Digital Commons Network^™

Challenges In Assessing Repellency Via The Behavioral Response By The Global Pest Tribolium Castaneum To Protect Stored Grains, Leslie Catherine Rault, William R. Morrison Iii, Alison R. Gerken, Georgina Bingham

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: Food security is an increasingly pressing global issue, and by 2050, food production will not be sufficient to feed the growing population. Part of global food insecurity can be attributed to post-harvest losses, including quantity and quality losses caused by stored-product pests like insects. It is thus timely to find management strategies to mitigate these losses and counteract food insecurity. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), a global stored-product pest with a wide range of food sources, was used in this study to assess repellency to a selection of essential oils. Methods: Multiple behaviorally relevant methods …

Peanut Hulls, An Underutilized Nutritious Culinary Ingredient: Valorizing Food Waste For Global Food, Health, And Farm Economies—A Narrative Review, Suzannah Gerber, Susan B. Roberts

Dartmouth Scholarship

Peanut hulls (PHs) are an edible food waste that is an underutilized food source for human consumption. While edible and palatable, currently they are mainly diverted to livestock feed or building materials. Here, we describe existing literature supporting human food valorization of PHs, and propose methods to optimize recapturing nutrients (protein, fiber, phenols and other phytonutrients) lost by treating PHs as waste. Incorporated into common foods, PHs could be processed into functional ingredients to improve nutrient-density with anticipated corresponding positive health outcomes associated with increases in plant foods. Valorization of PHs addresses multiple priorities of the UN Sustainable Development Goals …

Metabolism And Thermogenesis In The Hibernating Arctic Ground Squirrel, Moriah M. Hunstiger

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Arctic Ground Squirrels (AGS) tolerate up to eight months of fasting, inactivity, and large fluctuations in body mass. AGS utilize their fat stores Fat stores, which account for 25-50% of the total body mass, as a fuel source through the hibernation season to maintain a heterothermic body temperature pattern. Body temperature covers a 42°C range, requiring tight regulation to ensure survival. There are two main groupings of heat production that contribute or may contribute to temperature regulation: shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis (NST). The latter includes uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and sarcolipin (SLN) uncoupling of the sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA). …

Exploring The Covid-19 Infodemic In Alaska, Emily Maxwell

Interdisciplinary Studies

The onset of the COVID-19 global health crisis coincided with an unprecedented rise in health misinformation and false narratives related to the disease. This simultaneous spread of accurate and inaccurate information, referred to as an infodemic, has had observable impacts on the trajectory of the pandemic and the future of public health. While health misinformation has been a factor in previous outbreaks, the increased prominence of social media as an information platform allowed misinformation to spread more widely and rapidly than ever before. This investigation aims to assess the impacts of COVID-19 misinformation in Alaska using a mixed methods approach. …

Sea Otter Interactions With Mariculture Oyster Farms, Emily Reynolds

Marine Biology

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are considered a keystone species and can be found around mariculture oyster farms. While oyster farms and sea otters have been coexisting in some locations, sustaining these farms, and the growing interest in expanding them, necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of potential interactions. Here, sea otter interactions with oyster farms were assessed through behavioral observations (i.e., activity and foraging dives) in oyster farms, adjacent non-farm areas (controls), and bays with no farming activity (references). Behavioral observations, conducted through scan surveys, captured sea otter activities (e.g., resting, grooming, swimming, and foraging). Targeted foraging observations tracked foraging success and …

Effect Of Macroalgae Diet On Growth Rate And Nutrition Of The Pinto Abalone, Haliotis Kamtschatkana, James Crimp

Marine Biology

Developing methods for the cultivation of the pinto abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana, has seen increased attention, both by groups using restoration aquaculture to reestablish endangered populations in Washington and British Columbia, and in the State of Alaska, where pinto abalone are viewed as a promising new species for commercial mariculture. To enhance the viability of cultivating H. kamtschatkana for commercial and restoration purposes, more information is needed on the optimal macroalgal diet that maximizes abalone growth and nutrition. This study compares the suitability of two commonly cultivated species of macroalgae as feed: Saccharina Iatissima, a kelp with relatively low protein content, …

Body Condition Of Pacific Common Eiders Breeding Along The Beaufort Sea Coast Of Alaska, Elyssa M. Watford

Biological Sciences

Pacific common eiders (Somateria mollissima v-nigrum; common eiders) are capital breeding seaducks that fast throughout their ~26 day incubation period. The incubation fast includes three metabolic phases: (I) a transition from feeding to using energy stored during the pre-breeding season, (II) the use of stored lipids for energy, and (III) the use of stored protein for energy as lipid reserves near depletion. With limited energy reserves for incubation, common eiders are more vulnerable to factors that increase the metabolic demands of reproduction, such as climate change or disturbance. We assessed the following metrics of body condition: mass, packed-cell volume, β-hydroxybutyrate, …

Msw Portfolio From The Lens Of A Clinical Social Worker, Madeliene Hamilton

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

My portfolio is an in-depth exploration at the journey that has led me here to my MSW with a comprehensive outline of my practicum and work experiences alongside coursework. My hope to anyone who reads this is that you can see my passion for this work and truly understand how each competency was learned and practice.

Exploring The Impact Of Mental Health Screening On Anxiety And Depression Scores Among Female Collegiate Ice Hockey Players., Christina Seber

Doctorate in Kinesiology

Background: Mental health and well-being are essential to being able to perform one’s best in career, academics, relationships, and sport (Egan, 2019). In young adults ages 18- to 25- years old, there is a growing prevalence in the types, severity, and percentage of mental illness. This is the age group of traditional college students and student-athletes, and it is highly recognized (Neal et al., 2013).

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between anxiety and depression levels with mental health screenings. What contribution do mental health screenings make towards decreasing levels of anxiety and depression?

Methods: …

Evaluating Cultural Competency In Health And Exercise Science Education: A Study Of College Student Perceptions And Abilities, Claire Woebke

Doctorate in Kinesiology

This dissertation examines the necessity and impact of integrating cultural competence training within a Health and Exercise Science curriculum. Based on participant interviews and IAPCC-SV survey data, critical gaps in current educational practices and proposed strategies for curriculum enhancement were identified. The findings suggest that embedding cultural competency training in all courses, through experiential learning opportunities and continuous professional development, would be most effective in raising future healthcare providers’ confidence in providing culturally sensitive care.

Documenting Food Insecure U.S. Children In The Wake Of The Pandemic, Courtney Bir, John Lai, Nicole Olynk Widmar

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Many households experienced significant negative economic impacts from job or work opportunity loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, including loss of income, loss of employer-provided health insurance, possible housing insecurity, and increases in food insecurity. Results from a sample of 929 U.S. households show that 53% of households with children reported some indications of food insecurity in 2020. The food security score divergences between households with and without children are stark, with food insecurity being worse among households with children. Food insecurity for households with children was exacerbated by pandemic-era disruptions; the societal costs of these food insecurity challenges are only …

Navigating Eating Disorders Through Counseling, Alyssa Pelella

The Kabod

Honors Petition submitted to PSYC365-001: Psychological Foundations of Learning.

Natural Remedy Use During Pregnancy, Labor, And Breastfeeding, Christine Lyford

The Kabod

Honors Petition submitted to NURS 306: Pharmacology.

To Heal A Mind: A Functional Approach To The Treatment Of Major Depressive Disorder, Gillian Chambers

The Kabod

Honors Petition submitted to NURS 306: Pharmacology II.

Effect Of 90-Day Oral Administration Of Ginger Extract On Hormonal, Haematological And Biochemical Parameters Of Wistar Rats: A Toxicity Study, Musa I. Yakubu, Abdulfatai A. Jimoh, Iliyasu K. Uwais, Ahmed A. Danbala, Micah Timothy, Medinat Y. Abbas, Ben A. Chindo

Bulletin of Faculty of Pharmacy Cairo University

The study aimed to investigate the effects of long-term consumption of high doses of ginger extract on various parameters in Wistar rats. The study followed OECD 408 testing guidelines and administered oral aqueous ginger extract at doses of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg body weight to the rats for 90 days. The rats were euthanized on the 91st day, blood samples collected for biochemical analysis. The ginger extract did not significantly affect haematological, endocrine and oxidative stress parameters. In conclusion, the extract did not result in haematological or endocrine toxicity in rats but positively reduced body weight and cholesterol levels.

Toxic Discretion: Environmental Inequality And The Discretionary Function Exception, Sarah E. Barritt

Notre Dame Law Review Reflection

Environmental racism is far reaching and insidious, and each of these devastating instances and the institutional factors that led to them could and should be the subject of entire books in their own right. The EPA and other agencies of the United States government are complicit in multiple ways, not least of all through their abject failures to properly regulate private industry pollution in BIPOC communities. However, this Note has cabined its analysis to the government’s failure to warn these communities of environmental contamination, and what happens when it hides behind the discretionary function exception in ensuing litigation. To provide …

Sex- And Age-Specific Differences In Mice Fed A Ketogenic Diet, Kenyon W. Sprankle, Mya Knappenberger, Erica J. Locke, Jack Thompson, Madison Vinovrski, Kaylin Knapsack, Stephen C. Kolwicz Jr.

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that results in the elevation of serum ketone bodies, known as ketosis. This metabolic consequence has been suggested as a method for treating neurological conditions, improving exercise performance, and facilitating weight loss for overweight individuals. However, since most research primarily uses male populations, little is known about the potential sex differences during the consumption of the KD. In addition, the effects of the KD on aging are relatively unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore sex- and age-specific differences in mice fed the KD. Male and female C57BL/6N …

A Call To Action: The Need For Uniform Healthcare Standards For Incarcerated Pregnant Women In U.S. Jails & Prisons, Victoria K. Mastrofilippo

Health Law Outlook

No abstract provided.

Farm Animal To Animal Farm: The Legal Implications To Human-Pig Chimeras And Xenotransplantation, Nicholas A. Schwarz

Health Law Outlook

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Immune System’S And Silybin’S Impact On Cancer Cachexia, Patrice Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cachexia is a complex syndrome that is characterized by the unintentional loss of body weight with or without fat loss. During cancer cachexia, there is an increase in inflammation consistent with various inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β ), and interleukin-6 (IL-6); all of which are known to increase proteolysis and aid in the progression of muscle loss and weakness. Immune cells such as macrophages are increased during cachexia and are known to have varying effects on muscle inflammation, regeneration, and the progression of fibrosis in a disease state. However, therapies aimed solely at …

Estuarine Microbial Community Composition And Efficiency Changes In Response To Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Exposure, Sarah Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a pathogenic bacterium whose full impact on natural estuarine phytoplankton communities has not been fully resolved. The primary goal of this research was to test how the addition of V. parahaemolyticus to a natural estuarine microbial community would impact the other microbes present. We hypothesized V. parahaemolyticus exposure would reduce phytoplankton biomass and alter the composition of phytoplankton and bacterial communities. Experimental bioassays (60h) were used to assess the effects of the presence of V. parahaemolyticus . Samples for measurements of chemotaxonomic photopigment concentrations, 16S sequencing-based community composition, photosynthetic efficiency, cell density, and V. parahaemolyticus abundance were …

Histories Of Stress: A Life Course Approach To Population Health In Late Medieval And Early Modern Berlin, Emily Brennan

Theses and Dissertations

Given our current climate crisis and urban population increases, researchers are increasingly interested in the health outcomes at the intersection of climate change and urbanization. Since climate change and urbanization affects human health in a variety of ways, more work is needed in diverse cultural contexts to understand temporal and geographic variations of such phenomena more fully. Using skeletal individuals from 13^th – 18^th century Berlin (n = 387), this project analyses demographic and health trends from the founding of the city in the late medieval period (c. 1200 – 1500) to the early modern period, when the …

Enslaved Women: Reproductive Choices And Medicine, Adedoyin Adekunle

Theses and Dissertations

Enslavement in the American South persisted as a form of subjugation that endured into the nineteenth century. The origins of slavery stemmed from enslavers’ aspirations for dominance. This compelled displacement involved the removal of Africans from their native lands and their subsequent transport as chattels to America. Slavery gave rise to paternalism, an attempt to justify exploitation to resolve the fundamental contradiction inherent in slavery. Paternalism gave rise to the false idea of ultimate submission, which historians have agreed that most enslavers never attained because of slave resistance. However, the study of slave resistance had been primarily focused on enslaved …

Transcending The Family-Teacher Partnership: Utilizing Teaching Methods And Digital Platforms Proven Effective During The Pandemic, Amanda Katherine Mcclain

Theses and Dissertations

The unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic led teachers to innovatively shift their teaching methods. These pioneering practices inspired this study’s Elevated Family-Teacher Partnership intervention to provide equitable guidance and communication for all families. This dissertation, in practice, measured the effects the intervention created in a first-grade classroom setting in Hanahan, South Carolina. A mixed-methods research design analyzed the intervention's effects on the family-teacher relationship and each child’s academic achievement. The data indicated increased parental efficacy, engagement, and academic growth during the 12-week intervention for all families participating.

Impacts Of Covid-19 And Taliban Takeover On U.S. Afghan Refugee Women’S Mental Health: A Socio-Ecological Approach To Resilience Resources, Atefeh Aghaei

Theses and Dissertations

In response to the escalating global refugee crisis, intensified by ongoing conflicts and environmental changes, this dissertation research focuses on the mental health of Afghan refugee women in the United States (U.S.), particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Taliban takeover. With over 114 million people displaced globally, Afghan refugees, notably women, encounter heightened mental health risks due to violence, deprivation, systemic persecution, and the challenges of migration. This vulnerability is exacerbated by recent mass traumatic events, including the pandemic and political upheaval in Afghanistan. Our study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with Afghan refugee women and …

Connecting Family Funds Of Knowledge With Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum: A Strengths-Based Approach, Molly Kathleen Hamel

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study investigated the application of funds of knowledge research to supplement a Pre-Kindergarten curriculum in order to connect the previous knowledge and lived experiences of students and their families with the concepts and objectives of the classroom. The research combined funds of knowledge theory with social constructivism to form its theoretical framework. The research study used semi-structured interviews with parents to collect information about student and family funds of knowledge which the researcher used to supplement the existing curriculum with materials, activities, and experiences with which students were familiar. The findings revealed how enhancing existing curriculum with …

Nutrition And Mental Health Related Factors Across Historically Black College And University Students, Nancy Anai Uriegas

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of food insecurity across college campus in the United States has been widely explored, with the primary focus placed on large, 4-year, primarily White institutions. Less is known about the prevalence of food insecurity and the impact it may have on health behaviors among minority serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Young adults attending college, and more specifically student-athletes (SAs), are typically in a new place, facing new stressors and high rates of food insecurity, which in turn may play a critical role in their current health status as it pertains to meeting their energy …

Associations Between The Use Of Ssri Medication In Older Adults And Cognitive Decline And Impairment, Paige Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has indicated that depression is a risk factor for dementia. Since SSRI medication is the most common treatment for depression, it is important to determine if SSRIs are associated with reduced dementia and better cognitive outcomes. Using longitudinal data from the 2004-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study merged with the 2005 Prescription Drug Study, we examined potential associations between SSRI and TCA medication and cognitive impairment and cognitive decline. The study population consisted of 1,775 older adults who participated in the PDS in 2005. We found that SSRIs were associated with significantly higher odds of cognitive …

Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms And Nicotine Use Among Adolescents In Canada, England, And The Us From 2020-2022, Emily E. Hackworth

Theses and Dissertations

Background: There is a well-established bi-directional relationship between cigarette smoking and internalizing mental health (IMH) symptoms (e.g., symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety). However, it is unclear whether IMH symptoms are associated with using different types of nicotine products among adolescents, as adolescents are using a variety of nicotine products, including combustible products (cigarettes), non-combustible products (e-cigarettes), or combinations of both types of products. This dissertation examines associations between IMH symptoms and current use of various types of nicotine products across three countries from 2020-2022.

Methods: Data come from the 2020-2022 waves of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Adolescents Tobacco …

Modulation Of Neurodegenerative Disease Progression By Antioxidant Status, Elena Kelety

Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, profoundly impact the brain and nervous system. In 2019, the United States reported the highest global prevalence of neurological disorders. This thesis approaches neurodegenerative diseases by emphasizing the critical role of a well-maintained antioxidant system, its intricate relationship with dietary patterns, and proposes an alternative fate of the antioxidant urate.

Neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis involves a complex interplay of neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, misfolded proteins, and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress arises from an imbalance in the antioxidant defense system and the production of reactive oxygen species. Synergistic antioxidant interactions are vital …