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Fall 2025 Environmental Sciences Seminar Series, Rachel Hestrin
No full textDrought can reduce productivity and resource availability below ground, with lasting effects on biogeochemical function. We hypothesize that mycorrhizal fungi support resilience to drought by facilitating microbial access to recent photosynthate carbon (C). We employed 13CO2 labeling chambers and stable isotope probing to investigate how the common arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis influences C dynamics in soils planted with the bioenergy grass model Panicum hallii. After eight weeks, water limitation resulted in an increase in both the total quantity of recent photosynthate C that accrued in the rhizosphere and in the quantity of photosynthate C assimilated by rhizosphere bacteria. Despite robust mycorrhizal colonization of inoculated roots, mycorrhizal effects on net C accrual were small compared to the effects of water limitation. However, distinct microbial communities assimilated photosynthate C in mycorrhizal-inoculated soil and exhibited greater growth potential and efficiency once moisture levels were restored in drought-affected soil. Together, these findings elucidate how mycorrhizal symbioses mediate ecosystem resilience to drought
How Human Personality Will Change with the Use of Artificial Intelligence
No full textINTRODUCTION: Human personality changes in response to new habits, situations, and maturation, among other causes. As people interact with artificial intelligence (AI), their personalities are likely to change, from their emotional responses to their self-concept.
METHODOLOGY: This theoretical account draws together empirical studies of how personality changed in response to past technological innovations, changes in personal interactions observed in people’s AI usage, changes that arise from the use and disuse of cognitive skills, and works on the self-concept. Research reports in the review were selected according to their relevance and quality.
THEORETICAL STATEMENT: While AI becomes increasingly human-like, humans increasingly represent themselves online, rendering humans and bots difficult to distinguish in virtual settings. Some people employ AI as a coach to guide them, while other users rely on AI for companionship, potentially reducing their experiences with other people. Moreover, as people rely on AI for work tasks, some workers will enhance their outputs, but may experience declines in their cognitive skills over time.
DISCUSSION. Areas of personality, from motives to the self-concept, are potentially impacted by AI. Psychologists can track these changes by classifying and measuring types of AI interactions and relating them to measures of personality attributes
COVID-19 Factors Associated With Medication Changes Among Nursing Home Residents With Dementia
No full textThis study examined associations of COVID-19 mortality rates, staffing, and resident behavior with changes in antidementia and psychotropic medication initiation among nursing home (NH) residents with dementia. A nationally representative survey of Directors of Nursing was analyzed to assess changes in medication initiation at the peak of the pandemic. NHs with higher COVID-19 mortality rates were less likely to report increases in antidementia medication initiation. COVID-19 mortality rates were not associated with significant increases or decreases in psychotropic initiation. NH’s that reported increased resident behavioral problems during the pandemic had higher odds of psychotropic initiation. In summary, NHs most affected by COVID-19 deaths were less likely than NHs with a milder pandemic experience to increase initiation of antidementia medications. Increased behavioral symptoms, possibly due to consequences of COVID-19, were associated with more psychotropic drug use. More research is needed to understand factors influencing prescribing practices during public health emergencies
Directing Patient Hand Hygiene Before Meals in the ICU: a Quality Improvement Project to Enhance Patient Safety
No full textBACKGROUND:
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a major problem in healthcare, increasing patient morbidity, mortality, and costs. While staff hand hygiene is a well-established infection control measure, less attention is paid to patient hand hygiene (PHH) despite CDC recommendations.
LOCAL PROBLEM:
An intensive care unit (ICU) in northeastern Massachusetts had no formal policy for patient hand hygiene, and hospital leadership expressed support for enhancing infection control practices.
METHODS:
Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model, a quality improvement project was implemented to encourage PHH before meals. Baseline PHH rates were collected through observation. The intervention involved registered nurses (RNs) directing patients to use hand sanitizer before eating. Pre- and post-intervention surveys gathered RN opinions about feasibility, supply availability, patient receptivity, and safety.
INTERVENTION:
Eligible patients received personal containers of alcohol-based hand sanitizer on meal trays and were verbally prompted by RNs to conduct hand hygiene before meals.
RESULTS:
PHH increased from 0% at baseline to 73.53% post-intervention. Survey results showed improved RN perceptions of feasibility and supply availability. While RN beliefs about the role of PHH in patient safety remained high, perceived patient receptivity improved only slightly.
CONCLUSION:
Directing PHH was a viable, cost-effective method that significantly improved hand hygiene compliance. The results suggest that PHH can be added to RN workflows to promote infection control and patient safety
One in Six Southern New England & NH Residents Bet on Sports at Least Sometimes 10/1/2025
No full textFifteen percent of southern New England and New Hampshire residents legally bet on sports at least occasionally: 2% bet a few times a week or more often, 1% bet a few times a month, less than 1% bet once a month, 5% bet a few times a year, and 6% bet less often than that. Massachusetts and Connecticut residents are most likely to bet legally on sports, while New Hampshire residents are least likely to do so
Fall 2025 Environmental Sciences Seminar Series, Allison Brehm
No full textBlack bears are charisma c carnivores with ecological, cultural, and economic value in the regions they inhabit. Because black bears are considered a highly-valued big game species in New Hampshire and other jurisdictions, regulated harvest is a fundamental tool for maintaining environmentally- and socially-sustainable populations. However, as the availability of non-natural food sources on the landscape is shining, historical management approaches may no longer align with bear management objectives and it is essential to understand potential impacts on black bear ecology and population dynamics. Drawing on 40+ years of data from New Hampshire, in this seminar I will examine and discuss the ecological implications of changing ecology and bear management strategies with a focus on reproductive rates and black bear behavior. Finally, I will identify key areas for future research
UNH\u27s Harish Vashisth Awarded $780K NSF Grant to Advance RNA Research and Train STEM Workforce
No full textAssessing Effectiveness of Runnel Restoration in New England Salt Marsh Habitats
No full textRising sea levels that increase flooding in salt marshes recovering from hydrologic impairments is reducing nesting habitat for salt marsh sparrows. Abandonment of colonial farming practices (1600s through 1900s) has resulted in large, waterlogged basins characterized by shallow depressions (pannes) dominated by short-form Spartina alterniflora and unvegetated megapools that are subsiding. A relatively new technique designed to provide regular tidal flooding and drainage to the waterlogged basins that have formed on the marsh is runnelling – creation of shallow hydrologic features on the marsh surface. Will runnels result in revegetation of pannes and pools with productive perennial grasses that are favored by nesting sparrows? Twenty-three marsh areas where runnels were employed to revegetate subsided basins from Maine through Rhode Island were examined and compared with reference and no-action alternatives. Runnels were shown to effectively drain pools and the shallow upper layer of peat to stimulate plant growth in deeper pools (open water replaced by Spartina alterniflora) and shallow pannes (short S. alterniflora replaced by high marsh graminoids), preventing the expansion of waterlogged basins and promoting recovery of vegetation preferred by endemic marsh sparrows