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Contextualizing Ellen H. Richards: America’s Forgotten First Lady of Science and Nutrition
No full textFood industry practices have been under increasing scrutiny over the past fifteen years. Unsavory relationships between government and food industry officials have led to instances of lax policies and poor practices. Ultimately, the consumers pay for these private pacts with their health. Today’s heightened attention to food production, nutrition, and public health has a notable antecedent in the work of Progressive Era activist, Ellen H. Richards (1842-1911), the most prominent female chemist of the Progressive Era (1890-1920). While attending MIT (1870-1873), Richards’s interest in nutrition developed into a vocational calling. After graduation, she set out to save society from their nutritional ignorance one book and one meal at a time. Because her attempts were numerous, this project and exhibit focuses on her efforts to raise awareness about adulterated food products and to improve the dietary habits of children through school lunch programs. Although Richards’s contribution to the field of nutrition was substantial, scholars have focused on the accomplishments of her male contemporaries, such as Edward Atkinson, Robert Hunter, and Upton Sinclair. The goal of this project and exhibition is to reinsert Richards into the history of Progressive Era nutrition reforms. Reexamining this topic will not only provide a better understanding of the comprehensive effort to prevent food adulterations and improve people’s nutritional habits throughout the Progressive Era, but it may also provide a better understanding of America’s current nutrition movements and laws
What If You Were One Out of 404,151?
No full textThe Chicago public school system (CPS) is the third-largest school system in the United States, but CPS has received a lot of national scrutiny recently. Research shows that the large number of selective enrollment high schools is a strength of CPS. They offer a rigorous curriculum, a large number of Advanced Placement courses, and other pathways to higher education. The weaknesses of the Chicago schools are large class sizes, limited access to arts and music education, a shortage of social workers, an absence of school libraries, and lack of free transportation to and from school. If CPS committed itself to the five essentials for school success identified by the University of Chicago (effective leadership, collaborative teachings, involved families, supportive environment, and ambitious instruction), all of its schools would be more successful and all of its students would receive an excellent education, not just those in the selective enrollment high schools
French Language and Culture in Crisis?
No full textAll people value their native tongue to some extent. French speakers are especially attached to their language, and many of them believe that linguistic changes threaten their culture. This linguistic pride is partially due to the history of the French language and its historical influence on Europe as a whole. The French have long made attempts to preserve their language and prevent it from changing. They are even more concerned currently by what they see as threats from two sources: The increasing prevalence of English and of technology. This concern prompted the passage of an even stricter language law in 1994. However, language change is inevitable and impossible to prevent. Furthermore, it is important to remember that cultural change is not the same thing as cultural threat. The French language must adapt itself to modern society if it hopes to continue to thrive. The best way for the French to foster their language tradition is to promote multilingualism and multiculturalism. This would allow future generations to balance the near-necessity of speaking English along with their national language
Isolation of 20 Mycobacteriophages and Genomic Analysis of the Novel Mycobacteriophage, Inventum
No full textTwenty new mycobacteriophages were isolated from soil samples collected on or nearby Hope College in Holland, Michigan. All were capable of infecting Mycobacterium smegmatis and produced a variety of plaque morphologies based on size, shape, and clarity, consistent with the isolation of an assortment of different phages. Both lytic and temperate phages appear represented in this collection. Nineteen purified phage stocks were used to prepare genomic DNA samples for restriction digest analysis. A comparison of those 19 digest results revealed few similarities among the group, further supporting our interpretation that most of the new phage isolates were distinct. One mycobacteriophage, Inventum, was chosen for complete genome sequencing using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine system platform and comparative genomic analysis. The predominant plaque produced by Inventum was 3-4 mm in diameter and displayed a clear center surrounded by a turbid ring after 24 hours of growth at 37°C. Comparison of the restriction digest pattern for Inventum with more than 200 known mycobacteriophage genomes did not yield an exact match, suggesting Inventum was a novel mycobacteriophage. Genome sequence data for Inventum supported that prediction but also revealed a relationship to large group of mycobacteriophages. The genome of Inventum is 57 Kb, 61.4% GC, and contains 106 genes in agreement with the genome characteristics of closely related phage. A detailed analysis of the complete genome sequence and comparison with sequenced members of this small and unique group of mycobacteriophages is the subject of the second semester of this yearlong course and is presented
Weapons of Cellular Destruction: Investigating the Cytotoxic Effects of Mycobacteriophage Vix Gene 80
No full textA bacteriophage, or phage, is a virus that infects and reproduces in bacteria. During productive infections – those that result in construction and release of infectious phage particles – key host cell metabolic processes are often modified by the infecting phage and redirected toward making new phage particles. Protein-protein interactions are likely involved in this process. Identifying the relevant phage and host gene products and understanding how phage exploit their host’s weaknesses could lead to new therapeutic options for many bacterial illnesses. In this work, mycobacteriophage Vix, gene 80, a gene cytotoxic to host strain Mycobacterium smegmatis, was studied. Our hypothesis was that an interaction between the Vix80 gene product and a host cell protein, possibly MSMEG_3532, affects host cell metabolism and causes growth inhibition. Vix80 protein shares 68% amino acid identity with the product of gene 77 of mycobacteriophage L5, a gene that has been previously shown to exhibit cytotoxic properties and interacts with MSMEG_3532, a L-serine dehydratase. Both Vix80 and L5_77 gene products contain a conserved domain of unknown function near the N-terminus. The Vix80 gene was dissected and the N-terminal conserved domain was tested separately for cytotoxic activity. The N-terminal 66 residues, encompassing the entire conserved domain of unknown function, was found to be cytotoxic to M. smegmatis. Efforts to express and purify both the Vix80 and MSMEG_3532 proteins in Escherichia coli and show a physical interaction in vitro have not succeeded due to extremely low solubility of our T7-antigen tagged MSMEG_3532 protein. We continue to explore this approach with modifications, including the removal of the T7-antigen tag on MSMEG_3532. Expression of the Vix80 protein in E.coli was also cytotoxic indicating existence of a conserved host target in this species, or, that Vix80 cytotoxicity does not require an interaction with a specific host protein. Finally, to examine whether the Vix80 gene is required for phage Vix infection of M. smegmatis, we are in the process of removing the genomic copy of Vix80 in phage Vix
Rare Earth Element Enriched Minerals in Hydrothermal Copper Deposits from the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, USA
No full textHydrothermal metamorphism associated with copper mineralization in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula created concentrated masses of calc-silicate minerals in both basalts and arkosic conglomerates. These masses consisted of epidote, pumpellyite, prehnite, and titanite in the basalts and epidote, titanite, and sporadic andradite in the conglomerates. The calc-silicate masses were examined by Scanning Electron Microscope, and electron microprobe analyses were completed on the calc-silicate minerals from three localities of mineralized basalts and two localities of mineralized conglomerates. Epidotes enriched in rare earth elements (REE) were found in samples from both conglomerate localities and can be classified into three textural types. Type I enrichment is a growth zoning characterized by narrow zones with up to 6 wt.% REE outlining euhedral crystal zones enclosed within REE-poor epidote grains. Type II enrichment is a dissolution-reprecipitation zoning and consists of irregular REE-enriched zones around fractures or as incomplete rims/embayments at the margins of REE poor crystals. Type III enrichment consists of masses of small, acicular crystals with an allanite component of up to 47 mole% projecting from the margins of REE poor epidote crystals or intergrown with titanite/REE poor epidote. The REE-fluorocarbonate synchysite occurs with calcite in some conglomerate samples that contain little or no epidote. Only one basalt sample was found to contain REE-enriched minerals where it occurs in the form of clusters of irregularly shaped patches with up to 4.3 wt.% REE within REE-poor epidote. Either a change in the hydrothermal fluid composition or a sudden decrease in temperature during the last stages of epidote growth led to super-saturation of REE elements that in turn led to the development of Type II and Type III enrichment. The most probable source for the REE are the rhyolite clasts in the conglomerates
Breast Nurse Navigation Impacts Timeliness of Care for Breast Cancer Patients
No full textBreast cancer care is often delivered by multiple health care providers over an extended period of time within an already fragmented health care system. This can result in persistent gaps in the care process leading to inadequate follow-up and delays in treatment. The breast nurse navigator (BNN) role seeks to address these shortcomings by bridging the gaps and therefore assists with improving patient outcomes in the process. Some BNN programs have demonstrated improvements in timeliness of access to care, resolution of barriers to care, and heightened patient satisfaction. The purpose of this retrospective descriptive study was to examine the impact of the BNN on timeliness of care throughout a breast cancer patient’s treatment trajectory. Hildegard Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Model of Nursing was utilized for this study as it highlights the effectiveness of the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship on reaching mutual problem-solving goals, providing for optimal patient outcomes. The study was conducted at a large health care institution in West Michigan, comparing 423 patients who received care prior to the initiation of the BNN program (fiscal year 2009) compared with 170 patients who received BNN services during the initial year of the program (fiscal year 2010), and with 82 patients who received BNN services in fiscal year 2011. Data was collected from the institution’s cancer registry and the patients’ medical records by nursing students. SPSS statistical software was used for data analysis. Analysis of variance tests showed significant improvements in timeliness of care from 2009 (pre-BNN program initiation) to 2010 (first year of BNN program) and from 2010 (first year of BNN) to 2011 (year two of BNN program). Potential limitations include data collection from only one health care institution and limited demographic information available for analysis. Findings validate the role of the BNN in removing barriers to care, potentially improving patient outcomes and the overall quality of health care delivery. Study results support the implementation of BNN programs nationwide. Further research should be done with a variety of BNN programs across the nation and should be further conducted to support the expansion of nurse navigation to a variety of cancer diagnoses
Athletes and Food as Fuel: Choosing Premium Over Unleaded
No full textA shift in American food culture has termed food as the fuel for an on-the-go nation. However, in sharp contrast with the culture of quantity over quality and fast food, athletes use food as fuel in a much different way. Previous studies have examined the advantages as well as disadvantages of how athletic involvement influences a person’s use, perception, and relationship with food. Most athletes, especially professional and college athletes, have access to more nutritional information than the average American, which would suggest that their foodways are different and possibly healthier. However, these athletes have also been said to have higher levels of pressure placed on them, which can lead to disordered eating habits. This study uses interviews with college athletes and non-athletes to understand what their eating habits are and, if they are athletes, how they relate food to their involvement in sports. In addition, textual analysis of news articles about the diets of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, NBA basketball player Michael Jordan, Olympic volleyball player Misty May-Treanor, and Olympic swimmer Janet Evans will also be used to evaluate the way elite athletes construct foodways. I expect to find through both the interviews and textual analysis that food is used to increase performance and fuel the body to function at its best. Although college and elite athletes comprise only around .13 percent of the American population, uncovering ways in which athlete foodways vary from the norm can benefit the population by highlighting the benefits that can come from upper-tier athletics. This study’s results can also be used to inform the general population how to better relate to foodways and make nutrition and exercise choices that positively shape their foodways
The Differences of Organic and Non-Organic Food in a National Grocery Store Versus a Whole Foods Store
No full textOrganic food has suddenly become a recent trend in grocery stores across the country. Many people eat organic simply because they enjoy the taste or want to enjoy the benefits that come with eating natural, organic food. This qualitative research project will discuss the ideologies that shape people’s everyday foodways, specifically the foodways of organic eaters. The project’s research question examines how are organic versus non-organic products marketed and are they really healthier? Through two textual analyses (one of a “whole food” store and one of a national grocery store) my project will analyze what types of foods are sold at each store and how both organic and non-organic foods are marketed to consumers. Textual analyses of features of the packaging of food products (such as color, food descriptions, and graphics) will also reveal how specific organic and nonorganic products are marketed and which products are healthier. I predict that this research will find that organic food is healthier than non-organic food, but it does not matter whether the organic food is from a brand-name or generic label – both will have the same health value
Matching Across Sorority Rush: Learning in a Dual-Sided Matching Context
No full textThis paper explores learning in dual sided markets, a context initially described by Gale & Shapley (1967) in their exploration of college wait list decision-making. Since their initial research, we have seen an expansion of work on matching in dual side markets by, amongst others, Alvin Roth whose research on organ transplants and the sorority rush process earned him the 2012 Nobel Prize in Economics. This paper expands Mongell and Roth’s (1991) study of the sorority rush process by including a wider range of behavioral motivators. While Mongell and Roth assumed perfect information, utility maximizing homogenous players, and attitude stability amongst other things, we relax the assumptions of attitude stability and homogeneous agents and therefore model the process by including personality and network perspectives. In this context and with these assumptions, we model learning of participants across the rush process in three different ways: learning by motivated reasoning, learning from interaction with the houses, and learning from one’s peers. Learning from motivated reasoning (Kunda, 1990) is a process of seeking confirmation of initial opinions, a process that would be result in continuity of house ranking alongside a growing spread of house evaluations. Learning by interaction with houses involves attendance at the house events and also the interpretation of signals sent from the house—signals like rejection from events not open to the public. In this approach, attitudes would be shaped by rejection, where either rejection acts as a signal of scarcity and therefore drives evaluation up, or rejection would cause house devaluation as a way to protect one’s identity. In regards to learning from one’s peers, we recognize that girls don’t enter this process alone and therefore formally model the influence of the attitudes of one’s peers on a girl’s attitudes over time. Across the learning mechanisms, we also drop the assumption of homogenous individuals and therefore account for how differences in self-esteem moderate the learning process. Our model is tested using panel survey data during the sorority rush process at a small Christian liberal arts college. The results from this study help us to better understand the way individuals form their attitude toward a given house or in a larger context, sort themselves into organizations across a given market. Initial findings suggest learning does occur but it is a complex mix of the outlined mechanisms