120 research outputs found
Shifts in microbial community structure as a result of a wildfire in the New Jersey Pinelands
No full textAs the threat of wildfires in the United States increases due to global warming, understanding their effects on the soil biological community becomes central to recovery efforts. Therefore, it is important to study microbial community dynamics in forest soils impacted by fires from the view of elucidating how the new state compares with the original state of the microbial community. For this study, wildfires were hypothesized to cause a shift in the microbial community structure with dominant microbes being those best capable of responding to changes in their environment caused by the perturbation. The objectives of this research were to examine the recovery of the forest soil microbial communities after a wildfire and to investigate the state of the communities more than two years post-fire. After a wildfire occurred in the New Jersey Pinelands in 2007, soil samples were collected from the organic and mineral layers of two severely burned sites and an unburned control site over the span of two years following the fire. Microbial community composition was evaluated by principal component analysis and multivariate analysis of variance of molecular fingerprint data for bacterial, archaeal, and fungal-specific amplicons from denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The bacterial communities in the samples collected from 2 and 5 months following the fire clustered separately from those collected 13 and 17 months post-fire in two-dimensional space, indicating that the soil bacterial community structure changed with time following the fire. Deeper evaluation of the bacterial, archaeal, and fungal community patterns revealed that even though there were common bands between the unburned and the severely burned samples, the community structure of the samples from the unburned site grouped separately from those of the severely burned sites collected 2, 13, and 25 months post-fire. Generally, the microbial community composition in the unburned samples did not change significantly over two years. These data support the hypothesis that the soil microbial community was selected by both the direct and indirect effects associated with the wildfire in the initial two years after the perturbation. Rather than return to the predisturbance state, the soil microbial communities may reflect an alternate state two years following the fire.Ph. D.Includes bibliographical referencesIncludes vitaby Robyn Ann Mikit
Development of a questionnaire to assess dietary restrictions runners use to mitigate gastrointestinal symptoms
No full textBackground - Exercise induced gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms can plague athletes, especially runners. Sport nutrition recommendations are nutrient rather than foods focused and do not adequately address strategies to reduce GI symptoms. The objective was to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire to evaluate pre-training and pre-racing voluntary food restrictions/choices, reasons for avoiding foods, and gastrointestinal symptoms in endurance runners.
Methods - Validity testing occurred through four Registered Dietitians, three of whom possess Master’s degrees, and a dietetic trainee who provided initial feedback. Additionally, one Registered Dietitian is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), and another has an International Olympic Committee Diploma in Sports Nutrition. The second version was sent out to nine different experts who rated each question using a Likert scale and provided additional comments. For reliability testing, the questionnaire was administered to 39 participants in a test re-test format. Kappa statistics and the prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK) were used to assess the reliability.
Results - All questions had an average Likert scale rating of 4/5 or greater. All test re-test results falling under basic information exhibited substantial agreement (kappa ≥0.61). All medical questions including food allergies and intolerances had moderate (kappa ≥0.41) or higher agreement. Responses were less consistent for food avoidances while training (5/28 outcomes) versus racing (0/28 outcomes) with a kappa below 0.41. All reasons for avoiding foods were deemed reliable. Regarding symptoms, side stitch while training and gas while racing were the only flagged categories.
Conclusions - Overall, the questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to evaluate voluntary dietary restrictions among endurance runners. Future studies can use the questionnaire to assess dietary strategies runners employ to reduce GI distress and optimize performance.Library OA FundA Mount Royal University Innovation Grant provided funding for the project. Mount Royal University did not have a role in the design of the study, collection, analysis, interpretation of the data or manuscript preparation
Dietary restrictions in endurance runners to mitigate exercise-induced gastrointestinal symptoms
No full textBackground: Endurance runners frequently experience exercise-induced gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, negatively impacting their performance. Food choices pre-exercise have a significant impact on the gut’s tolerance to running, yet little information is available as to which foods runners restrict prior to exercise.
Methods: A questionnaire designed to assess dietary restrictions pre-racing and gastrointestinal symptoms was administered to 388 runners. Fisher’s exact tests determined differences in gender, age, performance level, and distance with follow-up multivariable logistic regression modeling.
Results: Runners regularly avoided meat (32%), milk products (31%), fish/seafood (28%), poultry (24%), and high-fiber foods (23%). Caffeinated beverages were commonly avoided in events 10 km or less (p < .001); whereas in females, increased running distance was a predictor of avoiding high-fiber foods (OR = 6.7; 95% CI = 1.6–28.5). Rates of food avoidance were elevated in younger and more competitive runners. Common GI symptoms included stomach pain/cramps (42%), intestinal pain/discomfort (23%), side ache/stitch (22%), urge to defecate (22%), and bloating (20%). The prevalence of GI symptoms was higher in younger athletes, especially females, which may explain their propensity to avoid foods. Lower recreational athletes were the least likely to report GI symptoms. Diarrhea incidence increased with running distance.
Conclusions: Identification of voluntary food restrictions in the pre-running meal highlights trends that can direct further research.Peer reviewe
Evaluation of Dietary Supplement Usage, Dietary Intakes, and Nutrition Knowledge in Clinical and Athletic Populations
No full textBackground: Nutrition is a broad scientific discipline under which dietary supplements fall. Dietary supplements can be defined as dietary ingredients intended to achieve a specific health and/or performance outcome. Utilization of dietary supplements differs between clinical and athletic populations; therefore, understanding the types, frequency, and reasons for use is pivotal to avoiding over- or under supplementing. Moreover, assessing dietary intakes and dietary patterns alongside dietary supplements helps ensure nutritional needs are being met. While the consumption of dietary supplements continues to increase, investigation of use, reasons for use, and evidence-based knowledge in support of these products, among many athletic and clinical populations, is lacking. Objective: This dissertation explores numerous nutritional concepts pertaining to para athletes, athletes with a spinal cord injury, and patients with mitochondrial disease. The specific objectives of this thesis are: 1) evaluate dietary intakes and supplement use in Canadian para athletes, 2) investigate dietary supplement use and reasons for use among Canadian wheelchair rugby athletes, 3) assess baseline sports nutrition knowledge levels of athletes with spinal cord injuries and coaches of para sport, and 4) explore dietary supplement use and dietary patterns followed in patients with mitochondrial disease. Methods: Four survey-based, cross-sectional studies were conducted to explore the above objectives. Specifically, 1) dietary intakes and supplement use were assessed in Canadian para athletes using three-day food records and a dietary supplement questionnaire; 2) dietary supplement use and reasons for use among Canadian wheelchair rugby athletes were collected via a dietary supplement questionnaire; 3) the Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire was administered to assess knowledge levels among athletes with spinal cord injuries and coaches of para sport, and 4) dietary supplement use and dietary pattern information were evaluated among patients with mitochondrial disease using an electronic survey. Results: The primary findings from our study objectives were: 1) Canadian para athletes have several micronutrient inadequacies and uninformed use of specific supplements; 2) Canadian wheelchair rugby athletes highly utilize dietary supplements notably for medical and performance purposes; 3) athletes with spinal cord injuries and coaches of para sport demonstrated low-to-moderate sports nutrition knowledge across six nutrition categories, and 4) patients with mitochondrial disease relied heavily on a wide variety of dietary supplements while following specific dietary patterns for clinical symptom management.Conclusion: Our results provide evidence that dietary supplements are highly sought-after products across both clinical and athletic populations. Specifically, types and frequency of dietary supplements are implemented for a variety of reasons, depending on desired outcomes within each individual population. We also demonstrated the need for the development of dietary intake recommendations and evidence-based trials to better understand the effects of specific supplements on athletic performance and clinical disease management. Lastly, it is evident that nutrition knowledge is lacking in para athletic populations, highlighting the need for nutrition education
'Making its own history': New Zealand historical fiction for children,1862-2008
No full textThis thesis considers historical fiction for children and young people dealing with New Zealand history from the arrival of the first Polynesian settlers to the end of the nineteenth century. It provides both a comprehensive survey of historical novels published between 1862 and the end of 2008, and an analysis of the way the same historical events and periods have been depicted in historical novels written at different times. Individual chapters discuss books set during specific historical periods or dealing with particular events - the pre-European period, early contact, nineteenth century immigration, the New Zealand Wars, the gold rushes, and the colonial period - in chronological order of publication. Since children's literature is particularly adept at reflecting and promoting the dominant ideas of the society in which it is produced, the chronological consideration of these texts reveals contemporary attitudes to such issues as race relations, gender roles, class, war and conflict, and concepts of national identity, as well as the way historical fiction has responded to societal changes since the 1860s.
The predominant themes of historical fiction set prior to 1900 are: the arrival of settlers in New Zealand; encounters with the country's indigenous inhabitants; the taming of the often hostile landscape; the assertion of the settlers' claims to 'belong' in their new land; and the establishment of New Zealand as a nation with distinctive characteristics. There are perceptible nuances and differences in the way these themes are discussed depending on the historical moment in which individual authors are writing. Novels of the Victorian period and early twentieth century reflect the imperialistic and evangelistic ethos of the time, and present the British settlers' right to colonize the land and the ensuing dispossession of Māori as largely unproblematic. Subsequent historical novels, particularly those written since the 1960s, offer a more inclusive version of New Zealand history, although the lack of historical fiction for children by Māori writers means that Eurocentric views of history continue to dominate, and that all representations of Māori and their history are mediated through Pakeha writers.
Shifts in social attitudes have resulted in changes in the treatment of Māori in historical novels for children, and similar changes have occurred in the portrayal of gender, class, and ethnicity. The passage of time has seen increased agency and a wider variety of roles allocated to Māori, female and working class characters, as well as greater ethnic diversity. Developments in New Zealand historiography are also reflected in fiction, although at times historical fiction prefigures written histories, or provides alternative views by depicting the experience of women, children and Māori, who often did not feature in conventional histories. While many historical novels for children, especially the earlier texts, are adventure stories set in the past and are not necessarily concerned with historical verisimilitude, an increasing number attempt to present authentic recreations of historical periods, including accounts of actual people and events, based on extensive research, and reinforced with peritextual material in the form of historical notes, bibliographies, maps and photographs.
The role of New Zealand historical fiction for children and young people has been not only to entertain young readers and inform them about their country's past, but to create and foster a sense of national identity
Pre-pregnancy predictors of hypertension in pregnancy among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in north Queensland, Australia; a prospective cohort study
No full textBACKGROUND Compared to other Australian women, Indigenous women are frequently at greater risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. We examined pre-pregnancy factors that may predict hypertension in pregnancy in a cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in north Queensland. METHODS Data on a cohort of 1009 Indigenous women of childbearing age (15–44 years) who participated in a 1998–2000 health screening program in north Queensland were combined with 1998–2008 Queensland hospitalisations data using probabilistic data linkage. Data on the women in the cohort who were hospitalised for birth (n = 220) were further combined with Queensland perinatal data which identified those diagnosed with hypertension in pregnancy. RESULTS Of 220 women who gave birth, 22 had hypertension in the pregnancy after their health check. The mean age of women with and without hypertension was similar (23.7 years and 23.9 years respectively) however Aboriginal women were more affected compared to Torres Strait Islanders. Pre-pregnancy adiposity and elevated blood pressure at the health screening program were predictors of a pregnancy affected by hypertension. After adjusting for age and ethnicity, each 1 cm increase in waist circumference showed a 4% increased risk for hypertension in pregnancy (PR 1.04; 95% CI; 1.02-1.06); each 1 point increase in BMI showed a 9% adjusted increase in risk (1.09; 1.04-1.14). For each 1 mmHg increase in baseline systolic blood pressure there was an age and ethnicity adjusted 6% increase in risk and each 1 mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure showed a 7% increase in risk (1.06; 1.03-1.09 and 1.07; 1.03-1.11 respectively). Among those free of diabetes at baseline, the presence of the metabolic syndrome (International Diabetes Federation criteria) predicted over a three-fold increase in age-ethnicity-adjusted risk (3.5; 1.50-8.17). CONCLUSIONS Pre-pregnancy adiposity and features of the metabolic syndrome among these young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women track strongly to increased risk of hypertension in pregnancy with associated risks to the health of babies.Sandra K Campbell, John Lynch, Adrian Esterman and Robyn McDermot
Evaluation of Dietary Supplement Use in Wheelchair Rugby Athletes
No full textWheelchair rugby is a rapidly growing Paralympic sport; however, research remains predominantly in the realms of physiology and biomechanics. Currently, there is little investigation into nutrition and dietary supplement use among wheelchair rugby athletes (WRA). The aim of this study was to assess the types of dietary supplements (DS) used, the prevalence of usage, and the reasons for use among WRA. The secondary aim was to report utilized and preferred sources of nutritional information among this population. A valid, reliable Dietary Supplement Questionnaire was used to report supplement use and reasons for use. Male (n = 33) and female (n = 9) WRA were recruited at a national tournament and through emailing coaches of various Canadian teams. Dietary supplement usage was prevalent as 90.9% of males and 77.8% of females reported usage within the past three months with the most regularly used supplements being vitamin D (26.2%), electrolytes (19.5%), and protein powder (19.5%). The most common reason for usage was performance. The top sources of nutrition information were dietitian/nutritionist and the internet. Further investigation into DS use is needed to help create nutritional guidelines that are accessible to WRA and athletes with disabilities in general
The effectiveness of afterschool programs in improving fifth grade academic performance: a case study of two select metro Atlanta afterschool programs, 2014
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative case study was to research strategies of successful afterschool programs and their effectiveness in promoting student achievement and closing achievement gaps. Many afterschool programs have boasted of their ability to improve student achievement. Some students who participated in afterschool programs have shown an increase of improved academic performance. However, studies have indicated that students are still performing below grade level on national and state curriculum standards. Data have shown that fifth graders across the state ofGeorgiaare struggling in math, social studies, and science. Effective academic afterschool programs may have assisted struggling students in raising their Criterion Reference Competency Tests (CRCT) scores. Afterschool programs have the ability to help students socially, emotionally, culturally, behaviorally and academically. The variables addressed in the study are (a) program effectiveness, (b) student motivation, (c) parental involvement, (d) successful program structure, (e) student attendance, (f) student involvement/ socialization, (g) climate of the program, and (h) student expectations. Data were gathered using observations, face-to-face teacher interviews, document analysis, teacher questionnaires, and student questionnaires. The sample was 24 (18 students from school A and 6 students from school B) fifth grade students in two select afterschool programs whose CRCT data were compared to students in the same school but do they did not attend the afterschool program. The comparison group was 18 fifth grade students from school A and 15 fifth grade students from school B. The CRCT test data revealed how well students may perform on standardized tests even if they do not attend the afterschool program. Although CRCT test data were used to help determine the effectiveness of the afterschool program in improving academic achievement in fifth grade students, there may be other factors that contributed to student success. The fifth grade students were selected because they are mandated to takeGeorgias standardized CRCT. In mostGeorgiacounties, if students do not pass all parts of the CRCT, they will not be able to move on to the next grade level. The results revealed that students in the study enjoyed attending the afterschool programs. After review of the CRCT data, it was determined that most of the study participants and the non-study participants mostly met or exceeded in reading and math. School A had an adequate study group of 15 students. School B only had four students CRCT test scores. Two students in school B scored below grade level in math. The study also revealed that there may be other factors as to why students perform well on the CRCT. KEY TERMS: afterschool, academic performance, Georgia, program effectiveness, afterschool programs, Educational Methods, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration, Elementary Education and Teaching, Other Education, Other Teacher Education and Professional Developmen
What does it mean to be human?: Racing Monsters, Clones and Replicants
No full textIn her first novel When Fox is a Thousand (1995), Calgary-based author Larissa Lai incorporated into her narrative selected scenes from the movie Blade Runner (Director’s Cut 1992) to interrogate a contemporary filmic definition of humanness that is premised on racialised, sexualised and gendered hierarchies. Lai’s intertextual engagement with Blade Runner articulates an awareness of the power of the Hollywood viewing apparatus to colour the look (white) and perpetuate dichotomies of racial difference. In the opening pages of Fox, however, the protagonist Artemis Wong watches and contemplates pivotal scenes from the movie in a way that suggests the novel’s vision(w)ary renegotiation of power relations based on domination and subordination. The dialectic between Fox and Blade Runner is continued in Lai’s second novel Salt Fish Girl (2002), which will be the primary focus of this paper. Characterised by intertextual layering, Salt Fish Girl interrogates the construction of identity through allusion to an older iconic sf western text, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Lai’s fiction functions as a contestation and complication of the literary and filmic perpetuation of an ideology o f a pure, originary and unmarked “humanness”, a definition which has historically accorded the white, western, heterosexual male a universal and centred subject positioning
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