Economics of Sourcing Cellulosic Feedstock for Energy Production

This study investigates the economics of supplying wheat straw and corn stover within 100 mile radius of a potential new biorefinery in southeast North Dakota. In particular, straw and stover total delivery costs, potential straw and stover supply sites and least cost transportation routes are identified using a linear programming transport model and a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping system. We show that USDA/NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) future crop residue removal rate policies will be important for determining whether it is economically viable to harvest crop residues as potential feedstock for energy generation. Increase in residue removal rates narrow the size of residue supply areas and consequently result in lowering total transportation costs. There is an economic tradeoff between residue collection density and distance from the biorefinery. Most wheat residues are highly concentrated in the north, some distance from the biorefinery. Relying solely on wheat straw for supply needs require longer transportation distances which increases total cost. Using a combination of wheat and corn residues lowers total transportation costs. Since most wheat/corn residues are densely concentrated in north/south, regional highways would likely be the routes used often to transport the residues, as compared to interstate highways. Increased traffic volumes due to the hauling of crop residues would require additional investment in improving road conditions.Wheat Straw, Corn Stover, Density, Transportation Cost, GIS, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Crop Production/Industries,

No-Till: North Dakota Research Emphasis

Introduction of no-till into North Dakota soil management systems has raised many questions relative to performance under present cropping or climatic conditions. A number of long term cooperative research projects were established in 1977 to answer these questions and set some guidelines for no-till production systems. The areas of research emphasis at various experiment stations are discussed along with preliminary results on one year's data

Casino Self-Exclusion Programmes: A Review of the Issues

Permission to archive accepted author manuscriptCasino self-exclusion is a procedure by which individuals can have themselves banned from entering a casino. One of the purposes of this paper is to present information about the availability and features of these programmes. A second purpose is to make recommendations about how to best operate them based on cross-jurisdictional analysis and lessons from the addiction literature. The first section of the paper describes the typical casino self-exclusion programme, outlining the features common to most policies. The second section provides a detailed overview of the programmes operating in Canada in order to give the reader an appreciation of the procedural variations that exist. The third section discusses the effectiveness of self-exclusion programmes. Finally, the fourth section contains recommendations on ways to improve effectiveness. When properly implemented, self-exclusion can be a valuable tool in helping to curb problem gambling.Ye

Validity of adolescent self report of substance use

Sherpa Romeo green journal. Permission to archive accepted author manuscript.The validity of self-report of substance use was examined in 367 adolescents referred for a substance use assessment between 1996 and 2000. Referrals came from a wide variety of sources, including pediatricians, the courts, social services, as well as self-referred by their parents. Average age of the sample was 15, 52% were male, and 82% were Caucasian. Adolescents were first asked about the details of their substance use by a clinician using a structured interview with established reliability and validity (Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Diagnosis). They were subsequently asked to provide a urine sample, a requirement they were unaware of when being interviewed about their substance use. If the urine sample was deemed valid by the laboratory technician it was analyzed by means of fluorescence polarization immunoassay and paper chromatography. If positive screens were obtained for any substance, the sample was subjected to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for confirmation and quantification. Biochemical test results were compared to self-report. Overall, 28% (96/338) of the self-reports were not corroborated by urinalysis. Twenty-six percent (56/219) of adolescents who reported nonuse of a substance had a positive urinalysis. More surprisingly, 34% (40/119) of adolescents reporting substance use in the urinalysis detection window had a negative urinalysis. The present study found self-report of substance use in adolescents to only have fair validity. It is recommended that biochemical corroboration be routinely used for this population.Ye

Impacting attitudes towards gambling: A prison gambling awareness and prevention program

Research indicates that approximately one third of prison inmates meet the criteria for problem or pathological gambling (Williams, Royston, & Hagen, 2005). However, despite this rate being among the highest of all gambling populations (Walters, 1997; Shaffer & Hall, 2001), there appears to be a lack of prison gambling awareness and prevention programs. This study sought to develop, implement, and evaluate one such program at the Lethbridge Correctional Facility in Alberta, Canada. Forty-nine inmates completed a six-session program over 18 months. Gambling screen results revealed a significant increase in cognitive error recognition, and attitudes towards gambling became significantly more negative. The program did not render any significant differences in math skill score, Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) score, or past-year South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) score. Changes in the past-year frequency score approached significance. This study suggests that programs of this kind can be effective for inmate populations, particularly in changing attitudes towards gambling.Alberta Gaming Research InstituteYe

Positive Outcomes in Cardiac Rehabilitation: The Little Program That Could

Permission to include article in the University of Lethbridge Institutional Repository granted by the Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nurses (CCCN).Cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRPs) are receiving increasing attention because they restore, maintain, or improve both physiologic and psychosocial client outcomes (Evenson, Rosamond & Luepker, 1998). However, less attention has been paid to the effect such programs may have on the health-related quality of life of participants. The objective of this study was to measure health-related quality of life outcomes before and after participation in a CRP. Participants were 64 clients entering one of five CRP groups at the Lethbridge Regional Hospital in southern Alberta. Participants completed the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) (Ware, 1997) both at the beginning and at the end of one 13-week CRP intervention. The SF-36 examines eight health concepts: physical functioning (PF), role-physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role-emotional (RE), and mental health (MH). Analysis showed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores for six of the eight categories. Larger effect sizes were found for PF (d=.746), RP (d=657), and VT (d=.593). Smaller effects were found for BP (d=.299j, SF (d=.337J, and RE (d=.271). The findings of this study highlight improved health-related quality of life outcomes for clients participating in comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation programs

Gambling and problem gambling in a sample of university students

University students from southern Alberta (n = 585) were administered a questionnaire to assess their gambling behaviour. Seventy-two percent reported gambling in the past 6 months, with the most common types being lotteries and instant win tickets (44%) and games of skill against other people (34%). Most students who gambled spent very little time and money doing so (median time spent = 1.5 hrs; median amount of money spent = $0). While gambling is an innocuous activity for most, a significant minority of students are heavy gamblers who experience adverse consequences from it. Seven and one-half percent of students were classified as problem or pathological gamblers, a rate significantly higher than in the general Alberta adult population. The characteristics that best differentiated problem gamblers from non-problem gamblers were more positive attitudes toward gambling, ethnicity (41% of Asian gamblers were problem gamblers), university major (kinesiology, education, management), superior ability to calculate gambling odds, and older age.Alberta Gaming Research InstituteYe