Digital Commons Network^™

Part 4: Food Insecurity In Hampton Roads, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

One in 10 residents of Hampton Roads was unsure where their next meal was coming from in 2018. Among children, food insecurity rates were even higher in the region. Food insecurity reduces workplace productivity and learning, and negatively impacts health. We discuss how public programs and regional foodbanks are working to address these problems in Hampton Roads.

University Of New Hampshire Graduate Academic Catalog, 2020-2021, University Of New Hampshire

Graduate Catalog

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Temperature On The Feeding Behavior And Parasitic Load In Pomacea Paludosa (Say) And Pomacea Insularum (D'Orbigny), Benjamin Lafond

Theses & ETDs

Changes in the Earth's climates have been known to cause havoc across many taxa globally. The feeding behavior and parasitic load was examined in the native gastropod, Pomacea paludosa and the invasive gastropod, Pomacea insularum at a control temperature (25°C) and at an experimental, higher, temperature (27.8°C). A feeding behavior study was performed at both temperatures and the parasitic load was evaluated in each gastropod at the conclusion of the study. At the higher temperature both gastropods tend to eat more spinach which suggests that more energy is required to maintain homeostasis at the higher temperature. This may cause ecological …

The Role Of Coca In Indigenous Cultures Of The Sierra Nevada Mountains Of Colombia, Salua Rivero

Theses & ETDs

In this project, I will investigate the role of Erythroxylum Coca in indigenous communities living in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Colombia. The traditional cultivation and use of the coca leaf has nutritional, medicinal and ceremonial purposes. Used for thousands of generations for stamina and energy, elevation sickness, digestive aid and as a staple when food is scarce, coca is highly valued all throughout South America. The effects of colonization followed by industrialization in Colombia, has affected these communities and their ancient cultivation of this plant. The high demand for coca derivatives such as cocaine has impacted the communities in …

How The National School Lunch Program Has Shaped School Food Programs And How They Can Be Restructured In An Industry-Dominated System, Ella Denham-Conroy

Theses & ETDs

This thesis examines how the National School Lunch Program in the United States has shaped school food programs, and how they can be restructured in an industry-dominated system. The history of school lunch programs in the US is explored, detailing their significance to US schoolchildren through times of economic depression and war, and the history of the role of the teachers and curriculum as well as food preparers. The conflict between food reformers and agroeconomists in the United States Department of Agriculture features prominently, through an exploration of the prioritization of nutrition versus the economic stability of commercial farming. A …

Informing Conservation Efforts Of Florida Endangered Bromeliads Through Species Distribution Models, Evaluation Of Microclimate, And Conversations With Land Managers, Liliana Benitez

Theses & ETDs

The current environmental crisis threatens biodiversity worldwide. Florida is one of the most biodiverse states in the United States of America, containing many unique and endangered species. Two of these species are the epiphytic bromeliads ​Tillandsia utriculata ​ and ​T. fasciculata ​ (Bromeliaceae)​, ​ threatened by an introduced bromeliad weevil, ​Metamasius callizona (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). ​ ​ This study used species distribution models (SDMs), and microclimate data collection with data loggers to evaluate the effects of climate on distribution at large and fine scales, using two study sites: Myakka River State Park (MRSP) and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens (FTBG), the former …

The Effects Of Extended Exposure To Zea Mays L. Border Cells With Total Associated Exudates On The Motility And Bacterial Attraction Abilities Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Melissa Ruiz

Theses & ETDs

Nematodes, including Caenorhabditis elegans, become temporarily paralyzed (quiescent) when exposed to root border cells and their total associated exudates (BCTAE) from Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor, and Pisum sativum. C. elegans can excrete exudates to attract consumable bacteria. However, it is unknown whether quiescence induces lasting effects on C. elegans’ motility and their ability to attract bacteria; knowing its potential effects may allow insight into the rhizosphere’s trophic and non-trophic interactions. To investigate, two chemotaxis assays were conducted to evaluate the chemotactic responses of a.) C. elegans to Zea mays BCTAE and then b.) Pseudomonas putida – a gram-negative bacterium with …

Understanding Sustainable Urban Landscapes: An Analysis Of The Effects Of Plant Biogeography On Soil Microbial Activity And Nutrient Dynamics, Nora Flower

Theses & ETDs

Plant biogeography is a key driver of plant-microbe dynamics in soil. For this reason, it is important to better understand the effects of plant biogeography on soil health parameters. Essentially, the amount of time that a given plant species has been living in a certain region determines the length of time it has had to develop symbiotic relationships with different microbes. These relationships have notable effects on plant and soil health. To study this dynamic, plant biogeography can be categorized in different ways, and determining the best way to categorize it in terms of effects on soil health is an …

Determination Of Mineral & Calorie Content Of Edible Isopods (A. Nasatum) & Examining Their Potential As A Useful Microlivestock, Iliana Moore

Theses & ETDs

Edible insects, also known as “microlivestock,” are becoming increasingly popular across the U.S. and Europe as health foods and in developing countries as a low-cost nutrient source. They pos sess many advantages over “macrolivestock,” including higher nutritive content, lower environmental impact, lower land use requirements and lower cost of rearing and processing. However, insect rearing requires high electricity usage, and many species have highly specific diets that can become expen sive. Pillbugs (suborder Oniscidea), an edible yet rarely consumed arthropod, may offer a new form of minilivestock that does not have these problems. Their broad diet, temperature tolerance, scarce need …

Tales From The Sarasota Bay: An Informal Environmental Education Approach To Teaching Students From Sarasota County About Their Local Ecosystems, Camila Vallejo

Theses & ETDs

Increasing extinction rates and extreme weather are influencing the course of natural patterns and processes around the world. These factors have shown to be heavily influenced by humans, who may have been unaware of the effects their activities would cause. Students need to learn about the human activity that is impacting processes of the Earth. Effectively teaching people about their environment can influence them to be more environmentally conscious and willing to conserve and protect natural areas. Learning models and assessment strategies have been created to examine hypotheses and examine applications of informal environmental education across different communities. Researchers have …

Carbon Cycling In The Food Forest & Carbon Farm At New College Of Florida, Steven Bressan

Theses & ETDs

Carbon cycling in the Food Forest & Carbon Farm at New College of Florida and a nearby lawn was studied to assess sources and sinks of organic carbon and overall soil quality. Over three months of fieldwork the organic carbon, bulk density, microbial respiration and nutrient composition of the soils were measured. Nearly all measurements suggest that both areas have sequestered organic carbon in soil. The average Food Forest soil sample had a proportion of organic carbon five times greater than the Lawn. Microbes present in the Food Forest released organic carbon at a rate five times faster than the …

Consciousness, Embodiment, And Artificial Intelligence, Leah Bender

Theses & ETDs

No abstract provided.

Urbanization And The Spread Of Hiv In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comparison Of Lagos, Nigeria And Johannesburg, South Africa, Jacob Wentz

Theses & ETDs

The first documented infection of HIV was found in blood samples in the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa. Despite these origins, southern Africa is the region most affected by HIV in the world. The second most affected region in the world is west Africa. To build upon research about the spread of HIV across the sub continent, and to assess the impact of demographic change on the differences in HIV prevalence in west and southern Africa, this study investigates the role that urbanization in two regional metropoles—Lagos, Nigeria and Johannesburg, South Africa—plays in creating conditions conducive to the …

The Local Consumer Food Environment Of Sarasota, Florida: An Assessment Of Access To Healthy Food Choices By Median Household Income, Elizabeth Ramsamooj

Theses & ETDs

The local food environment is the proximal access of food retailers within a residential area. It comprises three domains, physical, social and individual or perceptions. Within these domains four aspects of the local food environment are recognized, community, consumer, information and organizational nutrition environment. For this thesis, I explore the physical domain of the local consumer food environment of Sarasota, Florida and how access to healthy food choices varies between census tracts with varying median household incomes. To measure access I used a mixed methods approach including the Nutrition Environment Measures Study Survey for stores (NEMS-S) and qualitative journals. A …

Plant-Pollinator Interactions And Climate Change: Do Shifting Seasonal Cues Affect Pollinator Visitation In The Subtropics?, Shannon Collins

Theses & ETDs

Plants and their pollinators present a particularly concerning case for potential mismatch due to potentially differing phenological responses. To test whether seasonal warming might affect subtropical flowering phenology and whether such effects might impact pollinator visitation, I conducted an experiment in which representatives of four different flowering plant species were either passively warmed in open-top chambers or left unwarmed in interspersed control plots. Over a period of seven weeks, phenological observations were collected in the form of bud, bloom, and seed counts while pollinator visitation was monitored. I hypothesized 1) that all species would significantly advance in response to the …

Food Aid & Farmers: How U.S. Policy Impacts Recipients, Ellie Bullen

Theses & ETDs

This thesis investigates the food aid system and the existing dynamic between the United States as a donor and its recipient countries. Through the exploration of food aid objectives, policies, and outcomes in two countries, Haiti and Ethiopia, this study aims to answer the question of whether United States food aid promotes development in recipient countries’ agricultural sectors. It is found that the United States focuses more on donating agricultural commodities than investing in the development of recipient countries. Suggestions for improved policies and areas for future research are also made.

Agency And Time-Space Compression In The Internet, Ariel Parets

Theses & ETDs

In this project I claim that agency is impacted by the internet through time-space compression. This topic is very relevant to the effects the internet has on society and individuals today. With the acceleration of mental states in cyberspace through time-space compression, our intentional dispositions are impacted, and thus our agency is impacted. In this thesis I address what time-space compression is, what the effects are, how identity plays a role in agency, and how our agency is impacted by time-space compression through answering the above questions. I use both Kadri Vihvelin and Marya Schechtman’s perspectives to make my points. …

Judging With A Sniff: Can Horses Associate Scents With Trained Behaviors?, Aiden Juge

Theses & ETDs

Past research has shown that horses are able to learn via positive reinforcement-based training and can discriminate between a variety of olfactory stimuli. This study investigates whether horses can learn to respond to olfactory cues with trained behaviors. It was expected that horses would learn to produce specific behaviors in response to olfactory stimuli. Using positive reinforcement, three horses were trained in a set of four head movement behaviors, each associated with a different scent, and subsequently tested via presentation of the scent cues. Results indicated that horses did not learn to associate scents with specific behaviors, but did learn …

Exploring The “Phenomenon” Of Female Dominance In Malagasy Lemurs: The World’S Most Endangered Mammalian Group, Maya Owitz Greenberg

Theses & ETDs

Literature on sex-biased power in nonhuman primates typically portrays male dominance as the baseline assumption, perhaps due to human cultural biases. Yet recent research incorporating a broader range of taxa and a more inclusive framework of social power increasingly sheds light on the true diversity of intersexual power dynamics across species. For example, female-biased power structures are widespread across Malagasy lemurs, representing nearly 30% of all primate species. To expand research into female power in lemurs, the present study investigated patterns of intersexual interactions in two small, captive groups of Mongoose lemurs (Eulemur mongoz), an Adult Group (two males and …

The Effects Of Increased Wildfires Due To Climate Change On The Respiratory Health Of New Mexicans, Satyam D. Patel

Climate Change and Public Health Preparedness

No abstract provided.

Uv-C Light, Ensuring Safety And Quality Of Beverages, Ankit Patras, John Ricketts, Brahmaiah Pendyala, Sandria Godwin

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Quality And Clinical Care Development In Spine Surgery-Connecting The Dots: An Expanded Clinical Narrative., Sarah Hopkins, Polly Brune, Jens R Chapman, Marc Horton, Rod J Oskouian, Akshal Patel, Marc D Moisi

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Our health care system is an evidenced-based quality-centric environment. Pursuit of quality is a process that encompasses knowledge development and care advancements through collaboration and expertise. Depicted here is the foundational knowledge, process, and contributions that hallmark successful clinical quality programs. Beginning with methodology, followed by process and form, we create the foundational knowledge and exemplars demonstrating framework and continuum of process in pursuit and attainment of successful clinical quality and care development for patients. Although our protocol has been devised for complex spine care, this could be implemented across all health care specialties to provide individualized and high-quality care …

Thriving Nebraska: Key Drivers For Community Economic Vitality, Laura E. Young, Mary Garbacz, Michael J. Boehm, Matthew Morton, Marilyn R. Schlake, Katie Bresnahan, Paul Springer, Alex Voichoskie, Megan Kelley, Emily Frenzen, Jill O'Donnell, Haley Ehrke, Chris Chizinski, Surin Kim, Tom Field, Taylor Nuss, John Erixson, Simanti Banerjee, Lexi Kaiser, Isamail Dweikat, Taylor Ruth, Alice Akers, Travis Mulliniks, Nathan Conner, Kathleen Lodl, Terry Howell, Matt Allmand, Demi Striglos, Ed Cahoon, Mark Wilkins

Strategic Discussions for Nebraska

Thriving Nebraska: Key Drivers for Community Economic Vitality

When we think about community vitality, we consider the factors that influence the quality of life and the prosperity of life for people in those communities. We have a responsibility in our research and discovery agenda to push the bounds and discover new information. Then, we put this new information to work in our state.

The Effect Of Presenting Relative Calorie Information On Calories Ordered, Christopher Gustafson, Eliana Zeballos

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

In this research, we tested the effect of a novel method of presenting calorie information—highlighting relative differences in calories among ingredients. We conducted an online hypothetical food choice experiment where 633 participants selected the ingredients for a sandwich from five categories: meat/protein, cheese, spread/ dressing, bread, and vegetables. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of four calorie information conditions: 1) a condition in which no information about calories was provided, 2) a condition in which calorie information was provided for each ingredient, 3) a condition in which calorie information was presented relative to the highest calorie item, and 4) …

Thei Student Applied Research Presentations Sarp 2020, Research Office, Technological And Higher Education Institute Of Hong Kong

THEi Student Applied Research Presentations (SARP)

No abstract provided.

Hiding In Plain Sight: The Globally Distributed Bacterial Candidate Phylum Pauc34f, Michael L. Chen, Eric D. Becraft, Maria Pachladaki, Julia M. Brown, Jessica K. Jarett, Josep M. Gasol, Nikolai V. Ravin, Duane P. Moser, Takuro Nunoura, Gerhard J. Herndl, Tanja Woyke, Ramunas Stepanauskas

Biology

Bacterial candidate phylum PAUC34f was originally discovered in marine sponges and is widely considered to be composed of sponge symbionts. Here, we report 21 single amplified genomes (SAGs) of PAUC34f from a variety of environments, including the dark ocean, lake sediments, and a terrestrial aquifer. The diverse origins of the SAGs and the results of metagenome fragment recruitment suggest that some PAUC34f lineages represent relatively abundant, free-living cells in environments other than sponge microbiomes, including the deep ocean. Both phylogenetic and biogeographic patterns, as well as genome content analyses suggest that PAUC34f associations with hosts evolved independently multiple times, while …

Nutrition Facts Label Guide

United States Natonal Institutes of Health: Materials

Food labels can help you make healthier choices. Here’s information on how read labels on food packaging to help you make quick, informed decisions.

Dash Eating Plan: Healthy Eating, Proven Results

United States Natonal Institutes of Health: Materials

Use this overview to learn more about the DASH eating plan and find guidance on what publications to use depending on your level of experience with DASH.

Goat Management In Drought, An Peischel

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Helicobacter Pylori Infection And Its Importance In The Development Of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, Zilola Khashimova

Physician Assistant Studies | Faculty Scholarship

Helicobacter Pylori (HP) infection has been associated with chronic inflammation of the stomach and may also be associated with Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). A literature review was conducted on the reported research of HP infection associated with ITP.