and energy balance.BBSR

The mass-to-light ratio of rich star clusters

We point out a strong time-evolution of the mass-to-light conversion factor eta commonly used to estimate masses of unresolved star clusters from observed cluster spectro-photometric measures. We present a series of gas-dynamical models coupled with the Cambridge stellar evolution tracks to compute line-of-sight velocity dispersions and half-light radii weighted by the luminosity. We explore a range of initial conditions, varying in turn the cluster mass and/or density, and the stellar population's IMF. We find that eta, and hence the estimated cluster mass, may increase by factors as large as 3 over time-scales of 50 million years. We apply these results to an hypothetic cluster mass distribution function (d.f.) and show that the d.f. shape may be strongly affected at the low-mass end by this effect. Fitting truncated isothermal (Michie-King) models to the projected light profile leads to over-estimates of the concentration parameter c of delta c ~ 0.3 compared to the same functional fit applied to the projected mass density.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the "Young massive star clusters", Granada, Spain, September 200

Effects of aquatic weed infestations on the fish and wildlife of the Gulf States

This report presents the findings of the Fish and Wildlife Service with regard to: (1) The nature and extent of damages caused by obnoxious weeds to wildlife and fisheries; (2) the economic losses brought about by this damage; and (3) the effects of mechanical and chemical weed control on wildlife and fisheries. Other phases of the water weed problem, such as the history and extent of infestation, biology of the plants, control methods, and public health significance, have been investigated by the U.S. Engineers, the Department of Agriculture, and the Public Health Service

Stability conditions and Stokes factors

Let A be the category of modules over a complex, finite-dimensional algebra. We show that the space of stability conditions on A parametrises an isomonodromic family of irregular connections on P^1 with values in the Hall algebra of A. The residues of these connections are given by the holomorphic generating function for counting invariants in A constructed by D. Joyce.Comment: Very minor changes. Final version. To appear in Inventione