Fifth Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey

The Fifth Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey was conducted December 5-13, 2019, and surveyed 1,000 adults over the age of 18 who currently live in Idaho. The sample is designed to be representative of the population of the state both geographically and demographically. This was a mixed-mode survey which contacted respondents on land line phones (33%), cell phones (33%), online (30%), and via text message (5%). The goal of using multiple means to contact respondents is to increase our coverage of the population to people who may not respond to traditional phone surveys. This survey focused on important issues facing Idaho including growth, education, taxes, and the environment. The survey has a simple random sampling margin of error of +/- 3.1% and was conducted by GS Strategies Group

Folklore Collections Database Users' Manual

The users' manual for the Folklore Collections Database developed by the American Folklore Society as one outcome of the National Folklore Archives Initiative, an effort to document and provide access to archival collections held by folklore programs at academic institutions, community-based cultural and ethnic organizations, non-profit organizations, and state government-based arts and cultural agencies in the United States. The NFAI project was funded by a 2011-2013 grant from the Humanities Collections and Reference Resources Program of the Division of Preservation and Access of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Folklore Collections Database is hosted and maintained by the Indiana University Bloomington Library at www.folklorecollections.org.National Endowment for the Humanitie

Sensory motor systems of artificial and natural hands

The surgeon Ambroise Paré designed an anthropomorphic hand for wounded soldiers in the 16th century. Since that time, there have been advances in technology through the use of computer-aided design, modern materials, electronic controllers and sensors to realise artificial hands which have good functionality and reliability. Data from touch, object slip, finger position and temperature sensors, mounted in the fingers and on the palm, can be used in feedback loops to automatically hold objects. A study of the natural neuromuscular systems reveals a complexity which can only in part be realised today with technology. Highlights of the parallels and differences between natural and artificial hands are discussed with reference to the Southampton Hand. The anatomical structure of parts of the natural systems can be made artificially such as the antagonist muscles using tendons. Theses solutions look promising as they are based on the natural form but in practice lack the desired physical specification. However, concepts of the lower spinal loops can be mimicked in principle. Some future devices will require greater skills from the surgeon to create the interface between the natural system and an artificial device. Such developments may offer a more natural control with ease of use for the limb deficient person

Baseline assessment of coastal water quality, in Vanuatu, South Pacific: insights gained from in-situ sampling

Nearshore deterioration of water quality in Pacific coastal waters is a growing problem, associated with increasing urban and industrial sewage discharges, and agricultural runoff. Published water quality studies in the Pacific region are limited in both number and scope, making it difficult to resolve the extent of the issue or quantify the variability of water quality across Pacific islands and countries. This study collected water quality measurements over three years in the coastal waters around the Island of Efate (Vanuatu) with majority of work carried out in Port Vila, its capital. Port Vila is the key urban centre for Vanuatu where the increasing population and pollution inputs are placing substantial pressure on the coastal environment. Highest concentrations of dissolved nutrients and suspended sediments were measured adjacent or near the urban drains that enter the coastal areas along the capital's seafront, highlighting many of the issues around anthropogenic inputs are linked to the increasing urbanisation in Port Vila Bay. We provide baseline data that explores variability of coastal water quality and these types of datasets for Pacific islands are a first step towards facilitating development of long-term monitoring programmes and informing coastal zone management decision making

Understanding and Gathering Decision-Making Challenges in EU Agri-Food Systems with Uncertain Regulations. A MCDM-AHP analysis

The development of the Agri-Food sector in both the UK and EU is a government priority, especially in building more resilient and sustainable Agri-Food Supply Chains, which are also subject to a variety of local and global regulations, determined the Common Agricultural Policy or the World Trade Organisation. Understanding Agri-Food Supply Chains requires a detailed understanding of upstream and downstream relationships amongst suppliers and customers. However, considering the current regulation changes in EU, UK/EU Agri-Food decision-makers, are facing several market challenges, especially in adapting to the externalities they cannot control (technological innovation, new nutritional market demands, economy, political markets, food security and climate change). Based on the N8 SIMULAGRIT project, this research aims at identifying factors, both opportunities, and constraints, that currently influence Agri-Food Supply Chains performance once uncertainties in regulations are identified. Thus, and based on case studies from the UK, Spain, Italy, ​and Chile, a compressive AHP study of alternatives Agri-Food strategies to deal with such uncertainties has been carried out. From this, it is depicted that key criteria are in the context of Finance, Supply Chain and Logistics, Human Resources and National/International trade. Thus, the research work has helped to identify and evaluate a set of strategies which may be used to support further policy-making processes and scenarios

Evaluating the Plausible Range of N2O Biosignatures on Exo-Earths: An Integrated Biogeochemical, Photochemical, and Spectral Modeling Approach

Nitrous oxide (N2O) -- a product of microbial nitrogen metabolism -- is a compelling exoplanet biosignature gas with distinctive spectral features in the near- and mid-infrared, and only minor abiotic sources on Earth. Previous investigations of N2O as a biosignature have examined scenarios using Earthlike N2O mixing ratios or surface fluxes, or those inferred from Earth's geologic record. However, biological fluxes of N2O could be substantially higher, due to a lack of metal catalysts or if the last step of the denitrification metabolism that yields N2 from N2O had never evolved. Here, we use a global biogeochemical model coupled with photochemical and spectral models to systematically quantify the limits of plausible N2O abundances and spectral detectability for Earth analogs orbiting main-sequence (FGKM) stars. We examine N2O buildup over a range of oxygen conditions (1%-100% present atmospheric level) and N2O fluxes (0.01-100 teramole per year; Tmol = 10^12 mole) that are compatible with Earth's history. We find that N2O fluxes of 10 [100] Tmol yr$^{-1}$ would lead to maximum N2O abundances of ~5 [50] ppm for Earth-Sun analogs, 90 [1600] ppm for Earths around late K dwarfs, and 30 [300] ppm for an Earthlike TRAPPIST-1e. We simulate emission and transmission spectra for intermediate and maximum N2O concentrations that are relevant to current and future space-based telescopes. We calculate the detectability of N2O spectral features for high-flux scenarios for TRAPPIST-1e with JWST. We review potential false positives, including chemodenitrification and abiotic production via stellar activity, and identify key spectral and contextual discriminants to confirm or refute the biogenicity of the observed N2O.Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures; ApJ, 937, 10

‘People don't get cancer, families do’: Co-development of a social physical activity intervention for people recently affected by a cancer diagnosis

Objective: This research took a co-design approach to develop a social intervention to support people affected by a cancer diagnosis to be physically active. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with five key stakeholder groups: (1) adults with a recent breast or prostate cancer diagnosis; (2) family and friends of cancer patients; (3) healthcare professionals; (4) physical activity providers; and (5) cancer charity representatives. Inductive content analysis was used to identify themes in the data. We then worked with a subset of participants to co-develop the intervention. Results: Participants welcomed the idea of a social approach to a physical activity intervention. Input was received on the timing and format of delivery, how to communicate about physical activity to cancer patients and their family and friends and the types of physical activity that would be appropriate. Our findings suggest that interventions need to be flexible in terms of timing and delivery and offer a wide range of physical activity options. These findings directly informed the co-development of ‘All Together Active’. Conclusion: All Together Active is designed to support cancer patients and their family and friends to be active throughout treatment and beyond, benefiting their physical and mental health