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Heating Methods to Advance Primocane Emergence and Yields in Red Raspberries
No full textRaspberries are an important high value crop for local markets in Utah and throughout the Intermountain West. However, Utah’s harsh winter and short growing seasons present challenging growing conditions. New primocane-bearing cultivars are becoming available, but many of these produce fruit later than what is needed for local markets. Protected cultivation offers the opportunity to give more consistent production under Utah’s difficult growing conditions for berry crops. Protected cultivation methods include high tunnels, low tunnels and row covers. In addition to protecting against damaging temperatures, protected cultivation also advances crop growth through warming the soil and plants. Combinations of heating methods, including tunnels and direct soil heating were tested on primocane fruiting raspberries and blackberries both in research farm high tunnels and on commercial farms. The effectiveness of these treatments was evaluated based on cane emergence and growth, timing and size of crop, and fruit quality. Results from these experiments showed high tunnels and low tunnels advanced primocane emergence and harvest season compared to open field conditions. Although direct soil heating further advanced primocane emergence, it did not significantly advance fruiting season. Controlled-environment studies showed that cane emergence and growth of ‘Polka’ raspberries occurred between 11 °C to 20 °C. A comparison of seven primocane-fruiting raspberry cultivars indicated that ‘Polka’ and ‘BP-1’ were best adapted to a high tunnel environment in Northern Utah. This work shows that protected cultivation may be suitable for improved reliability of raspberries in Utah, provides guidelines on cultivars to use, and indicates the limits of how much the fruiting season can be advanced
Decision support to meet objectives for water and fisheries management in large river and estuarine systems
No full textUmschreiben: A Lesson Plan for Introducing Circumlocution Skills in a German Classroom
No full textObjectives: Introduce ways to handle communication breakdown Create authentic representations of our personalities: this is something we often do in our first language when we forget a word Increase social competence and increase willingness to communicate (will and skill, p. 82
Idioms are Indeed the Yellow of the Egg: A Lesson Plan for Introducing German Idioms
No full textObjectives: Introduce the linguistics of idioms. Assist students in identifying the appropriate situation to use a given idiom, contributing to students’ social linguistic and social competence (Parks, p. 82). Assist students in crossing the threshold of being an observer of the language and associated cultures, into being a participant. They will be able to “press their thumbs” for luck and understand more than just train station
Lace Network Firmware: A Polarfire FPGA Network for Data Routing and Command Interfacing in Space Applications
No full textModern small spacecraft rely on powerful yet efficient onboard compute devices to process data from sensors in real-time due to tight power and volume constraints. This work explores a new compute device system built from PolarFire Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), which are power-efficient, reprogrammable chips well-suited for space applications. The system connects via a central controller FPGA with one or multiple companion processing FPGAs, allowing sensor data to be quickly received and shared across the network. Standardized data formats and interfaces increase compatibility with spacecraft computers. By simplifying data handling and using high-speed communication links, this architecture makes it easier to integrate advanced algorithms, such as machine learning, directly onboard spacecraft. This approach supports faster, more efficient decision-making in space and reduces reliance on ground-based processing, which is especially valuable for missions with limited communication bandwidth or time-sensitive operations
We Need Deep Theories of Virtues: Four Principles for Advancing Research on Virtues in Positive Social Science
No full textThis article aims to help Positive Social Science (PSS) researchers develop theories of virtues, whether of single, discrete virtues, or several virtues considered together. We argue that a weak virtue theory assumes a virtue consists of single constructs, whereas a deep virtue theory assumes a virtue is an integrated system of constructs. We briefly review indicators of weak theory in the PSS literature: definitional divergence, valence confusion, and conceptual incommensurability. Drawing from the field of Virtue Ethics, we suggest four essential attributes of a virtue that should guide the development of deep virtue theory. Any virtue is (1) holistic, in that it integrates all aspects of character, including cognition, affect, and behavior; (2) a human good, in that it is an intrinsic aspect of individual well-being and a flourishing community; (3) situationally expressed, such that prudence regulates its enactment across various situations; and (4) characteristic, in that it is a second-nature trait rather than a state. We suggest four principles that account for these attributes. Scholars might use these principles to build deep virtue theory and evaluate existing, empirically based PSS virtue theories. We propose that PSS scholars will create more robust theories, develop more defensible and meaningful measures, and generate more compelling accounts of specific virtues if they draw on these principles
Agricultural Producer and Food Maker Food Processing Operation Needs Assessment Overview
No full textIn 2024, Utah State University conducted a study of Utah\u27s farmers, ranchers, and food makers related to value-added food production and processing. This fact sheet provides an overview of the survey results related to respondents, their operations, products, and marketing outlets. It also discusses respondents’ familiarity with key regulatory and resource organizations, the types of products and business resources they find difficult to obtain or access, and the primary obstacles to their processing operations. These results can be used by Extension faculty, policymakers, agricultural organizations, and local economic development agencies to guide targeted support for Utah’s farmers, ranchers, and food makers, including shaping new training programs, funding opportunities, and infrastructure investments. Educators and resource providers can also use study findings to design more effective outreach materials and regulatory guidance. Overall, the study offers a foundation for coordinated efforts to strengthen Utah’s value-added food sector and enhance the long-term sustainability and profitability of local agricultural operations
Coaching undergraduates, a conceptual and practical guide
No full textAccess the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.
The overall aim of this paper is to provide a holistic orientation to the practice of person-centered coaching while providing tangible methods that faculty and advisors in higher education may be able to integrate into their professional practices. This conceptual paper explores the theoretical and practical intersections of coaching and teaching, presenting a flexible modality to support student-centered learning. The author provides readers with general guidance and templates for goal setting, problem solving, and assessment that practitioners may adapt to their own contexts
Aspen Impedes Wildfire Spread in Southwestern United States Landscapes
No full textAspen (Populus tremuloides) forests are generally thought to impede fire spread, yet the extent of this effect is not well quantified in relation to other vegetation types. We examined the influence of aspen cover on interpolated daily fire spread rates, the relative abundance of aspen at fire perimeters versus burn interiors, and whether these relationships shifted under more fire-conducive atmospheric conditions. Our study incorporated 314 fires occurring between 2001 and 2020 in the southwestern United States and a suite of gridded vegetation, topography, and fire weather predictor variables. We found that aspen slows fire progression: as aspen cover on the landscape increased, daily area burned and linear spread rate decreased. Where aspen cover was \u3c 10%, daily fire growth averaged 1112 ha/day and maximum linear spread was 2.1 km/day; where aspen exceeded 25%, these values dropped to 368 ha/day and 1.3 km/day. Aspen also serves as a barrier to fire spread, demonstrated through a higher proportion of aspen cover at fire perimeters than in burn interiors. Finally, though favorable fire weather conditions increased fire growth rates, differences between aspens and conifers persisted. Our results affirm that aspen stands can act as a firebreak, with clear applications for vegetation management. For example, interventions that shift conifer to aspen cover could lessen the risk of fire for nearby values at risk (e.g., communities, infrastructure) but still support forest ecosystem function. Further, wildfire-driven conversion from conifer to aspen forest types in some landscapes may produce a negative feedback that could dampen expected increases in fire activity under a warmer and drier climate
Ground-Based Evaluation of the Utah Reusable Root Module: Summary of Three Crop Cycles With Mizuna, Tomato, And Lettuce
No full textThe Utah Reusable Root Module (URRM) is a zero-discharge plant-growth system designed for microgravity. We evaluated its performance across four consecutive ground-based crop cycles with mizuna (Brassica rapa var. nipposinica), dwarf ‘Rejina Red’ tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), and ‘Outredgeous’ lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Five root modules (RMs) used distinct top-cover/containment designs with peatmoss medium. Growth conditions were 23–28 °C, 16/8 h photoperiod, PPFD ≈ 800 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹, RH ~ 50– 60%, and air velocity ~ 0.8 m s⁻¹. Redundant moisture sensing (upper CS650, lower TEROS ONE) enabled accurate water-use accounting; slopes between sensor-derived water use and pump-based input were ≈1 ± 0.10, indicating consistent monitoring. Across crops, total water use and WUE (dry mass per liter) were: Mizuna (17-day cycle: 38 L; 2.1 g L⁻¹) and Mizuna (22-day cycle: 35 L; 1.9 g L⁻¹), tomato (104-day cycle: 168 L; 2.2 g L⁻¹), and lettuce (28-day cycle:30 L; 2.4 g L⁻¹). Vinyl covers reduced water use by 11–38% relative to permeable designs while maintaining equal or higher WUE. Overall, the system demonstrated reliable multi-crop operation with rapid harvest-and-replant cycles, identified peak ET (≤3 L d⁻¹) as a key operational constraint for condensation-recovery capacity, and showed that low-permeability covers improve water-use efficiency without apparent trade-offs