The Influence of Gardening Activities on Reports of Health Problems, Allergies, and Body Mass Index

In the last quarter century, the epidemic of overweight and obese Americans has increased strikingly. Obesity is far more perilous than most adults think because it disables and kills by substantially raising the risk of cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, hypertension, osteoarthritis, stroke, Type II diabetes, specific forms of cancer and other diseases. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of gardening activities on activity levels, body mass index (BMI), allergies, and reported overall health of gardeners and non-gardeners. The survey used for this study consisted of five sections, which were modified from previous instruments and, all tested for validity by being shown to a panel of experts. The sample population was drawn from two sources: an online survey, which was posted for four months on social media websites and spread through word of mouth and an identical paper-pencil formatted survey, which was distributed to church, garden, and community service groups within Texas and parts of the Midwest. These paper-pencil survey groups were selected for participation based on their ease of accessibility and interest level in participating in the study. Participants were offered a free packet of wildflower seeds as an incentive to take part in the survey. Results from this study indicated non-gardeners were less physically active when compared to gardeners. Frequency of gardening did not have a statistically significant impact on gardeners’ BMI. There was no difference in BMI between gardeners and non-gardeners. Gardeners indicated having more frequently reoccurring symptoms for “Ear Infection/Ear Ache,” “High Cholesterol,” “Kidney Stone,” “Gallstones,” and “Arthritis,” indicating gardening may being used as a distraction therapy, helping gardeners to cope with pain and remain active when other forms of exercise may not be an option. There was no statistically significant difference in incidence of allergies between gardeners and non-gardeners, and there was a significant difference between annual household income and physical activity/exercise and BMI for gardeners

Evaluation of Commercial Viability of Eco-friendly Alternatives to Traditional Floral Foam and Their Effects on Vase Life of Five Species of Cut Flowers

Increasingly, consumers are indicating that they would be willing to pay a premium for floral designs from a more sustainable floral provider. During the past several years, more environmentally sustainable floral foams and foam alternative media have been developed as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional floral foams comprised of phenol-formaldehyde plastics. Phenol-formaldehyde foam breaks down into microplastics, which ends up in landfills, soils, and waterways—including the planet’s oceans—if not disposed of properly. Eco-friendly foam alternatives are made from natural materials such as basalt minerals and coconut (Cocos nucifera) fiber (coir). The objective of this study was to investigate eco-friendly floral substrates for their commercial viability in the floral industry by analyzing the vase life of five of the most commonly use cut flower species in traditional vs. eco-friendly foam alternatives. Flowers selected for the experiment included ‘Freedom’ rose (Rosa hybrid), ‘Orange Queen’ alstroemeria (Alstroemeria hybrid), ‘Atlantis Yellow’ chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum), ‘Pink Nelson’ carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), and ‘Million Star’ baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculate). The flowers were selected based on their importance to the floral industry with regard to their overall volume of use in floral arrangements and volume of production. The findings from this study indicate the traditional phenol-formaldehyde–based floral foam maintained vase life longer for a majority of the flowers tested when compared with basalt floral fiber medium and coir pouches. However, the basalt floral fiber medium maintained a vase life of more than 7 days for all flowers tested, indicating it is an adequate medium to use in retail floral design production. The coir pouch did not maintain the customer-expected vase life of 7 days for all but one of the cultivars tested. This indicates that coir pouches are generally not suitable for traditional everyday retail floral design use, but could potentially be acceptable for special occasion designs in which the consumer prefers or specifies a more sustainable approach and/or can accept a shorter vase life

Demographic Differences in United States Consumers’ Perceptions and Willingness to Pay for Sustainable Environmental Practices in the Floral Industry

Consumers have become increasingly concerned about the environmental standards of industries from which they purchase products. Because consumers’ environmental concerns are increasingly becoming part of their purchasing decisions, industries have begun to restructure their business model to one that is more environmentally sustainable. Studies have indicated consumers’ actions and motivations for purchasing sustainable products vary based on consumer demographics. The main purpose of this study was to compare the differences in consumers’ perceptions and willingness to pay as they relate to retail floral providers’ sustainable and environmentally sound practices based on demographic traits. A total of 2172 people responded to an online survey. The sample used in this study was a random selection of individuals 18 years of age or older living in the United States. Survey responses were collected from 21 Dec 2022 to 27 Jan 2023. Data were analyzed using analyses of variance and post hoc tests as well as descriptive and frequency statistics. Results indicated there was a difference in the way respondents answered the survey questions based on demographics. Respondents 34 years of age or younger with college experience indicated the most willingness to make purchases and pay premiums from floral providers that incorporate sustainable attributes into their business model. Males indicated a stronger willingness to shop at a floral provider based on several of the environmental statements when compared with other genders. The results provide evidence of the value of the integration of sustainability practices into the business model of floral providers to make it more competitive

United States Consumers’ Perceptions and Willingness to Pay for Sustainable Environmental Practices in a Retail Floral Provider’s Business Model

Research suggests consumers are willing to pay a premium for goods from industries that design products using environmentally sound practices and that these practices lead to customer loyalty. Using environmentally friendly practices can differentiate a business from competitors through branding, which has been known to help increase profit margins and stimulate demand in a saturated market. The main purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of consumer perceptions and willingness to pay as they relate to retail floral providers’ sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. A total of 2172 people responded to an online survey. The sample used in this study was a random selection of individuals 18 years and older living in the United States. Survey responses were collected from 21 Dec 2022 to 27 Jan 2023. Respondents indicated the use of locally sourced flowers followed by the recycling of flower waste through composting as the two sustainable attributes that would increase their willingness to make purchases the most. Respondents indicated the strongest willingness to pay 10% or more for locally sourced flowers (61.7%), followed by flower providers composting their floral waste (59.5%). In addition, 50% or more of all respondents indicated a willingness to pay 10% or more for all the sustainable attributes for which they were asked. The methods in which retail floral providers source floral material, create floral designs, and market and brand their company are important considerations when promoting their services toward environmentally conscious consumers and in creating a valuable repeat customer base

HIV clinical stage progression of patients at 241 outpatient clinics in Democratic Republic of Congo: Disparities by gender, TB status and rurality

Background: HIV clinical care programs are increasingly cognizant of the importance of customizing services according to patients’ clinical stage progression (WHO\u27s four-tiered staging) and other risk assessments. Understanding factors associated with Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) patients’ progression through the treatment cascade and clinical stages is essential for programs to provide patient-centered, evidence-based services. Methods and materials: To analyze patient characteristics associated with disease progression stages for PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART), this quantitative study used data, from January 2014–June 2019, from 49,460 PLHIV on ART from 241 HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in 23 health zones in Haut-Katanga and Kinshasa provinces, Democratic Republic of Congo. To assess bivariate and multivariate associations, we performed Chi-square and multinomial logistic regression. Results: Among PLHIV receiving ART, 4.4% were at stage 4, and 30.7% at stage 3. Those at the less severe stages 2 and 1 constituted 22.9% and 41.9%. After controlling for covariates, patients with no TB were significantly more likely than those with TB (p\u3c = .05) to be at stage 1, rather than 3 or 4 (adjusted odds ratio or AOR, 5.73; confidence interval or CI, 4.98–6.59). Other characteristics significantly associated with higher odds of being at stage 1 included being female (AOR, 1.35; CI, 1.29–1.42), and shorter duration on ART (vs. \u3e 40.37 months); for ART duration less than 3.23 months the AOR was 2.47, for 3.23–14.52 months duration the AOR was 2.60, and for 14.53–40.37 months duration the AOR was 1.77 (quartile cut points used). Compared to patients in urban health zones, those in rural (AOR, 0.32) and semi-rural health zones (AOR, 0.79) were less likely to be at stage 1. Conclusion: Significant and substantial variation in HIV clinical progression stage by geographic location and demographic characteristics existed, indicative of the need for targeted efforts to improve the effectiveness of HIV care. Patients with TB coinfection compared to those without coinfection had a much greater risk of being at stage 3 or 4, implying a need for customized approaches and clinical regimens for this high-risk population

Practising in a post-truth world: Pandemic ethics can inform patient autonomy and clinical communication

The COVID-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge to modern bioethical frameworks in the clinical setting. Now, as the pandemic stabilises and we learn to ‘live with COVID’, the medical community has a duty to evaluate its response to the challenge, and reassess our ethical reasoning, considering how we practise in the future. This article considers a number of clinical and bioethical challenges encountered by the author team and colleagues during the most severe waves of the pandemic. We argue that the changed clinical context may require reframing our ethical thought in such a manner as to adequately accommodate all parties in the clinical interaction. We argue that clinicians have become relatively disempowered by the ‘infodemic’, and do not necessarily have adequate skills or training to assess the scientific literature being published at an unprecedented rate. Conversely, we acknowledge that patients and families are more empowered by the infodemic, and bring this empowerment to bear on the clinical consultation. Sometimes these interactions can be unpleasant and threatening, and involve inviting clinicians to practise against best evidence or even illegally. Generally, these requests are framed within ‘patient autonomy’ (which some patients or families perceive to be unlimited), and several factors may prevent clinicians from adequately navigating these requests. In this article, we conclude that embracing a framework of shared decision-making (SDM), which openly acknowledges clinical expertise and in which patient and family autonomy is carefully balanced against other bioethics principles, could serve us well going forward. One such principle is the recognition of clinician expertise as holding weight in the clinical encounter, when framed in terms of non-maleficence and beneficence. Such a framework incorporates much of our learning and experience from advising and treating patients during the pandemic

A monument to the player: Preserving a landscape of socio-cultural capital in the transitional MMORPG

This is the pre-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the links below - Copyright @ 2012 Taylor & Francis LtdMassively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) produce dynamic socio-ludic worlds that nurture both culture and gameplay to shape experiences. Despite the persistent nature of these games, however, the virtual spaces that anchor these worlds may not always be able to exist in perpetuity. Encouraging a community to migrate from one space to another is a challenge now facing some game developers. This paper examines the case of Guild Wars® and its “Hall of Monuments”, a feature that bridges the accomplishments of players from the current game to the forthcoming sequel. Two factor analyses describe the perspectives of 105 and 187 self-selected participants. The results reveal four factors affecting attitudes towards the feature, but they do not strongly correlate with existing motivational frameworks, and significant differences were found between different cultures within the game. This informs a discussion about the implications and facilitation of such transitions, investigating themes of capital, value perception and assumptive worlds. It is concluded that the way subcultures produce meaning needs to be considered when attempting to preserve the socio-cultural landscape

Texas LoanSTAR Monitoring and Analysis Program Draft Plan

Major objectives of the LoanSTAR Monitoring and Analysis Program (MAP) are to: verify energy and dollar savings of energy conservation retrofits in state, school and local government buildings; reduce energy costs by identifying operational and maintenance improvements at facilities receiving retrofits; improve retrofit selection in future rounds of the LoanSTAR Program; and provide a detailed data base of energy use in commercial/institutional buildings located in Texas