Digital Commons Network^™

Health Disparities In Cardiometabolic Risk Among African American And European American Adults, Catharine A. Couch

All ETDs from UAB

African American (AA) individuals are disproportionately burdened by cardiometabolic disease, including type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and associated risk factors. The objective of this dissertation research was to investigate pathophysiological and lifestyle contributors to racial disparities in cardiometabolic disease including beta-cell dysfunction, ectopic fat, the natriuretic peptide system, and diet. These first three risk factors, beta-cell dysfunction, ectopic fat, and the natriuretic peptide system, were explored in a cross-sectional study of young AA and European American (EA) adults. The fourth risk factor, diet, was explored in a large, national cohort of black and white adults. First, we …

Evidence-Based Information About Intermittent Fasting In Diabetes Patients: Useful Or Harmful?, Mustafa Altay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: One of the most important components of treatment for diabetic patients is diet and healthy nutrition therapy. Calorie restriction is effective and without cost increases its appeal for both patients and physicians. Unfortunately, continuous calorie restriction is a difficult method. For this reason, alternative calorie restriction methods, such as intermittent fasting (IF), have been investigated by some researchers. Materials and methods: IF refers to a wide range of diet programmes covering periods of eating and fasting, which vary according to the different regimens. In this article, first, some general information will enable us to understand the concept of IF, …

Left Ventricular Assist Device Support And Longitudinal Sleeve Gastrectomy Combined With Diet In Bridge To Heart Transplant, Mandy Ng, Beverly Rodgers, Saadiya Rehman, Sriram S Nathan, Kulvinder S Bajwa, Shinil K Shah, Bindu H Akkanti, Marwan F Jumean, Sachin Kumar, Jennifer L Dressel, Rajko Radovancevic, Melissa M Felinski, Biswajit Kar, Igor D Gregoric

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Combining left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation and longitudinal sleeve gastrectomy may enable patients with morbid obesity to lose enough weight for heart transplant eligibility. In a retrospective study, we evaluated long-term outcomes of patients with body mass indexes ≥35 who underwent LVAD implantation and longitudinal sleeve gastrectomy during the same hospitalization (from January 2013 through July 2018) and then adhered to a dietary protocol. We included 22 patients (mean age, 49.9 ± 12.5 yr; mean preoperative body mass index, 43.3 ± 6.2). Eighteen months after gastrectomy, all 22 patients were alive, and 16 (73%) achieved a body mass index …

Physical Activity And Diet Quality In Relation To Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study In A Representative Sample Of Us Adults Using Nhanes 2017–2018, Natalia I Heredia, Xiaotao Zhang, Maya Balakrishnan, Carrie R Daniel, Jessica P Hwang, Lorna H Mcneill, Aaron P Thrift

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The association of physical activity (PA) and diet quality with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and NAFLD-related fibrosis have never been examined in a representative sample of U.S. adults using a more precise form of measuring NAFLD. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations of PA and diet quality (Healthy Eating Index [HEI]-2015) with NAFLD and a subset with advanced fibrosis (F3-4) as assessed by vibration-controlled transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter in a representative sample of U.S. adults. This cross-sectional analysis uses data from 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. NAFLD was defined as controlled …

Association Between Energy Balance-Related Factors And Clinical Outcomes In Patients With Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Stephanie Stelten, Christelle Schofield, Yvonne A. W. Hartman, Pedro Lopez, Gemma G. Kenter, Robert U. Newton, Daniel A. Galvão, Meeke Hoedjes, Dennis R. Taaffe, Luc R. C. W. Van Lonkhuijzen, Carolyn Mcintyre, Laurien M. Buffart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background:

This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence in patients with ovarian cancer at diagnosis and/or during first-line treatment on; (i) the association of body weight, body composition, diet, exercise, sedentary behavior, or physical fitness with clinical outcomes; and (ii) the effect of exercise and/or dietary interventions.

Methods:

Risk of bias assessments and best-evidence syntheses were completed. Meta-analyses were performed when ≥ 3 papers presented point estimates and variability measures of associations or effects.

Results:

Body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis was not significantly associated with survival. Although the following trends were not supported by the best-evidence syntheses, the meta-analyses …

Fasting Status Of Steller Sea Lion Pups, Stephanie G. Crawford

Biological Sciences

Following population declines in species of concern, wildlife managers often seek to identify underlying causes to understand and predict population dynamics for better future management. Often, physiological and/or behavioral metrics are measurable markers of decline, and these are often detectable well before declines are measurable through population surveys. During the 1970's, 80's, and 90's Steller sea lion (SSL; Eumetopias jubatus) populations in the western portion of their breeding range declined by ~85%. Though declines in most regions have since stabilized or exhibited modest recovery, some subpopulations breeding in the Aleutian Islands continue to decline. In contrast, SSL subpopulations in eastern …

The Efficacy Of The Low-Fodmap Diet To Alleviate Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome In Adults: A Systematic Review, Jacqueline Nicole Rustom

Theses and Dissertations

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder with 6.5% worldwide prevalence that causes gas production, abdominal distension, and abdominal pain or discomfort. This systematic review describes efficacy of the Low-Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols (FODMAP) diet (Low-FODMAP diet or LFD) to alleviate IBS symptoms using the PRISMA guidelines. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCT) and one non-RCT consecutive controlled study published between 2015 to 2019 were identified using PubMed and CENTRAL. Included studies involved adult IBS participants with symptoms of abdominal pain, constipation, and/or diarrhea. A total of 530 participants completed the interventions from the 10 studies included …

Type 2 Diabetic Education Benchmark Study, Amy Lynd

MSN Capstone Projects

Evaluating the implementation of verbal and written education on diet for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.

Stress As A Contributing Factor For Pediatric Obesity: Literature Review And Internship Experience, Jessica Handley

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This article is an examination of how stress drives diet and physical activity behaviors that contribute to pediatric obesity in the United States. An increasing rate of childhood obesity is being reported in the United States and therefore a multitude of studies and reviews have been conducted on the topic. This review of the literature systematically analyzes how stress, diet, and physical activity behaviors contribute to this rising rate of pediatric obesity. An analysis of the chosen articles for review indicates that stress and its counterpart (resilience) tend to be driving forces in how American children and adolescents participate in …

Promoting Nutrition Equity For Individuals With Physical Challenges: A Systematic Review Of Barriers And Facilitators To Healthy Eating, Marianna S Wetherill, Ashten R Duncan, Hartley Bowman, Reagan Collins, Natalie Santa-Pinter, Morgan Jackson, Catherine M Lynn, Katherine Prentice, Mary Isaacson

Library Staff Publications

Impaired mobility is the most common form of functional disability in the US, affecting one out of every sixteen working-age adults. Little is known about the barriers to and facilitators of healthy eating among people with impaired mobility (PWIM), who are at increased risk for diet-related chronic disease. The pathways by which impaired mobility influence dietary intake are unclear, yet likely involve a complex interplay between structural determinants of health and individual factors. To help advance nutrition equity initiatives for PWIM, this systematic review aimed to qualitatively synthesize factors associated with dietary intake across four levels of ecologic influence. An …

Dash Diet Adherence And Cognitive Function: Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, George D Daniel, Haiying Chen, Alain G Bertoni, Stephen R Rapp, Annette L Fitzpatrick, José A Luchsinger, Alexis C Wood, Timothy M Hughes, Gregory L Burke, Kathleen M Hayden

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background and aims: The Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been associated with better cognitive function in studies of predominantly White participants; few studies have examined this association in diverse cohorts. Our objective was to examine the association between the DASH diet and cognitive function in the diverse Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort.

Methods: Among 4169 MESA participants, we evaluated prospectively, the association between DASH diet adherence and cognitive function. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire at baseline (2000-2002) and cognitive function was assessed using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI), Digit Symbol Coding …

Effect Of Ketogenic Diet On Quality Of Life In Adults With Chronic Disease: A Systematic Review Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Myriam Abboud, Fatme Alanouti, Evridiki Georgaki, Dimitrios Papandreou

All Works

Background: Chronic diseases adversely affect quality of life (QOL). The ketogenic diet (KD) may improve the QOL. Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the available evidence of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to establish the effect of KD on the QOL in adults with chronic diseases. Methods: Reporting followed PRISMA guidelines. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted on adults with chronic disease including an intervention group that received KD and a control group, and where QOL was reported as outcome. We searched PubMed, APA PsycInfo, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), …

High-Fructose, High-Fat Diet Alters Muscle Composition And Fuel Utilization In A Juvenile Iberian Pig Model Of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Heather C Spooner, Stefani A Derrick, Magdalena Maj, Rodrigo Manjarín, Gabriella V Hernandez, Deepali S Tailor, Parisa S Bastani, Rob K Fanter, Marta L Fiorotto, Douglas G Burrin, Michael R La Frano, Angelos K Sikalidis, Jason M Blank

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious metabolic condition affecting millions of people worldwide. A “Western-style diet” has been shown to induce pediatric NAFLD with the potential disruption of skeletal muscle composition and metabolism. To determine the in vivo effect of a “Western-style diet” on pediatric skeletal muscle fiber type and fuel utilization, 28 juvenile Iberian pigs were fed either a control diet (CON) or a high-fructose, high-fat diet (HFF), with or without probiotic supplementation, for 10 weeks. The HFF diets increased the total triacylglycerol content of muscle tissue but decreased intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content and the number of …

Perspectives Of Black And Hispanic Children Living In Under-Resourced Communities On Meal Preparation And Grocery Shopping Behaviors: Implications For Nutrition Education, Chishinga Callender, Denisse Velazquez, Meheret Adera, Jayna M Dave, Norma Olvera, Tzuan A Chen, Shana Alford, Debbe Thompson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Minority children living in under-resourced communities are at the greatest risk for obesity and poor diet quality. Child involvement in meal preparation may be a helpful strategy to improve diet quality. This paper explores minority children's perspectives regarding this. Eighteen children participated in a mixed methods study (online surveys, telephone interviews). Descriptive statistics were calculated for child demographic and psychosocial factors. Thematic analysis was used to code and analyze the interviews. Most children reported having cooking experience (83%) and cooking with family (94%) and exhibited high cooking self-efficacy (21.8 ± 2.9) and positive cooking attitudes (25.7 ± 4.4). Children reported …

The Efficacy Of A Personalized Mhealth Coaching Program During Pregnancy On Maternal Diet, Supplement Use, And Physical Activity: Protocol For A Parallel-Group Randomized Controlled Trial, Rozina Nuruddin, Khadija Vadsaria, Nuruddin Badruddin Mohammed, Saleem Sayani

Community Health Sciences

Background: Adequate intake of macro- and micronutrients and adoption of an active lifestyle during pregnancy are essential for optimum maternal and fetal health and offspring development. Dietary counseling and advice regarding adequate physical activity are integral components of antenatal care. Personalized coaching through the use of mobile health (mHealth) that supports behavior modification is an innovative approach that needs exploration.
Objective: Our primary aim is to assess the efficacy of an mHealth program in improving diet, supplement use, and physical activity during pregnancy. Secondary objectives include evaluation of the program's effect on maternal and offspring health outcomes and assessment of …

Genomics Of Postprandial Lipidomics In The Genetics Of Lipid-Lowering Drugs And Diet Network Study, Marguerite R. Irvin, May E. Montasser, Tobias Kind, Sili Fan, Dinesh K. Barupal, Amit Patki, Rikki M. Tanner, Nicole D. Armstrong, Kathleen A. Ryan, Steven A. Claas, Jeffrey R. O’Connell, Hemant K. Tiwari, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Postprandial lipemia (PPL) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Inter-individual variation in the dietary response to a meal is known to be influenced by genetic factors, yet genes that dictate variation in postprandial lipids are not completely characterized. Genetic studies of the plasma lipidome can help to better understand postprandial metabolism by isolating lipid molecular species which are more closely related to the genome. We measured the plasma lipidome at fasting and 6 h after a standardized high-fat meal in 668 participants from the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network study (GOLDN) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled …

Reverting To A Healthier Diet Or Employing An Aerobic Exercise Regime Independently Restore Muscle Fiber Phenotype Disturbed By High-Fat Diet In Muscle Of Mice, Nathan Serrano, Harkaran S. Sodhi, Kailin Johnsson, Laurel B. Winslow, Layla Al-Nakkash, Christos S. Katsanos

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Obesity affects roughly 42% of the US population. High fat/high sugar diets (HFHS) often referred to as “western diet” contributes to this prevalence. Diet-induced obesity results in impaired metabolic responses and associated disease states (i.e., Type 2 Diabetes). Metabolic impairments in diet-induced obesity are a result of changes in muscle metabolism, and changes in muscle fiber phenotype, which is determined by the isoform-content of the protein myosin heavy chain (MHC). Fast muscle fiber phenotype (i.e. type IIb in mice) is characterized by lower capacity for utilization of lipids, implicated in the pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes. Regular exercise shifts MHC …

Associations Of Diet With Cardiometabolic And Inflammatory Profiles In Pregnant Women At Risk For Metabolic Complications, Kataryna Jaworsky, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Petar Planinic, Arpita Basu

Dental Medicine Faculty Research

Dietary intakes play an important role in the development of metabolic complications during pregnancy. While reported observational studies reveal an inverse association of healthy diets with weight gain, gestational diabetes, and hypertensive complications during pregnancy, there is a paucity of studies conducted among women of specific ethnicities vulnerable to higher risks of pregnancy complications. This is a secondary cross sectional analysis using baseline data from a previously reported clinical trial. We aim to identify associations of maternal habitual dietary intakes with cardiometabolic risks and inflammatory profiles in primarily African American (AA) and Hispanic women in the first half of pregnancy. …

Cross-Sectional Association Of Toxoplasma Gondii Exposure With Bmi And Diet In Us Adults, Joel Cuffey, Christopher A. Lepczyk, Shuoli Zhao, Nicholas M. Fountain-Jones

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Toxoplasmosis gondii exposure has been linked to increased impulsivity and risky behaviors, which has implications for eating behavior. Impulsivity and risk tolerance is known to be related with worse diets and a higher chance of obesity. There is little known, however, about the independent link between Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) exposure and diet-related outcomes. Using linear and quantile regression, we estimated the relationship between T. gondii exposure and BMI, total energy intake (kcal), and diet quality as measured by the Health Eating Index-2015 (HEI) among 9,853 adults from the 2009–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. …

Development Of Food Pattern Recommendations For Infants And Toddlers 6-24 Months Of Age To Support The Dietary Guidelines For Americans, 2020-2025, Kathryn G Dewey, Tusarebecca Pannucci, Kellie O Casavale, Teresa A Davis, Sharon M Donovan, Ronald E Kleinman, Elsie M Taveras, Regan L Bailey, Rachel Novotny, Barbara O Schneeman, Jamie Stang, Janet De Jesus, Eve E Stoody

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Developing food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) for infants and toddlers is a complex task that few countries have attempted.

Objectives: Our objectives are to describe the process of food pattern modeling (FPM) conducted to develop FBDGs for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 for infants 6 to <12 mo and toddlers 12 to <24 mo of age, as well as the implications of the results and areas needing further work.

Methods: The US 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, with the support of federal staff, conducted FPM analyses using 5 steps: 1) identified energy intake targets; 2) established nutritional goals; 3) identified food groupings and expected amounts, using 3 options for the amount of energy from human milk in each age interval; 4) estimated …

Neurotensin Regulates Proliferation And Stem Cell Function In The Small Intestine In A Nutrient-Dependent Manner, Stephanie A. Rock, Kai Jiang, Yuanyuan Wu, Yajuan Liu, Jing Li, Heidi L. Weiss, Chi Wang, Jianhang Jia, Tianyan Gao, B. Mark Evers

Surgery Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) are sensitive to dietary alterations and nutrient availability. Neurotensin (NT), a gut peptide localized predominantly to the small bowel and released by fat ingestion, stimulates the growth of intestinal mucosa under basal conditions and during periods of nutrient deprivation, suggesting a possible role for NT on ISC function.

METHODS: Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5-Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (Lgr5-EGFP) NT wild type (Nt^+/+) and Lgr5-EGFP NT knockout (Nt^-/-) mice were fed ad libitum or fasted for 48 hours. Small intestine tissue and crypts were examined by gene …

Dietary Saturated Fats And Health: Are The Us Guidelines Evidence-Based?, Arne Astrup, Nina Teicholz, Faidon Magkos, Dennis M Bier, J Thomas Brenna, Janet C King, Andrew Mente, José M Ordovas, Jeff S Volek, Salim Yusuf, Ronald M Krauss

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The last decade has seen nearly 20 papers reviewing the totality of the data on saturated fats and cardiovascular outcomes, which, altogether, have demonstrated a lack of rigorous evidence to support continued recommendations either to limit the consumption of saturated fatty acids or to replace them with polyunsaturated fatty acids. These papers were unfortunately not considered by the process leading to the most recent U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the country's national nutrition policy, which recently reconfirmed its recommendation to limit saturated fats to 10% or less of total energy intake, based on insufficient and inconsistent evidence. Continuation of a …

Eating Behaviors And Dietary Patterns Of Women During Pregnancy: Optimizing The Universal ‘Teachable Moment’, Maryam Kebbe, Emily W. Flanagan, Joshua R. Sparks, Leanne M. Redman

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Understanding women’s perceptions of eating behaviors and dietary patterns can inform the ‘teachable moment’ model of pregnancy. Our objectives were to describe eating behaviors and dietary patterns in pregnancy. This was a cross‐sectional, national electronic survey. Women were ≥18 years of age, living in the United States, currently pregnant or less than two years postpartum, and had internet access. Age, education, race, and marriage were included as covariates in ordinal and binary logistic regressions (significance p < 0.05). Women (n = 587 eligible) made positive or negative changes to their diets, while others maintained pre‐existing eating behaviors. The majority of women did not try (84.9 to 95.1% across diets) and were unwilling to try (66.6 to 81%) specific dietary patterns during pregnancy. Concerns included not eating a balanced diet (60.1 to 65.9%), difficulty in implementation without family (63.2 to 64.8%), and expense (58.7 to 60.1%). Helpful strategies included being provided all meals and snacks (88.1 to 90.6%) and periodic consultations with a dietitian or nutritionist (85 to 86.7%). Responses differed across subgroups of parity, body mass index, and trimester, notably in women with obesity who reported healthier changes to their diet (p < 0.05). Our study underscores the importance of tailoring care early to individual needs, characteristics, and circumstances.

Challenges In Feeding Children Posed By The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review Of Changes In Dietary Intake Combined With A Dietitian's Perspective, Heather Campbell, Alexis C Wood

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Purpose of review: To examine the evidence that the dietary quality of children changed between the period preceding the COVID-19 pandemic and the first year during the pandemic.

Recent findings: A systematic review of the evidence for dietary changes occurring as a result of the pandemic-related restrictions, in Part I of this article, yielded 38 original research articles. These articles had conflicting results, some describing improvements in overall quality and some describing deteriorations. As a whole the studies were characterized by a low study quality, and children were poorly represented. Taken together, these studies do not provide enough evidence to …

Parameterization Of Food Wastes To Develop An Automatic Recycling System For Livestock And Poultry Feed, Ali Roshanianfard, Samira Nematzadeh, Tarahom Mesri-Gundoshmian

Emirates Journal for Engineering Research

Food wastes are known as one of the big concerns in urban management because of grain consumption gain, environmental pollution, and traditional waste management methods. The reuse of restaurant waste can reduce the cost of producing animal food production. This study attempts to find related parameters to use in the development of an automatic recycling machine and also a suitable method for food waste management (wastes of restaurants in universities and other academic environments) to use in various animal diets. Determination of various parameters including the percentage of dry matter (using a dryer), protein (using Kjeldahl test), fat (using Soxhlet …

Dietary Diversity And Social Determinants Of Nutrition Among Late Adolescent Girls In Rural Pakistan, Jo-Anna B. Baxter, Yaqub Wasan, Muhammad Islam, Simon Cousens, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Imran Ahmed, Daniel W. Sellen, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

The conditions in which adolescent girls mature shape their health, development and nutrition. Nutrient requirements increase to support growth during adolescence, but gaps between consumption and requirements exist in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to identify and quantify the relationship between dietary intake and diverse social determinants of nutrition (SDN) among a subset of adolescent girls 15-18.9 years (n = 390) enrolled within the Matiari emPowerment and Preconception Supplementation (MaPPS) Trial. The primary outcome, dietary diversity score (DDS), was derived by applying the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women 10-item scale to 24-h dietary recall data collected three times per …

Drivers Of Food Choice Among Children And Caregivers In Post-Earthquake Nepal, Pepijn Schreinemachers, Rachana Manadhar Sherestha, Bishal Gole, Dhruba Raj Bhattarai, Puspa Lal Ghimire, Bhishm P. Subedi, Tilman Brück, Ghassan Baliki, Ishwori P. Gautam, Christine E. Blake

Faculty Publications

Food systems in many countries are experiencing a shift from traditional foods toward processed foods high in sugar, fat and salt, but low in dietary fiber and micronutrients. There is an urgent need to better understand drivers of changing food behavior, particularly for lower-income countries. This study analyzes drivers of food choice among children and parents in rural Nepal. It uses qualitative data collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions with school children, parents and teachers. The study reveals substantial changes in food behavior during the past decade with increased consumption of rice, meat, and highly processed snack …

Dermatitis Herpetiformis: An Update On Diagnosis, Disease Monitoring, And Management, Christopher N Nguyen, Soo-Jung Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), Duhring disease, is caused by gluten sensitivity and affects 11.2 to 75.3 per 100,000 people in the United States and Europe with an incidence of 0.4 to 3.5 per 100,000 people per year. DH is characterized by a symmetrical blistering rash on the extensor surfaces with severe pruritus. The diagnosis continues to be made primarily by pathognomonic findings on histopathology, especially direct immunofluorescence (DIF). Recently, anti-epidermal transglutaminase (TG3) antibodies have shown to be a primary diagnostic serology, while anti-tissue transglutaminase (TG2) and other autoantibodies may be used to support the diagnosis and for disease monitoring. Newly diagnosed …

Applications Of Stable Isotope Analysis To Advancing The Understanding Of Brown Bear Dietary Ecology, Matthew C. Rogers

Biological Sciences

Dietary ecology is one of the most important drivers of brown bear fitness at the individual and population levels. However, researchers do not have an in-depth understanding of the trophic niche breadth, diet composition, and seasonal diet variation for most Alaskan populations. I set out to better understand multiple facets of brown bear dietary ecology using stable isotope analysis (¹³C & ¹⁵N) as the primary tool to infer brown bear diet and gain insights into their trophic niche, dietary seasonality, dietary generalism and specialism, and isotopic trophic discrimination factors. I determined that using sectioned hair samples is the best practice …

Assessing Prevalence And Correlates Of Blue‑Colored Fesh In Lingcod (Ophiodon Elongatus) Across Their Geographic Range, Aaron W. Galloway, Anne H. Beaudreau, Michael D. Thomas, Bonnie L. Basnett, Laurel S. Lam, Scott L. Hamilton, Kelly S. Andrews, Julie B. Schram, Jessica Watson, Jameal F. Samhouri4

Faculty, Staff, and Students

Intraspecific variation in external and internal pigmentation is common among fishes and explained by a variety of biological and ecological factors. Blue-colored flesh in fishes is relatively rare but has been documented in some species of the sculpin, greenling, and perch families. Diet, starvation, photoprotection, and camouflage have all been suggested as proximate mechanisms driving blue flesh, but causal factors are poorly understood. We evaluated the relative importance of biological and spatial factors that could explain variation in blue coloration in 2021 lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) captured across their range in the northeastern Pacific, from southeast Alaska to southern California. The …