Description: This paper discusses research on bike rack occupancy on the University of North Texas (UNT) campus. Abstract: The presence of bike parking facilities has been shown to play a role in improving bike ridership. People are more likely to commute by bike if there are secure and well-located bike racks available. Within the last 5 years, the University of North Texas has made a concerted effort to improve the availability of bike parking for cyclists to encourage cycling as a commute mode. However, the placement of racks around campus has been based on perceived needs rather than documented patterns. The goal of the author's project is to document the occupancy rate of bike racks across campus to identify areas that were underserved. The author also examined how rack installation practices affected the maximum capacity of the racks and occupancy rates. The author found that overall the campus had a sufficient number of racks. However, a few areas on campus were underserviced, while in other areas, the racks were not being utilized. These patterns of use were linked to the types of buildings the racks were associated with, as well as where racks were placed and installed. The findings will allow ...

Description: This presentation discusses dissolved lithium concentrations and the spatial distribution of suicide mortality rates in Texas counties, from 1980-1998. The results suggest that counties with lower dissolved lithium concentrations in their groundwater had significantly higher suicide mortality rates. Counties with higher populations of Whites had significantly higher suicide mortality rates, but counties with higher populations of Hispanics had significantly lower suicide mortality rates. Males had higher suicide mortality rates than females. Further research into the relationship between lithium concentrations and suicide is warranted.

Description: This paper discusses research on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in Texas in ages 25-49. Abstract: According to the CDC, 63% of all new HIV diagnoses and 69% of all new AIDS diagnoses in 2009 were among the 25-49 year age group. While previous studies have examined the relationship between HIV/AIDS and a variety of socio-economic variables, no work has been done looking at this specific age group that constitutes a majority of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the recent past. Specifically, the author examines the relationships between HIV/AIDS outcomes in Texas and unemployment, education, income, and race/ethnic groups using data aggregated at the county level. Significant correlations where found between HIV/AIDS and unemployment, education, and race/ethnic groups. No significant association was found between HIV/AIDS and income. For future public intervention efforts targeting ages 25-49, a combination of variables, including unemployment, education, and race/ethnicity should be taken into consideration, rather than using only information on income.

Description: This presentation discusses research on gastric cancers in Texas. The study shows that in Texas, the relationship between nitrates and gastric cancer may not be as significant a factor as reported elsewhere.

Description: This paper discusses research on the geography of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in Texas. Abstract: This study examines the spatial distribution of CVD mortality rates in Texas counties from 1999-2003. The human ecology model is used to see how CVD relates with selected variables, specifically how CVD mortality rates relate to aquifer water hardness using the Mann-Whitney U test and independent samples t-test. The results show that counties with higher water hardness levels have lower CVD mortality rates. Results for race/ethnicity suggest that African Americans are more vulnerable to the disease, whereas Hispanic American CVD mortality rates were much lower. For further research, it would be of paramount importance to closely examine the actual water consumed in Texas counties to probe more rigorously the relationship between aquifer water hardness and CVD mortality.