Digital Commons Network^™

Rising Food Insecurity And Conservative Policy In The Us: Impact On The Elderly, Peter S. Arno, Kenneth Knapp, Stephan Russo, Deborah Viola

NYMC Faculty Publications

Food insecurity, a critical problem in the developing world, has recently received increased attention among wealthy nations. Food insecurity, broadly defined, is when a lack of resources prevents household members from having enough food. In the US, food insecurity has been rising while social safety net programs to ameliorate hunger among at-risk households have been targeted for cuts by conservatives. Our main objective was to assess the prevalence and impact of food insecurity among the elderly. In a survey of 500 older, homebound meal clients in New York City, we found that nearly one in five (17%) is food insecure, …

Designing Social Change: Inquiry-Based Practice & Teaching, Donald Tarallo

Art and Art History Faculty Publications

This paper shares an exploratory and inquiry-based graphic design project and the resultant pedagogic approach that offers arts and design educators ideas on teaching to instigate positive social change. The author summarizes a year-long fellowship project where he worked as a change agent in service to a partnership of six non-profit, after-school arts programs in Providence, Rhode Island who are organized as the Providence Youth Arts Collaborative (PYAC).

The intention of this project was two-fold. The primary effort was to investigate ways graphic design can be strategically used to seed interest and empower youth to make positive choices with how …

Freshwater Silica-Scaled Heterotrophic Protista: Heliozoa, Thaumatomonad Flagellates, Amoebae, And Bicosoecids, From The Lake Itasca Region, Minnesota, Daniel E. Wujek

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Forty-nine plankton samples were collected from the Lake Itasca Region, Minnesota over a period sporadically covering the summers of 1980, 1981 and 1987. A total of 22 freshwater heterotrophic siliceous-scaled species were observed: 18 heliozoa, two thaumatomonad flagellates, one bicosoecid, and one testate amoeba. Scale identifications were based on transmission electron microscopy. New records for North America include two heliozoans and one thaumatomonad flagellate. Five heliozoa taxa and one thaumatomonad flagellate are new records for the U.S. Wujek DE. Freshwater silica-scaled heterotrophic protista: heliozoa, thaumatomonad flagellates, amoebae, and bicosoecids, from the Lake Itasca Region, Minnesota.

Undergraduate Symposium Abstracts

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

And On Top Of All That… Coping With Ocean Acidification In The Midst Of Many Stressors, Denise L. Breitburg, John Salisbury, Joan M. Bernhard, Wei-Jun Cai, Sam Dupont, Scott C. Doney, Kristy J. Kroeker, Lisa A. Levin, W. Christopher Long, Lisa M. Milke, Seth H. Miller, Beth Phelan, Uta Passow, Brad A. Seibel, Anne E. Todgham, Ann M. Tarrant

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Oceanic and coastal waters are acidifying due to processes dominated in the open ocean by increasing atmospheric CO₂ and dominated in estuaries and some coastal waters by nutrient-fueled respiration. The patterns and severity of acidification, as well as its effects, are modified by the host of stressors related to human activities that also influence these habitats. Temperature, deoxygenation, and changes in food webs are particularly important co-stressors because they are pervasive, and both their causes and effects are often mechanistically linked to acidification. Development of a theoretical underpinning to multiple stressor research that considers physiological, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives …

2015 Ole Miss Baseball Guide, Ole Miss Athletics. Men's Baseball

Men's Baseball

No abstract provided.

Influences Of Resident Camp Experiences On Career Choice: A Case Study Of Female Alumnae, Barry A. Garst, Sarah Baughman, Anja Whittington, Ryan J. Gagnon

Research in Outdoor Education

Few studies have explored the long-term impacts of camp experiences on career choice, although there is a need to better understand how camp experiences may influence this decision to guide staff recruitment and retention efforts. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of camp experiences on future career paths for women. Twenty-two camp alumnae who attended an all-girls camp completed a retrospective online survey. Salient themes related to career impacts included human service career interest, outdoor career interest, leadership and interpersonal skill development, and social-emotional skill development. Considerations for future research include a national study of a …

The Use Of Biomarkers In Outdoor Education Research: Promises, Challenges, And The Development Of Evidence, Alan Ewert

Research in Outdoor Education

While widely used in research connected with outdoor education, self-report data can be subject to a number of issues related to validity and generalizability. This paper argues that biomarkers present another type of evidence that is equally or even more rigorous than self-report data. The paper describes several types of biomarkers that are commonly measured in other disciplines along with how data from those biomarkers are collected. Data from a recent study using two biomarkers commonly used for measuring stress is presented as an example of how the use of biomarkers can broaden the body of evidence being developed in …

Sex, Gender, And Culture: The Emergence Of Structural Violence While Seeking A Sexual Health Transformation In Uganda, Leah Pauline

MA IDS Thesis Projects

With the 2nd highest fertility rate in the world and the 5th highest population growth rate, Uganda’s ever increasing number of inhabitants is becoming a hindrance to the nation’s ability to develop socially and economically. Despite the push for increased family planning services and sexual health services by the international community and national government, translating words into effective action has been met with cultural beliefs and behaviors blocking the road to changing sex practices within Uganda. Through conversations with the employees of Musana Community Development Organization in Iganga, Uganda, this research explores the complexity of the barriers standing in the …

2015 Transformations Program, State University Of New York At Cortland

Transformations

Originally established as Scholars' Day in 1997, Transformations is a day-long conference devoted to showcasing the wide array of scholarship, research and creative activities occurring on campus. In 2012, a new emphasis on student research lead to a name change to Transformations: A Student Research and Creativity Conference. This event focuses on student research, which is defined as an original investigation or creative activity through the primary efforts of a student or group of students. The work should show problem-solving skills and demonstrate new conceptual outcomes.

Unpacking The Social And Economic Disparities Among Disabled Black Mothers, Dionna Cheatham

McNair Scholars Journal

No abstract provided.

A High Protein Diet (3.4 G/Kg/D) Combined With A Heavy Resistance Training Program Improves Body Composition In Healthy Trained Men And Women - A Follow-Up Investigation, Jose Antonio, Anya Ellerbroek, Tobin A. Silver, Steve Orris, Max Scheiner, Adriana Gonzalez, Corey Peacock

Department of Health and Human Performance Faculty Articles

Background

The consumption of a high protein diet (>4 g/kg/d) in trained men and women who did not alter their exercise program has been previously shown to have no significant effect on body composition. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to determine if a high protein diet in conjunction with a periodized heavy resistance training program would affect indices of body composition, performance and health.

Methods

Forty-eight healthy resistance-trained men and women completed this study (mean ± SD; Normal Protein group [NP n = 17, four female and 13 male]: 24.8 ± 6.9 yr; 174.0 ± 9.5 cm …

Strafford County 2014 Annual Report Of The Commissioners, Treasurer, Other County Officers And The Strafford County Delegation Strafford County, New Hampshire For The Year Ending December 31, 2014., Stafford County Representatives

Strafford County, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a county in the state of New Hampshire.

2015 Ole Miss Women's Tennis Record Book, Ole Miss Athletics. Women's Tennis

Women's Tennis

No abstract provided.

Arabidopsis Myosin Is Involved In The Distribution And Dynamic Behavior Of The Cellulose Synthase Complex, Chao Cai

Open Access Theses

Plant cells are encased in cell walls which are important for the growth and development of the organism. Primary cell wall consists mainly of polysaccharides with cellulose as the most abundant component. In plant cells, cellulose is synthesized by a plasma membrane (PM) localized protein complex called the cellulose synthase complex (CSC). It was previously reported that disrupting normal actin organization resulted in a reduction of cellulose content in Arabidopsis dark-grown seedlings. Furthermore, actin was found to facilitate the delivery of CSC into the PM, and inferred to be involved in endocytosis. As a motor protein that translocates cargo along …

Investigation Of An Affordable Multigrain Thresher For Smallholder Farmers In Sub-Saharan Africa, David D. Wilson

Open Access Theses

As the global population rises, food security is among the most important grand challenges of our time. While agriculture has significantly developed in parts of the world, other parts are severely underdeveloped, inhibiting agriculture productivity, which is a necessary component of the solution to the food security challenge. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), in particular, has seen little growth in productivity, something that has been correlated to its low agricultural mechanization. One barrier to mechanization in SSA, where the average farm size is less than 2 Ha, is the cost of farm equipment. This leaves many farmers with just basic tools to …

Academic Performance Among Homeless Students: Exploring Relationships Of Socio-Economic And Demographic Variables, Miriam Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines homeless student academic performance, types of temporary housing used among the homeless, degree of stability or instability for families with school-aged children, child needs for academic success, the importance of parental involvement in a child's academic growth, and other known factors in relations to child student academic performance, with a focus on grade level and racial differences. A multiple linear regression model is used to test the hypotheses while controlling confounding variables. Statistically significant relationships are reported between race and academic performance, and grade level and academic performance. Practical and policy implications are discussed, as well as …

Bacterial Expression Of Plant Pyruvate Kinase, Kristina Fuller

STAR Program Research Presentations

Pyruvate kinases serve an important role in regulating glycolysis pathways. Different pyruvate kinase isozymes can dictate which of several different products will be formed during the final step of glycolysis. Being able to reliably copy active pyruvate kinases (PK) would allow study of the different isozymes, with the goal of eventually creating plants that are more nutritionally beneficial for humans. This study focused on improving the protocol for replicating each of two isolated PK isozymes from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous attempts had resulted in the PK denaturing and consequently precipitating out of solution and so we manipulated the …

Killing Kindly: Applying Jens Timmermann's Kantian Ethics Of Animal Welfare To The Modern System Of Livestock Farming, Alexander Lowe

Richard T. Schellhase Essay Prize in Ethics

This essay seeks to contribute to this conversation in an ethically applicable way, addressing specifically the Kantian vein of animal welfare discussed by Dr. Jens Timmermann in his essay When the Tail Wags the Dog: Animal Welfare and Indirect Duty in Kantian Ethics. In Part I, I will examine the work Timmermann undertakes to extend greater protection to animals under Kantian ethics. I will also raise a critical question concerning Timmermann’s unwillingness to apply his advancements to the animal welfare problems in our modern world. In Part II, I will attempt to apply Timmermann’s conclusions to the question of …

Cooking, Creativity, And Culture: An Analysis Of The Meaning Of Cooking, Ashley Mcilroy

First Class: A Journal of First-Year Composition

No abstract provided.

Surface-Based Body Shape Index And Its Relationship With All-Cause Mortality, Syed A. Rahman, Donald Adjerph

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Obesity is a global public health challenge. In the US, for instance, obesity prevalence remains high at more than one-third of the adult population, while over two-thirds are obese or overweight. Obesity is associated with various health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), depression, some forms of cancer, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, among others. The body mass index (BMI) is one of the best known measures of obesity. The BMI, however, has serious limitations, for instance, its inability to capture the distribution of lean mass and adipose tissue, which is a better predictor of diabetes and CVDs, and its …

New Fungus-Insect Symbiosis: Culturing, Molecular, And Histological Methods Determine Saprophytic Polyporales Mutualists Of Ambrosiodmus Ambrosia Beetles, Li You, David R. Simmons, Craig C. Bateman, Dylan P G Short, Matthew T. Kasson, Robert J. Rabagila, Jiri Hulcr

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Ambrosia symbiosis is an obligate, farming-like mutualism between wood-boring beetles and fungi. It evolved at least 11 times and includes many notorious invasive pests. All ambrosia beetles studied to date cultivate ascomycotan fungi: early colonizers of recently killed trees with poor wood digestion. Beetles in the widespread genus Ambrosiodmus, however, colonize decayed wood. We characterized the mycosymbionts of three Ambrosiodmus species using quantitative culturing, high-throughput metabarcoding, and histology. We determined the fungi to be within the Polyporales, closely related to Flavodon flavus. Culture-independent sequencing of Ambrosiodmus minor mycangia revealed a single operational taxonomic unit identical to the sequences from the …

Changes In Cardiovascular Health In The United States, 2003–2011, Courtney S. Pilkerton, Sarah S. Singh, Thomas K. Bias, Stephanie J. Frisbee

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, making improving cardiovascular health a key population health goal. As part of efforts to achieve this, the American Heart Association has developed the first comprehensive cardiovascular health index (CVHI). Our objective was to investigate the changes in CVHI in US states from 2003 to 2011.

Methods and Results

CVHI was examined using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data between 2003 and 2011 (odd‐numbered years). Total CVHI decreased from 3.73±0.01 in 2003 to 3.65±0.01 in 2009. The majority of states (88%) experienced a decline in CVHI and an …

Effects Of Treatment With Astragalus Membranaceus On Function Of Rat Leydig Cells, Xiaolong Jiang, Xia Cao, Yang Huang, Xiaolei Yao, Miaomiao Zhao, Yan Liu, Jinzhu Meng, Pengfei Li, Zhiyan Li, Jianbo Yao, George W. Smith, Lihua Lv

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Astragalus membranaceus (AM) is a Chinese traditional herb which has been reported to have broad positive effects on many diseases, including hepatitis, heart disease, diabetes and skin disease. AM can promote cell proliferation, increase the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and inhibit apoptosis by regulating the transcription of proto-oncogenes controlling cell death. While AM is included in some commercially available “testosterone boosting supplements”, studies directly testing ability of AM to modulate testosterone production are lacking. In the present study, we examined the effects of AM on Leydig cell function in vitro.

Methods …

Microrna-27a-3p Inhibits Melanogenesis In Mouse Skin Melanocytes By Targeting Wnt3a, Yuanyuan Zhao, Pengchao Wang, Jinzhu Meng, Dongmei Xu, Tianzhi Chen, Ruiwen Fan, Xiuju Yu, Jianbo Yao, Changsheng Dong

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in the regulation of almost all the biological processes, including melanogenesis. MiR-27a-3p is nearly six times higher in white alpaca skin compared to brown skin, which indicates that miR-27a-3p may be a candidate regulator for melanogenesis. Wnt3a plays an important role in promoting melanoblasts to differentiate into melanocytes and melanogenesis. To confirm the function of miR-27a-3p to melanogenesis in mammals, miR-27a-3p mimic, inhibitor and their negative control were transfected into mouse melanocytes. As a result, miR-27a-3p inhibits melanogenesis by repressing Wnt3a at post-transcriptional level. A significant decrease in Wnt3a luciferase activity was observed in …

Granulicatella Adiacens, An Unusual Causative Agent In Chronic Dacryocystitis, Cristy A. Ku, Blake Forcina, Paul R. Lasala, John Nguyen

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

West Virginia University

Needs Assessment Of School And Community Physical Activity Opportunities In Rural West Virginia: The Mcdowell Choices Planning Effort, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, Eloise Elliott, Sean Bulger, Emily Jones, Andrea R. Taliaferro, William Neal

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

McDowell CHOICES (Coordinated Health Opportunities Involving Communities, Environments, and Schools) Project is a county wide endeavor aimed at increasing opportunities for physical activity (PA) in McDowell County, West Virginia (WV). A comprehensive needs-assessment laid the foundation of the project.

Methods

During the 6 month needs assessment, multiple sources of data were collected in two Town Hall Meetings (n = 80); a student online PA interest survey (n = 465); a PA and nutrition survey among 5th (10–11 years) and 8th graders (13–14 years) with questions adapted from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (n = 442, response rate …

Microrna Expression Profiles From Eggs Of Different Qualities Associated With Post-Ovulatory Ageing In Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Hao Ma, Gregory M. Weber, Mark A. Hostuttler, Hairong Wei, Lei Wang, Jianbo Yao

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Egg quality is an important aspect in rainbow trout farming. Post-ovulatory aging is one of the most important factors affecting egg quality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the major regulators in various biological processes and their expression profiles could serve as reliable biomarkers for various pathological and physiological conditions. The objective of this study was to identify miRNAs that are associated with egg qualities in rainbow trout using post-ovulatory aged eggs.

Results: Egg samples from females on day 1, day 7, and day 14 post-ovulation (D1PO, D7PO and D14PO), which had the fertilization rates of 91.8%, 73.4% and less than 50%, …

Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosed Via Presentation Of Intussusception In Childhood, Patrick C. Bonasso, Jason L. Turner, Richard A. Vaughan, Don K. Nakayama

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The presentation of intussusception leading to the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is rare, with only a limited number of cases previously reported in the literature. We encountered such a case which describes a unique clinical presentation of intussusception providing a broad discussion of the disease and its pathophysiology. Although statewide screening programs have been created, cystic fibrosis can still go undiagnosed until late childhood.

Feeding Soy Protein Isolate And Oils Rich In Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Affected Mineral Balance, But Not Bone In A Rat Model Of Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease, Kaitlin H. Maditz, Brenda J. Smith, Matthew Miller, Chris Oldaker, Janet C. Tou

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a genetic disorder characterized by multiple cysts and renal failure at an early age. In children, kidney disease is often accompanied by disordered mineral metabolism, failure to achieve peak bone mass, and reduced adult height. Optimizing bone health during the growth stage may preserve against bone loss associated with early renal dysfunction in PKD. Dietary soy protein and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) have been reported to ameliorate PKD and to promote bone health. The study objective was to determine the bone effects of feeding soy protein and/or n-3 PUFAs in a rat model …