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Alcohol and Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Drinking in Older Adults
No full textIn 2024, approximately 6.5 million adults aged 65 and older reported heavy drinking. Research consistently shows that alcohol use, regardless of amount, can negatively affect cognition. Although older adults are known to be more vulnerable to these effects, few studies have examined how light to moderate alcohol consumption influences cognitive performance in this population. To address this gap, the present study investigated the relationship between alcohol intake and memory recall. We hypothesized that light to moderate alcohol consumption would be associated with lower immediate and delayed recall scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Data were drawn from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project through the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). The final sample included 3,051 participants who reported lifestyle and health information, including drinking habits. Results from a one-way ANOVA showed significant differences in memory performance (p \u3c .001). Nondrinkers scored highest, while light drinkers performed lowest on both recall measures. Moderate and heavy drinkers scored slightly higher than light drinkers but remained below nondrinkers. These findings indicate that alcohol consumption is linked to poorer memory in older adults. The unexpected result that light drinkers performed worse than moderate or heavy drinkers suggests that other factors, such as health status or lifestyle, may influence these outcomes. Overall, this study highlights the importance of educating older adults about the cognitive risks of alcohol use and informing public health guidelines that promote healthy aging
Fungal Foes and Fatty Defenses: How Simulated Snake Skin Lipids Influence Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola Growth
No full textEmerging fungal diseases are a continuous threat to wildlife health as well as biodiversity. Fungal diseases, such as white nose syndrome in bats, can devastate populations by disrupting their ecosystems. Many other species around the world are affected by fungal diseases, such as amphibians, birds, and snakes. In more recent years, snake fungal disease (SFD) emerged due to the fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (O.o). Like Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungal pathogen responsible for white nose syndrome, O.o targets the skin which contains many fatty acids. Some studies have shown that fatty acids present in bat skin are able to inhibit fungal growth. It has also been observed that some species of snakes are more susceptible to infection of O.o. This prompted us to research how some of the fatty acids present in snakeskin would inhibit the growth of O.o., and if different fatty acid composition between species were a factor in explaining the differences of species infections. We simulated snakeskin in a petri dish with keratin and infused one of four different fatty acids into agar for five trials. A plug with O.o was laid on top of the agar in the middle of the dish to simulate infection. Growth of the fungus was recorded every two days until eight days passed. It was observed that there were significant differences in growth of trials involving octanoic acid and nonanoic acid compared to other trials and two controls. Octanoic and nonanoic acid showed a slowing effect on growth of O.o. This was theorized to be caused by the longer carbon chains in the two fatty acids. Our results agree with previous knowledge of nonanoic acid being antifungal. For further understanding, research on volatility of acids in the agar over time could be observed
Surviving the Seasons: Climate and Time Effects on Native Songbirds
No full textBird populations across North America have declined sharply in recent decades due to habitat loss, climate change, and changes in food availability. As bird numbers fall, ecosystems lose essential pollinators, seed dispersers, and insect predators. Long-term monitoring of bird populations is vital for understanding how environmental changes influence their survival and abundance. This study examines capture data from a long-term bird banding station at Percy Warner Nature Center in Nashville, Tennessee, focusing on five native species: Northern Cardinal (NOCA), American Robin (AMRO), American Goldfinch (AMGO), Tufted Titmouse (TUTI), and Carolina Chickadee (CACH), from fall 1983 to fall 2023. We analyzed the number of captures per trapping effort against time and average summer/fall temperature to identify long-term trends in capture rates that may indicate population health. Capture records collected using mist nets and ground traps were also analyzed to assess potential capture-method bias, evaluate how temperature and time affect capture success, and identify annual trends that may reflect shifts in abundance or behavior.We did not find a significant correlation between capture rates and either time or average temperature over the study period. However, we found differences among species in their likelihood of being caught by nets versus traps, with Tufted Titmice and Carolina Chickadees more likely to be captured in nets than other species. While there were no significant temporal or temperature-related trends observed, future studies could include additional climate variables to better assess potential impacts on native bird populations
Assessment of Nature Based Solutions Through Soil Microbial Community Diversity Using Biolog EcoPlates™
No full textNature-based solutions (NBS) mimic the functions of natural environments to promote ecosystem services beneficial to society and biodiversity, which is especially crucial to urban environments. On a college campus in an urban landscape, how do NBSs affect soil microbial diversity? Three soil samples were collected from seven locations across Belmont University’s campus in Nashville, TN: a community garden, rose garden, indigenous-people’s garden, manufactured creek, two green roofs, and an alley-berm as the control. To characterize each site, the pH, nitrogen and phosphorus level, percent moisture, and soil type were determined. Plant diversity and percent coverage were assessed using a 1 m2 quadrat. Each soil sample dilution (10-3) was plated on a Biolog EcoPlate™, incubated at 25ºC, and optical density (OD) was measured at 72 hours. The OD values were used to calculate average well color development (AWCD) to determine soil microbial community diversity and the Shannon-Weaver Index to assess diversity. Results showed that all locations with NBSs, except the indigenous garden, had lower soil microbial diversity than the control. This provides little evidence that NBSs provide a positive impact to their environment, meaning that implementation at a larger scale would not be beneficial in regards to soil health
Impact of Height on Primrose Leaf Litter Decomposition
No full textDecomposition is a crucial process in nutrient cycling, where dead organic matter turns into nutrients for the environment. Height is a significant abiotic factor that can influence these factors. Dried primrose was chosen for this experiment to test how much height affects decomposition; 8 mesh bags were filled with 4.0g of dried primrose leaves. Four bags were placed at ground level, and four were placed on top of a plant, 2ft above the ground. Using the fishing line, the bags at each site were tied together to prevent them from blowing away. By changing the height of the plants, the organisms able to reach the leaf litter are altered, which can cause variations in the rate of decomposition. Light is also a significant abiotic factor that affects the rate of decomposition, so the difference in total light reaching the leaf litter on ground level and above ground can alter decomposition as well. The litterbags located on ground level underwent a higher level of decomposition and decreased the most in biomass. The higher level of decomposition at ground level suggests a more advantageous nutrient cycling when leaf litter is closer to the ground. This study provides valuable insight into the effect of height on the ability of leaf litter to undergo decomposition and aid in nutrient cycling
Reading Between the Roles: Gender Bias in Resume Evaluation
No full textThis study investigated the potential for gender bias to affect perceived job fitness. Existing research suggests that gender bias influences hiring evaluations depending on job context (Galos & Coppock, 2023). Gender bias is defined as a systematic preference or prejudice toward one gender over another when gender is not meaningfully relevant to job performance (Hardy et al., 2021). To examine this, participants reviewed three resumes: one male-typed, one female-typed, and one gender-neutral, and were asked to imagine they were hiring for nine different positions: three stereotypically male, three stereotypically female, and three gender-neutral roles. Participants then rated how well each resume fit each position. A 3 (resume type) × 3 (job type) repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between resume type and job type, F(16, 464) = 13.24, p \u3c .001, indicating that perceptions of job fit depended on both the resume’s gender cues and the job’s gender stereotyping. Pairwise comparisons showed that male-typed resumes were rated significantly higher than female-typed or neutral resumes for traditionally masculine and gender-neutral positions, including financial analyst, project manager, mechanic, marketing manager, and accountant. In contrast, female-typed resumes were rated highest for stereotypically feminine roles such as elementary school teacher, nurse, and administrative assistant. Neutral resumes tended to receive moderate ratings across all positions but were rarely rated as the best fit. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that hiring evaluations are influenced by occupational gender stereotypes, underscoring the persistence of implicit gender bias in perceived job suitability
Antifungal Effects of Fatty Acids on the Growth of Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola in a Simulated Snake Skin Environment
No full textEmerging infectious diseases have increasingly threatened wildlife populations worldwide, with devastating impacts observed in frogs, bats, and more recently, snakes. Snake fungal disease (SFD), caused by the pathogenic fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), currently poses a serious threat to snake populations across multiple regions. Infected snakes exhibit disrupted skin shedding, rough or scaly patches, crusty sores, and ulcers that compromise their health and survival. Although the mechanisms underlying transmission and susceptibility to SFD remain unclear, the snake cutaneous microbiome is known to act as a defensive barrier, mediating interactions between the host and invading pathogens. The lipid layer is a key component of skin structure and has demonstrated antifungal properties in bats affected by white-nose syndrome. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of six fatty acids naturally found on snakeskin on the growth of Oo. To simulate the natural skin environment, Oo was cultured on keratin-based minimal media supplemented with six different fatty acids, and fungal growth was recorded every two days over an eight-day period. Results showed that several fatty acids significantly inhibited fungal growth compared to untreated controls, with nonanoic acid exhibiting the strongest inhibitory effect with no visible growth until six days post-inoculation. These findings suggest that lipids on snakeskin may function as a natural defense mechanism, potentially contributing to species-level variation in susceptibility to SFD. Further research should evaluate lipid concentrations over time to determine whether Oo adapts to metabolize these lipids as an alternative carbon source or whether the compounds volatilize naturally. Overall, this study advances our understanding of host–pathogen interactions in snakes and aligns with other studies about the antifungal properties of fatty acids
Exploring the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Mentha Piprita (Peppermint)
No full textThe goal of this study aims to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Mentha piperita (peppermint) through extraction and steam distillation methods. Fresh peppermint leaves were extracted using methanol, ethanol, and a 1:1 methanol/ethanol solvent mixture to obtain antioxidant extracts, while steam distillation was used to isolate peppermint essential oil. Antioxidant activity was analyzed using the DPPH scavenging assay, where percent inhibition and 50 values were calculated from absorbance readings at 520nm. Results showed that the 1:1 methanol/ethanol extract exhibited the highest DPPH scavenging activity, indicating strong free radical neutralizing among the tested samples. The methanol extract demonstrated moderate antioxidant potential, while the ethanol extract showed lower activity. Antimicrobial effects were assessed using agar diffusion method against Escherichia coli (K-12). The store bought peppermint essential oil produced the largest zones of inhibition, confirming antimicrobial properties, while solvent extracts showed no inhibition. Overall, these findings suggest that peppermint extracts and essential oils exhibit measurable antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and may have potential applications as natural alternatives in food preservation and pharmaceuticals
The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Emotion Recognition
No full textAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are a known risk factor for increased mental health challenges in adulthood. Childhood experiences, even mild trauma, can shape brain development and influence emotional and cognitive processing, including emotion recognition. The present study investigated the relationship between ACEs and emotion recognition, hypothesizing that individuals with higher ACE scores would be more likely to select negative emotions when viewing chimeric faces. Fifty-seven students (Mage = 19.35) were recruited through the SONA research participation system. Participants completed an online survey assessing demographic information, ACE scores, and a chimeric face task designed to measure emotion recognition. A simple regression indicated that total ACE scores did not significantly predict overall negative emotion selections. However, multivariate analyses revealed that specific ACEs were associated with particular emotion recognition patterns. Higher emotional abuse predicted more anger selections in anger-happy faces, maternal violence predicted more anger in anger-sad faces and more disgust in disgust-sad faces, and parental mental illness predicted more disgust selections in disgust-sad faces. These findings suggest that certain types of childhood adversity may have a stronger influence on emotion recognition than ACEs overall. Overall, the results highlight that the nature and severity of childhood experiences can profoundly shape everyday emotional perception and interpretation
The Closer We Are Together the Further We Are from Care (or so it seems)
No full textToday, more humans than ever live in urban settings; one might expect that to mean that in times of need as “U-social” beings we would be more supported by members of our surrounding communities. Yet, often nothing seems further from the truth: many of us barely know the names of neighbors. While the rise of the pseudo-sociality of the internet is often cited as the primary cause of this, the members of this panel will reflect on the underpinnings of neighborliness especially in settings where neighbors might be much further apart, physically and in some cases culturally, in the works of Willa Cather, Jane Austen, and de Toqueville, with a possible foray into the works of a few medieval writers and invite discussion on why neighborliness seems to be so much harder to retain as we move closer together