Effects of Mosquito Control Chemicals on Aquatic Fauna

No mosquito abatement districts have ever been organized in Arkansas. Mosquito control efforts have been largely adulticiding operations by either aerial application or ground thermal fogging machines. Practically no chemical applications have been directed at the larval stage in residual water in ditches and depressions from which adult populations arise. Some larviciding with ethyl parathion has been done in ricefields. Although the treatment is very effective in mosquito reduction, voluntary treatment has not been completely successful. Because relatively little insecticide has been used as a larvicide in Arkansas, it was possible to evaluate the effect of recommended larvicides on non-target organisms in the aquatic environment. A developing mosquito control demonstration program in the rice-producing area provided the study site

Persuasion, Police, and Public Safety: Message Framing, Compliance, and Perceptions of Law Enforcement

In the everyday interactions between law enforcement and the citizens of their communities, officers attempt to gain compliance verbally, before resorting to physical force, if necessary. This dissertation examined the use of persuasive verbal messages by law enforcement officers when encountering citizens. These messages were created to represent a progression of asking, telling, and making, to gain compliance from an individual.;The officers in this study were university police officers, because university police departments are charged with providing a safe learning environment on campus. Due to the visible, community oriented policing in which university police departments tend to engage, it is likely that students would have an interaction with a campus police officer, and that this interaction might call for an officer to make a request or demand of the student. Furthermore, given the ubiquity of communication technology (e.g., social media) on college campuses, it is likely that police and students would communicate not only in-person, but also via computer-mediated channels.;The study in this dissertation utilized a 3 (ask, tell, make) X 2 (emergency, nonemergency) X 2 (face-to-face, computer-mediated communication) experimental design, in which participants (N = 190) were assigned randomly to one of 12 conditions. The measured outcomes were propensity to comply with a police officer, perceptions of the police officer, and perceptions of the officer\u27s conversational appropriateness.;Results indicated a significant main effect for message manipulation, such that participants rated perceptions of officer conversational appropriateness and perceptions of law enforcement more favorably when the hypothetical officer used an ask-framed message, rather than a make-framed message. Furthermore, the results indicated a significant main effect for communication channel, such that participants perceived the police officer to be more conversationally appropriate in the FtF condition than in the CMC condition. Additional post-hoc results, theoretical implications, practical applications, limitations, and future directions for research in this area of communication studies are discussed

Student learning with permissive and restrictive cell phone policies: A classroom experiment

Based on Finn and Ledbetter’s (2013; 2014) work regarding classroom technology policies, this experimental study examined the implementation of a permissive and a restrictive cellular phone policy in two sections of a public speaking course, and the effect of these policies on students’ cognitive and affective learning. College students (N = 31) were assigned to the permissive or restrictive cellular phone policy condition based on the class section of public speaking for which they registered for the Fall, 2016 semester. Results indicated that while there were no differences in cognitive learning, students in the restrictive policy condition reported greater affective learning for the instructor than did students in the permissive policy condition. Theoretical and practical implications, based on this surprising finding, also were discussed

Management of insects and mites on ornamentals using soybean oil

Pest management strategies within the ornamental industry differ greatly from those of other agricultural crops. Farmers of most agronomic and horticultural crops control pests to minimize economic crop loss (Doutt, 1983). However, ornamentals are widely used in both urban and rural landscape settings. Since ornamentals fulfill aesthetic purposes, instead of nutritional needs, responses to pest presence are often chemical sprays, regardless of their appropriateness (Sadof et al., 1993; Freeman et al., 1997). Plant retail customers and homeowners have low tolerance of pests in their gardens and yards (Owens, 1986), and constitute 27% of all pesticide users in the U.S. (Freeman et al., 1997). Coffelt and Schultz (1990) reported that a mere 5% defoliation of woody ornamentals by the orange striped oakworm (Anisota senatoria J.E. Smith) increased homeowners\u27 requests for pest control by \u3e50% in Norfolk, VA. Sadof and Alexander (1993) concurred with the interrelationship between leaf discoloration and aesthetic value, stating that 50% of 134 nursery customers surveyed believed burning bush (Euonymus alatus Thunberg Siebold \u27Compacta\u27) plants with ≥ 5% leaf discoloration from spider mite infestations were damaged and unsalable. Urban pest management poses potential problems for environmental pollution, health hazards, and ecosystem disruption (Bradley, 1991; Owens, 1986). The UCLA Center for Environment Risk Reduction indicates that on a per hectare basis, urban pesticide use often exceeded that of agricultural applications (Freeman et al., 1997). The majority of pesticide applicators are untrained homeowners and landscape gardeners, who rarely heed attention to the chemical\u27s appropriateness or safety precautions (Bennett et al. 1983). Modem gardeners and nursery growers use synthetic pesticides due to their speed and efficacy of pest control (Smith, 1991). Problems from over-spraying exist in urban environments as well, and are similar to historical agricultural situations, including soil and water contamination, pest resistance and resurgence, and acute / chronic human health problems (Freeman et al., 1997). Modern agricultural ecosystems possess relatively low diversity in comparison to that found in landscapes, parks, vacant lots, gardens, and other urban communities (Owens, 1986). It is critical that alternative pest management strategies be developed and implemented, so as to better manage ornamental pests without environmental toxicity and ecosystem disruption, particularly of beneficial arthropods. Oil sprays were first used agriculturally in the 1780s to control overwintering insects in orchards (Chapman, 1967). Oils differ from synthetic pesticides in that they are nontoxic to mammals, possess little to no residual pesticidal activity, control pests with a physical mode of action (suffocation), and are usually less expensive than their competitive pesticide counterparts (Hesler et al., 1986; Johnson, 1985). Advanced refinement procedures have created lighter petroleum oils (known as superior or horticultural oils) that control arthropod pests year-round on many plant species with minimal phytotoxicity (Baxendale et al., 1988a, 1988b; Mizell, 1991; Nielsen, 1990). Modern nursery growers use horticultural oils, such as Sunspray Ultra-fine Spray Oil %reg; or Success Naturalyte Insect Control ®, at label-suggested rates to control common horticulture and nursery insects and mites (Miller, 1997; Bisabri et al., 1997). Early research on citrus indicated that natural plant oils possess insect and mite controlling properties similar to petroleum spray oils (deOng et al., 1927). Many scientists have investigated insect and disease controlling properties of plant oils in efforts to find effective and safe alternatives to synthetic pesticides (Allen et al., 1993; Butler et al., 1988, 1989a, 1989b, 1990, 1991a, 1991b, 1991c; Chen et al., 1996; Flint et al., 1995; Hesler et al., 1986; Hill et al., 1981; Northover et al., 1996; Obeng-Ofori, 1995; Webb et al., 1994). This thesis explores the potential usage of soy oil (Glycine max L. Merrill) as an insecticide and acaricide on ornamentals. Petroleum oils and soy oils were compared for their efficacy against soft-bodied haustellate (sap sucking) insects such as cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii Glover), sweet potato whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), and azalea lace bugs (Stephatiitis pyrioides Scott) , and two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticaeKoch) on nursery stock. Soy oil was evaluated for effects on phytotoxicity, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and beneficial mites on various herbaceous and woody ornamental species

Implementing a Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program

Objective: To implement a Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers (HAPU) prevention program utilizing an assessment tool to identify patients at risk, and intervene with a sacral Mepilex® dressing. Our aims are to determine if a change in nursing knowledge and change in nursing behavior after implementing our program. Background: HAPUs are a significant problem in patient care and healthcare organizations must implement prevention protocols to reduce HAPU prevalence. Guidelines for implementing HAPU prevention programs suggest use of a validate risk assessment tool and initiating preventive interventions. One intervention found in the literature is the adjunctive use of prophylactic Mepilex® dressings to sacral skin. Design: Descriptive study with a prospective one-group pre and post-test design, followed by a retrospective medical record review. Methods: A HAPU education was disseminated to TriHealth nurses who voluntarily participated in a 15-question test before and after the HAPU educational didactic. A paired t-test was performed to determine a difference in mean pre/post-test scores. After completion of the educational didactic, units with 65% completion were included in a medical record review to determine adherence to nursing clinical behaviors relating to the new policy. Results: 1,182 nurses completed the pre-test and 1,514 completed the post-test. Paired t-test analysis determined a difference in mean scores before and after our educational intervention, indicating change in nursing knowledge. 65 medical records were reviewed from 5 units at TriHealth. The mean percent completion of required documentation was 62.2%, and an analysis of variance determined a difference in mean percent completion scores between hospitals, but not unit location. Nurses correctly identified at-risk patients in 50.8% of medical records and used a prophylactic Mepilex® dressing; however 16.9% of at-risk patients were missed. The most identified Mepilex® application criteria included age \u3e65 years, mechanical ventilator use, surgical procedures lasting ≥4 hours, and Braden Scale scores \u3c13. Conclusion: A change in nursing knowledge was evident after our educational didactic, however, our medical record review indicates a failure to consistently follow the HAPU protocol to identify, intervene, and maintain pressure ulcer prevention practices for patients at-risk. Relevance to Clinical Practice: This HAPU prevention protocol may be successful at changing nursing knowledge, but had variable impact on changing nursing behaviors. Additional program evaluation is needed to identify areas to support our nurses for long-term sustainability

Augmenting Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety with tDCS

Purpose/Background: Exposure therapy is one of the most potent techniques available to treat social anxiety. However, studies suggest that exposure therapy only produces full remission in 20-50% of patients. Furthermore, laboratory conditioning and extinction studies suggest that fear responses toward individuals who differ from one\u27s own ethnicity/race may be more resistant to extinction. Because activation of the medial prefrontal cortex has been associated with facilitating fear reduction during exposure therapy, we expect that targeting activation of this region with a stimulation technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may improve outcomes from exposure therapy for social anxiety. The present study will therefore test the hypotheses that (1) fear responding at baseline will be greater toward an audience that does not match (vs matches) the participant\u27s own ethnicity, (2) pairing exposure therapy with active (vs sham) tDCS will facilitate alleviation of social anxiety symptoms, and (3) pairing exposure therapy with active (vs sham) tDCS facilitates extinction of fear response toward individuals who differ from the participant\u27s own ethnicity. Materials & Methods: We are recruiting Latino and non-Latino/Caucasian undergraduates with a fear of public speaking, the most commonly feared situation among individuals with social anxiety. Participants (N = 128) will receive either active/anodal (n = 64) or sham (n = 64) tDCS stimulation targeting the mPFC during an exposure therapy session delivered through virtual reality (VR). During exposure therapy, participants will complete six, 3-minute public speaking trials, alternating in a randomized order between audiences that are 75% matched to the participant\u27s ethnicity and 75% unmatched to the participant\u27s ethnicity. At one-month follow up, participants will complete two behavioral avoidance tests (BATs) parallel to therapy procedures, with one ethnic-matched trial and one ethnic-unmatched trial. Fear response during each BAT will be assessed behaviorally (duration of speech), physiologically (heart rate variability and electrodermal response), and subjectively (peak fear rating, on a 0 to 100 scale). At baseline and one-month follow-up, participants will also complete a battery of social anxiety questionnaires. Results: We will present methods and preliminary findings from the study. Results will include a preliminary examination of whether fear responding is greater toward individuals who differ from (vs match) the participant\u27s own ethnicity, whether pairing exposure therapy with active (vs sham) tDCS facilitates alleviation of social anxiety symptoms overall, and whether pairing exposure therapy with active (vs sham) tDCS facilitates alleviation of social anxiety responding toward individuals who differ from (vs match) the participant\u27s own ethnicity. Discussion/Conclusion: Findings point to key strategies to improve outcomes from exposure therapy for social anxiety, and could also have implications for improving response to exposure-based therapies for other anxiety disorders. Furthermore, if tDCS facilitates reductions in fear response toward ethnic/racial out-groups, minority/Latino individuals may experience better generalization of treatment effects for daily-life scenarios (in which they are surrounded by outgroup members), and ethnic/racial majority individuals will be better able to contribute to an inclusive social environment