The total assessment profile, volume 2

Appendices are presented which include discussions of interest formulas, factors in regionalization, parametric modeling of discounted benefit-sacrifice streams, engineering economic calculations, and product innovation. For Volume 1, see

The total assessment profile, volume 1

A methodology is described for the evaluation of societal impacts associated with the implementation of a new technology. Theoretical foundations for the methodology, called the total assessment profile, are established from both the economic and social science perspectives. The procedure provides for accountability of nonquantifiable factors and measures through the use of a comparative value matrix by assessing the impacts of the technology on the value system of the society

Electronic structure, magnetic and dielectric properties of the edge-sharing copper-oxide chain compound NaCu2_{2}O2_{2}

We report an experimental study of \nco, a Mott insulator containing chains of edge-sharing CuO$_4$ plaquettes, by polarized x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), resonant magnetic x-ray scattering (RMXS), magnetic susceptibility, and pyroelectric current measurements. The XAS data show that the valence holes reside exclusively on the Cu$^{2+}$ sites within the copper-oxide spin chains and populate a $d$-orbital polarized within the CuO$_4$ plaquettes. The RMXS measurements confirm the presence of incommensurate magnetic order below a N\'eel temperature of $T_N = 11.5$ K, which was previously inferred from neutron powder diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance data. In conjunction with the magnetic susceptibility and XAS data, they also demonstrate a new "orbital" selection rule for RMXS that is of general relevance for magnetic structure determinations by this technique. Dielectric property measurements reveal the absence of significant ferroelectric polarization below $T_N$, which is in striking contrast to corresponding observations on the isostructural compound \lco. The results are discussed in the context of current theories of multiferroicity.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Differences in Physical Activity Participation between University Employees With and Without a Worksite Health Promotion Program

The purpose of this study was to assess differences in physical activity (PA) among university employees with and without a formal health promotion program. Three state university campuses without health promotion programs and four campuses with a program participated in this study. PA participation was assessed via survey to all campus employees. PA was compared for those with (n=426) and without a program (n=371). The results indicated that there was no significant difference (p>.05) in the amount of vigorous PA days per week between those with (M=1.87 ± 2.29) and without a program (M=1.6 ± 1.87).There was no significant difference (p>.05) in the amount of moderate PA days per week between those with (M= 2.18 ± 2.43) and without a program (M= 1.88 ± 2.03). There were significant differences (p<.05) for walking days per week, with the employees with a program having the highest number of days (M= 4.06 ± 3.57) compared to those without a program (M= 3.38 ± 2.28). Overall, findings indicate that presence of a health promotion program was only associated with more walking days per week. Therefore, programs must strive to increase moderate intensity PA participation, perhaps through more innovative means, in order to improve the health of their employees

Evaluating Students’ Perceived Stress, Sleep Quality, and Physical Activity in Exercise Is Medicine® On Campus Student-led Health Consultation Program

The American College of Sport Medicine created the Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) initiative to improve health through the promotion and prescription of physical activity. The EIM-On Campus (EIM-OC) initiative uses physical activity as a vital sign for promoting healthy behaviors among students and employees on a college campus. The EIM-OC initiative was launched at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) in Fall 2019. The purpose of this research project was to promote and evaluate college students’ health behaviors associated with the implementation of the EIM-OC initiative at CSUMB. We hypothesized significant improvements in perceived stress, sleep quality, and total physical activity time among participants. The research design was pre-post and tracked participants in the EIM-OC semester long consultation program. Fifteen CSUMB students participated in the consultation program. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Godin-Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) were administered online through an intake form before and after the consultation program. Dependent t-tests were performed to assess for pre- and post-differences in perceived stress (PS), sleep quality (SQ), and total physical activity (PA) time. Significance was set at = 0.05. Participant’s age was M=20.87, SD=3.34 years, with 60% being college junior status. There was a statistically significant improvement in students’ perceived stress levels (t=2.659, df=14, p=.019) pre (M=16.47, SD=5.630) and post (M=11.53, SD=6.424) intervention. There was also a statistically significant improvement in sleep quality (t=.3166, df=14, p=.007) pre (M=6.80, SD=2.981) and post (M=5.07, SD=2.963) intervention. There were improvements in total physical activity time, although it was not significant. The results of this research project indicate that peer advisor consultation programs can be effective in improving college-aged students’ perceived stress and sleep quality. These health behavior improvements are important contributors to college students’ lifelong health behavior habits, quality of life, and academic performance

Ground State of the Quasi-1D \bvs\ resolved by Resonant Magnetic X-ray Scattering

Resonant-magnetic x-ray scattering (RMXS) near the vanadium $L_{2,3}$-absorption edges has been used to investigate the low temperature magnetic structure of high quality \bvs\ single crystals. Below $T_N$ = 31 K, the strong resonance revealed a triple-incommensurate magnetic ordering at wave vector (0.226 0.226 $\xi$) in the hexagonal notation, with $\xi$ = 0.033. The simulations of the experimental RMXS spectra with a time-dependent density functional theory indicate an antiferromagnetic order with the spins polarized along $a$ in the monoclinic structure.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Effect of nitrification inhibitors on the growth and activity of Nitrosotalea devanaterra in culture and soil

Peer reviewedPublisher PD