Interface design and field validation of the crop water use application

Applying irrigation based on crop demand avoids wasting irrigation water and energy and minimizes nutrient runoff into streams. Crops with adequate soil moisture produce leaf canopies early that shade competitive weeds, and plants that are more resistant to diseases due to a lack of stress. Irrigation scheduling, by estimation of daily crop evapotranspiration (ETc) using weather data from regional weather stations is a proven technology for improving water use efficiency. However, farmers have not widely adopted this technology in Missouri because too many manual calculations and time were required. The Crop Water Use app (CWU) is designed to be simple for farmers to use. In the app, reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is automatically multiplied by a crop coefficient that is specific to crop and respective growth stage. Currently, the app uses available water holding capacity (AWHC) based on soil texture as a component of the irrigation triggering recommendation. During the testing phase of the app development we observed sensitivity of rooting depth and soil texture selections chosen in the CWU. We initiated an experiment to determine the effects of lint yield of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) by delaying the first irrigation recommended in the CWU. We installed soil moisture sensors on well-watered and non-irrigated (rain-fed) treatments to help determine the effectiveness of the rooting depth selected in the CWU. Lastly, we compared an electronic atmometer (ETgage) to a Campbell Scientific weather station to see if increases in rainfall and humidity affected the operation of the ETgage

Changes in physical activity and screen time related to psychological well-being in early adolescence: findings from longitudinal study ELANA.

BackgroundPsychological well-being influences health behaviours differently in adolescent boys and girls. We evaluated the role of psychological well-being in early adolescence in the onset and persistence of insufficient physical activity and exceeding recommended screen time, depending on gender.MethodsThis work derives from a cohort study called Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Nutritional Assessment conducted among elementary school students from two public and four private schools in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 2010-2013. We analysed data from 2010 and 2012 from 526 adolescents. Physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Those who performed less than 60 min per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were classified as insufficiently active. Screen time was evaluated based on daily time spent in front of television, video games, and computers. Those who had 4 h or more screen time per day were classified as exceeding the recommended time. Psychological well-being was assessed using the psychological domain of the KIDSCREEN 27 questionnaire. Linear regression was used to estimate coefficient (β) and r (2) values for continuous variables. Relative risks (RR) and confidence intervals (95 % CI) for onset and persistence of insufficient activity and exceeding recommended screen time were estimated with Poisson regression models.ResultsAmong girls, linear regression analyses showed a significant inverse association between psychological well-being and screen minutes per day at T2 (r (2) = 0.049/β = -3.81 (95 % CI -7.0, -0.9)), as well as an association between poor psychological well-being and onset of exceeding recommended screen time in categorical analyses (RR crude: 1.3; CI 95 % 1.1, 1.7; RR adjusted: 1.3; CI 95 % 1.0, 1.6). For boys, an association was found between psychological well-being and onset of insufficient activity 2 years later (RR crude: 1.3; CI 95 % 1.2, 1.4; RR adjusted: 1.2; CI 95 % 1.1, 1.4).ConclusionAdolescence is crucial for the development of unhealthy behaviours related to psychological well-being status in the context of a middle-income country. Gender differences are important because poor psychological well-being seems to affect sedentary behaviour in girls more than in boys, and predicts insufficient activity among boys

Electromagnetic Simulation and Design of a Novel Waveguide RF Wien Filter for Electric Dipole Moment Measurements of Protons and Deuterons

The conventional Wien filter is a device with orthogonal static magnetic and electric fields, often used for velocity separation of charged particles. Here we describe the electromagnetic design calculations for a novel waveguide RF Wien filter that will be employed to solely manipulate the spins of protons or deuterons at frequencies of about 0.1 to 2 MHz at the COoler SYnchrotron COSY at J\"ulich. The device will be used in a future experiment that aims at measuring the proton and deuteron electric dipole moments, which are expected to be very small. Their determination, however, would have a huge impact on our understanding of the universe.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, 4 table

Measurement of the Spin-Dependence of the pbar-p Interaction at the AD-Ring

We propose to use an internal polarized hydrogen storage cell gas target in the AD ring to determine for the first time the two total spin-dependent pbar-p cross sections sigma_1 and sigma_2 at antiproton beam energies in the range from 50 to 450 MeV. The data obtained are of interest by themselves for the general theory of pbar-p interactions since they will provide a first experimental constraint of the spin-spin dependence of the nucleon-antinucleon potential in the energy range of interest. In addition, measurements of the polarization buildup of stored antiprotons are required to define the optimum parameters of a future, dedicated Antiproton Polarizer Ring (APR), intended to feed a double-polarized asymmetric pbar-p collider with polarized antiprotons. Such a machine has recently been proposed by the PAX collaboration for the new Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) at GSI in Darmstadt, Germany. The availability of an intense stored beam of polarized antiprotons will provide access to a wealth of single- and double-spin observables, thereby opening a new window on QCD spin physics.Comment: 51 pages, 23 figures, proposal submitted to the SPS committee of CER

Disease or function? What matters most for self-rated health in older people depends on age

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An Exploration of Trust in Community Leadership Contexts

This qualitative exploratory study of effective community engagement process examines community leader’s perceptions of their experiences and the role fostering and building trust plays in producing sustainable change in a Midwestern regional context. The purpose of this study was to explore how trust interacts with asset-based thinking and social learning experiences, including trauma-informed awareness, meaning-making, and empathy, to support community engagement efforts. The research team interviewed 26 individuals who were selected via purposive sampling. Study participants were active in their communities and practitioners in their respective professions. The study identified five overarching themes that emerged from participant interviews, including themes related to community leadership and engagement; community leaders fostering trust by extending trust; the influences of trauma, meaning-making, and empathy; and the use of social learning experiences to build trust and enhance shared vision; and innovative strategies to foster community engagement. Community leaders demonstrated numerous forms of caregiving behavior and cultivated an empathetic approach to humanity. Similar to Barnes & Schmitz (2016), we conclude that effective community engagement is a profoundly transformational process that incorporates a bottom-up approach instead of a top-down approach. Our community engagement model shows a continual cycle of learning through trauma-informed practice, meaning-making, and the cultivation of empathy. When community leaders apply this learning to asset-based approaches, social behavioral change can be facilitated within community contexts. Our research suggests that each community member can be empowered with a voice, a voice that builds trust, a voice that is strengthened through community engagement