Journals@UC (University of Cincinnati)
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Diet Quality, Diet Diversity, Food Insecurity, and WIC Participation Among Infants Enrolled in a Home Visiting Program
No full textRecord ID: 207
Award(s): Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship
Program Affiliation: NA
Presentation Type: Poster
Abstract: We aimed to evaluate whether diet diversity and quality in infants at-risk for health disparities and enrolled in a home visiting program associated with food insecurity and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. Twenty-eight mother-infant dyads completed three 24-hour diet recalls via phone when infants were 9 months old as part of a pilot randomized controlled trial examining efficacy of an infant obesity prevention program. Dyads were recruited from Every Child Succeeds, a home visiting program to promote parenting skills and healthy development in families with young children. Diet recall data were used to calculate the USDA Healthy Eating Index (HEI), which measures diet quality (range 0-100) and the World Health Organization Minimum Diet Diversity (MDD) score to assess infant diet diversity.Infants were diverse in race/ethnicity (40% Hispanic, 20% Non-Hispanic Black), and most families were low income (80% <$30k) and enrolled in the WIC program (73%). Only 53.6% experienced high food security. Average HEI score was 47.04 (SD = 7.34), and 75% of children met MDD criteria. Diet diversity and quality didn\u27t relate to food security (p= .46, p= .12, respectively) or participation in the WIC program (both p=.87).Infants participating in a home visiting program displayed adequate levels of diet diversity. Infants also showed diet quality similar to national samples, but because the HEI measures used haven\u27t been adapted to populations under two, the results may not be accurate
A Proposed Complete Biodiversity Assessment for Cincinnati Using Citizen Science
No full textRecord ID: 95
Program Affiliation: Capstone
Presentation Type: Video
Abstract: To create sustainable green spaces in Cincinnati, it is essential to understand the city\u27s biodiversity. Invasive species have been a struggle for the city due to the competition created for native species, which reduces biodiversity and ecosystem services. Following the priority action from the Green Cincinnati Plan that was suggested through community outreach sessions to have a biodiversity assessment done for Cincinnati incorporating citizen science. For my capstone, I researched the current biodiversity assessments in Cincinnati and worldwide, the gaps in these assessments, and how to integrate citizen science. Through my research, I found that the City Biodiversity Index created by Singapore while performing its biodiversity assessment would be a valuable tool, along with using apps such as iNaturalist or Field Maps to incorporate citizen science. My research also suggests breaking Cincinnati down into smaller quadrants and performing biodiversity assessments in smaller sections. Understanding biodiversity in the area will help with creating these green spaces written into the Green Cincinnati Plan and possibly boost biodiversity in Cincinnati
Promoting Electrification: A Collaborative Discussion on the Needed Incentives for Developers to Electrify Buildings New and Old
No full textRecord ID: 100
Program Affiliation: Capstone
Presentation Type: Video
Abstract: As cities worldwide confront the imperative of transitioning towards sustainable energy systems, the electrification of buildings emerges as a pivotal strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing urban resilience. This research project investigates the existence and efficacy of developer incentives to electrify buildings, drawing insights from successful initiatives in other cities and soliciting feedback from stakeholders here in Cincinnati. Through a multidisciplinary lens, the study aims to address the overarching goal of promoting electrification as a means to combat climate change and advance sustainability objectives, leaving the city of Cincinnati\u27s reliance on fossil fuels a thing of the past. The specific research question guiding this investigation is: What tools and strategies have proven successful in incentivizing developers to electrify buildings in other cities, and how can these approaches be adapted to meet the goals of its ambitious green plan? The methodology involves a comprehensive review of existing literature, case studies of electrification initiatives in cities elsewhere, and qualitative interviews with key development figures in the Cincinnati community. The anticipated outcome of this research is a set of actionable recommendations for policymakers, urban planners, and industry stakeholders in Cincinnati to develop effective incentives for electrification. By fostering dialogue and collaboration across sectors, the findings aim to catalyze the adoption of electrification technologies, thereby contributing to a more sustainable community
Allium Cepa Peel Waste: A Sustainable Solution for Antibacterial Leather Dyeing with GS Powder Mordanting
No full textUsing natural dyes rather than synthetic dyes is an option that can be pursued to achieve sustainability in leather dyeing. The main disadvantage of natural dyeing is poor wet and dry rub fastness and the requirements of metal mordants for fixing. In this work, onion peel waste is the chosen raw material to produce natural dye for leather dyeing without metal mordant. Adding commercial syntans and vegetable tannins with the onion peel dye in the post tanning process produces good quality dyed leather without using any mordants. The optimal particle size of eco-friendly onion peel dye was extracted from onion peel (Allium cepa) using a modified aqueous extraction method. The extracted dye was examined by various instrumental techniques to characterize the functional groups by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), optical properties by UV-VIS spectrophotometry, size by Malvern Instruments, and thermal stability by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The results express the suitability for application in the leather dyeing process. The extracted dye was analysed for the antibacterial activity towards Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, and the results revealed that the natural dye has an antibacterial effect Crust leather dyed only with extracted dye showed poor dy
Bisphenol Reduction in Syntans and Examples for Extraction and Migration of Bisphenols from Leather Articles
No full textBisphenol S and F play a major role in the synthesis of syntans. Bisphenol S can be a starting material or undesired side product, while bisphenol F can form as an undesired side product. They can be found in basically all syntans in a range from close to the detection limit up to several thousand parts per million and can be detected in most leather articles by extraction or by migration. In an initiative by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to drastically reduce bisphenols in consumer goods and in the environment, challenging limits were proposed in 2022. These limits would have had a strong impact on syntan portfolios of the leather chemical manufacturers and on many leather articles. After a public a consultation, ECHA has temporarily withdrawn the restriction proposal and wants to re-work it. Examples for reductions of both bisphenols in leather chemicals and the impact on extractions and migration from leather articles down to detection limits will be outlined in this article. 
Influence of Metals in Leather Processing: A Review on Significant Contribution of Metals in Leather Making
No full textThe leather industry occupies a prominent place in the economy for many developing countries. Imparting requisite properties to leathers at suitable checkpoints in the leather value chain is of utmost significance to meet the quality requirements in concurrence with global market dynamics. Metals play a crucial role in stabilizing the collagen matrix at different stages of leather processing. They also aid in imparting important properties to leathers at the respective stage leading to the enhancement of the end product. The current review critically analyses the role of different metals like chromium, aluminum, titanium and metallic nanocomposites in different unit operations of leather processing. Each metal/ metallic nanocomposite has its own set of advantages and limitations in different dimensions including imparting properties to leathers at the appropriate stage of the process, in terms of availability and extent of environmental hazard. Further, metallic nanocomposites either standalone or in combination with suitable compounds/ extracts are found to have potential applications in the fabrication of good quality leathers and in imparting superior properties like antimicrobial and thermal stability properties. The current study dives into the pool of existing literature available to dedicatedly highlight the uses and challenges involved in using metals and metallic nanocomposites in leather processing, thus serving as a ready-reckoner to researchers working on designing metal-based protein crosslinkers/ stabilizers and finishing elements for the development of value-added leather products
Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations of Sophorolipids Against Selected Halotolerant and Moderately Halophilic Bacteria, and Extremely Halophilic Archaea Isolated from Salt Samples and Salted Skins
No full textSophorolipids (SLs) are fungal/yeast glycolipids that possess antimicrobial activity. In this study, three different SL mixtures were produced by microbial fermentation from oleic acid (SL-o), palmitic acid (SL-p), and stearic acid (SL-s), and tested for their antimicrobial activity against various halotolerant and moderately halophilic bacteria, and against extremely halophilic archaea that were isolated from salt and salted skin samples, as well as bacterial and extremely halophilic archaeal reference strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of each of the SLs against known halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms were determined by the broth microdilution test method using resazurin dye. The extremely halophilic archaeal strains were most susceptible to the antimicrobial action of the tested SLs with MIC values as low as 3.42 μg/mL. Conversely, the endospore-forming halotolerant test strains, although susceptible to SLs, showed MIC values as high as 109.38 μg/mL. The SL-o, SL-p, and SL-s each exhibited broad-spectrum activity, demonstrating growth-inhibition against ten salt-associated bacterial strains and three archaeal strains possessing proteolytic activity, lipolytic activity, or both properties. In addition, each of the SLs showed growth-inhibition against three bacterial reference strains and two extremely halophilic archaeal reference strains. The findings from this study suggest that SL-o, SL-p, and SL-s might be utilized as potential antimicrobial agents together with salt, contributing to the preservation of the leather industry’s salted skins and hides
