Blacksmith Fork - Little Bear Watershed Alternative Futures Study

The following project was carried out in conjunction with the Logan River Task Force, under the chairmanship of Dr. Frank Howe. The Logan River Task Force was formed to develop an overall approach for managing the Logan River that balances ecology with people\u27s social values for the river including public safety and property protection. Although the work of the Task Force has focused primarily on the Logan river, the Bioregional Planning graduate students have provided the Task Force with contextual information about the watershed, by exploring alternative futures for the Blacksmith Fork and Little Bear watersheds. This work expands on a previous bioregional planning study of the Logan, Blacksmith Fork and Little Bear watersheds that was carried out by bioregional planning students, Aubrey Christensen and Lyndi Perry in 2014-15. This report represents work that graduate students accomplished during two semesters (Fall 2015- Spring 2016) of the Master of Bioregional Planning (MsBRP) program at Utah State University. During the Fall semester, the MsBRP students collaborated with graduate students in the Landscape Architecture program to develop scenarios that addressed future growth in a portion of the study area, southern Cache Valley. Together they prepare and participate in a Geodesign workshop with community members, experts, faculty at USU. (For an overview of the workshop see the report: South Cache Valley Project- Planning with Geodesign, 2015.) The results of the workshop informed the landscape analysis, and ultimately the alternative futures that were developed for the Blacksmith Fork and Little Bear watersheds.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/laep_bioregional/1000/thumbnail.jp

Monitoring and Alert System for the Mabee Organic Waste Solution Final Project Repory

Mabee Dining Hall at Trinity University has tasked the Mabee Organic Waste Solution team with the design and implementation of an in-vessel monitoring and alert device to monitor and report on the status of compost. This device is intended to provide running updates on important parameters - temperature, relative humidity, and oxygen concentration - in order to ensure production of successful, aerobic compost. If action must be taken by Mabee employees as a result of the values of these parameters falling out of an acceptable range, our device is capable of alerting the user and providing instruction to keep the compost viable. The project requirements state that our device must be able to monitor up to 100 pounds of food waste while mitigating additional labor and unnecessary contact with the compost. It must be durable and reliable enough to withstand a full composting cycle, and intuitive enough that a user with minimal knowledge of compost care will be able to follow the given instructions with the help of a training manual provided by the team. Design constraints include the given $1200 budget, portability, ease of use, and the versatility to be implemented in any in-vessel composting unit supplied with ~100 lbs. of food waste daily. The design constraints are detailed in Sections 3.1-3.4. The full design requirements can be found in Sections 3.5-3.9. Our final design consists of three main subsystems: the sensor capsule, which rests inside the compost to house and protect the sensor, the communications system which interprets sensor readings and transmits instructions via Bluetooth to the interface, and the interface which displays any necessary corrective actions that must be taken. Our team was able to complete preliminary testing to ensure that each subsystem is functional within the constraints of our project. In the future, we recommend fully testing the system by placing it within a compost vessel for a complete compost cycle. Additionally, as conditions across the compost are generally not homogenous, use of multiple sensor capsules throughout the vessel to provide a more comprehensive observation of the state of the compost may be beneficial. The central microcontroller of the partially working prototype failed to display the data from its peripheral counterpart, but the devices were still able to communicate with each other and send the sensor data. Due to a short in the wiring, the working prototype’s sensors were damaged and the microcontroller in the peripheral likely to be replaced. We are mostly confident that our current prototype meets the power requirements to last a full composting cycle with our chosen battery. The corrective actions written by our team to be prescribed by measurements of the compost conditions have demonstrably improved the state of the compost in our test environment. At the time of the presentation we intend to have resolved the hardware issues with the interface subsystem, and have a fully functional working prototype ready for delivery to our sponsor

Water Level Observations in Mangrove Swamps During Two Hurricanes in Florida

Little is known about the effectiveness of mangroves in suppressing water level heights during landfall of tropical storms and hurricanes. Recent hurricane strikes along the Gulf Coast of the United States have impacted wetland integrity in some areas and hastened the need to understand how and to what degree coastal forested wetlands confer protection by reducing the height of peak water level. In recent years, U.S. Geological Survey Gulf Coast research projects in Florida have instrumented mangrove sites with continuous water level recorders. Our ad hoc network of water level recorders documented the rise, peak, and fall of water levels (6 0.5 hr) from two hurricane events in 2004 and 2005. Reduction of peak water level heights from relatively in-line gages associated with one storm surge event indicated that mangrove wetlands can reduce water level height by as much as 9.4 cm/km inland over intact, relatively unchannelized expanses. During the other event, reductions were slightly less for mangroves along a river corridor. Estimates of water level attenuation were within the range reported in the literature but erred on the conservative side. These synoptic data from single storm events indicate that intact mangroves may support a protective role in reducing maximum water level height associated with surge

Predicting participation in group parenting education in an Australian sample: The role of attitudes, norms, and control factors

We examined the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in predicting intentions to participate in group parenting education. One hundred and seventy-six parents (138 mothers and 38 fathers) with a child under 12 years completed TPB items assessing attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and two additional social influence variables (self-identity and group norm). Regression analyses supported the TPB predictors of participation intentions with self-identity and group norm also significantly predicting intentions. These findings offer preliminary support for the TPB, along with additional sources of social influence, as a useful predictive model of participation in parenting education

Predicting the consumption of foods low in saturated fats among people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease: the role of planning in the theory of planned behaviour

The present study tested the utility of an extended version of the theory of planned behaviour that included a measure of planning, in the prediction of eating foods low in saturated fats among adults diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease Participants (N = 184) completed questionnaires assessing standard theory of planned behaviour measures (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control) and the additional volitional variable of planning in relation to eating foods low in saturated fats Self-report consumption of foods low insaturated fats was assessed 1 month later In partial support of the theory of planned behaviour, results indicated that attitude and subjective norm predicted intentions to eat foods low in saturated fats and intentions and perceived behavioural control predicted the consumption of foods low in saturated fats As an additional variable, planning predicted the consumption of foods low in saturated fats directly and also mediated the intention-behaviour and perceived behavioural control-behaviour relationships, suggesting an important role for planning as a post-intentional construct determining healthy eating choices. Suggestions are offered for interventions designed to improve adherence to healthy eating recommendations for people diagnosed with these chronic conditions with a specific emphasis on the steps and activities that are required to promote a healthier lifestyle. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

Factors influencing the use of public dental services: An application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Background There is limited evidence of the influence of psychosocial factors and health beliefs on public dental patient's patterns of service use in Australia. The research aims were to examine associations between dental attitudes and beliefs of public dental service users and dental visiting intention and behaviour using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Methods 517 randomly selected adult public dental patients completed a questionnaire assessing dental attitudes and beliefs which was matched with electronic records for past and future dental service use. A questionnaire measured intentions, attitudes, subjective norms and perceptions of behavioural control and self-efficacy in relation to visiting public dentists. A measure of dental attendance at public dental clinics was obtained retrospectively (over 3 1/2 years) and prospectively (over a one year period following the return of the questionnaire) by accessing electronic patient clinical records. Results Participants had positive attitudes, subjective norms and self-efficacy beliefs towards dental visiting but perceived a lack of control over visiting the dentist. Attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy and perceived control were significant predictors of intention (P < 0.05). Intentions, self-efficacy and past dental attendance were significant predictors of actual dental attendance (P < 0.05). Conclusion Public dental patients held favourable attitudes and beliefs but perceived a lack of control towards dental visiting. Reducing structural barriers may therefore improve access to public dental services.Liana Luzzi and A John Spence

General and Specific Self-efficacy Reports of Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: Are They Related to Performances in a Functional Capacity Evaluation?

Introduction The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship of general and specific self-efficacy (SE) beliefs with functional capacity evaluation (FCE) performances in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (CLBP), while controlling for influence of gender, age, and self-reported pain intensity, self-esteem, disability, psychosocial distress and health status. Methods Included were 92 patients with CLBP referred to an outpatient university based multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program in The Netherlands. All patients underwent an FCE. General SE was measured with the ALCOS questionnaire prior to the FCE, specific SE was measured with a self-constructed standardized question during the FCE. Paired samples t-tests were used to tests differences between predicted and actual performances. Pearson and Spearman rank correlation coefficients were used to express the strength of the relationships between SE and performances. Multivariate analyses were used to test the influence of control variables on the relationships between SE (general or specific) and performances. Results Performances were consistently higher than patients’ self-predictions. Differences between predictions and performances were significant in male lifting low, male carrying, and female carrying. With exception of the association between specific SE and lifting in males (r = 0.55, P < 0.05), all other correlations between general and specific SE and FCE performances were non-significant. Multivariable regression analyses showed that the relative contribution of SE measures over gender was little or none. Conclusions The contribution of specific SE to the prediction of FCE performances is moderate in one instance, and insignificant in most instances (both specific and general SE). Because of the consistency of the differences between prediction (specific SE) and performances, and depending on the level of accuracy needed, future research may deliberate the use of predicted material handling capacities at group level and correct for a systematic underprediction

Physician reported perception in the treatment of high blood pressure does not correspond to practice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High blood pressure is a significant health problem world-wide. Physician factors play a significant role in the suboptimal control of hypertension in the United States. We sought to better understand primary care physician's opinions regarding use of hypertension guidelines, patient and physician related barriers to treatment and physician treatment decision making in the management of hypertension as part of a first step in developing research tools and interventions designed to address these issues.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An IRB approved survey pertaining to physician opinion regarding the treatment of hypertension. Items consisted of questions regarding: 1) knowledge of hypertension treatment guidelines; 2) barriers to hypertension control (physician vs. patient); and 3) self-estimation of physician treatment of hypertension. Descriptive Statistics were used to describe results.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All physicians were board certified in family or general internal medicine (n = 28). Practices were located in urban (n = 12), suburban (n = 14) and inner city locations (n = 1). All physicians felt they did a good job of treating hypertension. Most physicians felt the biggest barrier to hypertension control was patient non-compliance. Half of physicians would fail to intensify treatment for hypertension when blood pressure was above recommended levels for all disease states studied (essential hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and renal disease).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Physician ability to assess personal performance in the treatment of hypertension and physician opinion that patient noncompliance is the greatest barrier to optimal hypertension control is contradictory to reported practice behavior. Optimal blood pressure control requires increased physician understanding on the evaluation and management of blood pressure. These data provide crucial formative data to enhance the content validity of physician education efforts currently underway to improve the treatment of blood pressure in the primary care setting.</p

Action-specific Cognitions of Planned and Preparatory Behaviors of Condom Use among Dutch Adolescents

Many adolescents fail to use condoms, even when they are motivated to do so. An important reason for their failure to use condoms is that they do not prepare themselves for potential sexual encounters. The present study examined the circumstances under which Dutch adolescents were likely to prepare themselves for condom use (buying and carrying). In a sample of 399 secondary school students, including students with and without sexual experience, it was found that intended condom use was not sufficient to ensure that adolescents plan and prepare for condom use. It was found that having the goal of condom use did not necessarily result in preparatory behavior, such as condom buying and condom carrying. The data showed that action-specific social-cognitive factors of preparatory behavior explained preparatory behavior, beyond the decision to use condoms. This suggests that interventions aimed at promoting condom use should focus not only on condom use itself, but should also motivate and encourage adolescents to buy and carry condoms