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Browsing by Subject "College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Food from Thought: A Literature Review Supporting the Development of an Interdisciplinary Experiential Learning Program in the University of Minnesota Dining Halls
    (2021) Benson, Katie;
    The research presented in this literature review discusses the benefits and barriers to implementing an interdisciplinary experiential learning program within the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities campus dining halls for undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences. Evidence highlighting the educational advantages of this type of programming reveals improved creative thinking, holistic problem solving, and student investment in course materials. Furthermore, allowing students to collaborate to develop healthy recipes for the dining hall utilizes student understanding of peer preferences and habits to improve student nutrition. While this innovative course design also aligns closely with college and university goals and missions, barriers to implementing this program including the current dining contract with Aramark and obtaining necessary college administrative and faculty approval still exist.
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    Non-lethal DNA extraction methods for genetic analyses of endangered bumble bee species
    (2021-08-27) Kuhlmey, Eiley E; Boone, Michelle; Lindsey, Amelia; Rao, Sujaya
    Several North American bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Bombus) are faced with decline as factors such as climate change, pollution, and urbanization threaten their existence, thus raising concern regarding genetic diversity as populations diminish. Consequently, genetic analysis of these susceptible species is essential when considering appropriate conservation efforts. One species, Bombus affinis, has experienced such sharp population declines that it was listed as federally endangered within the United States and Canada. This necessitates methods for collecting genetic samples from bumble bees that do not require euthanizing specimens or removing legs. A previous pilot study used 50 mL conical tubes fitted with sugar water soaked swabs to passively collect genetic material from Bombus affinis. Approximately 50% of the 63 samples obtained contained usable amounts of DNA. To further improve this technique, samples were collected from Bombus impatiens using two non-lethal, minimally-invasive DNA extraction methods that can be applied to declining and endangered species. In one method, bumble bee thoraxes were swabbed directly to collect hairs from the immobilized bumble bees, whereas the second technique involved the passive DNA collection method utilized in the pilot study. The results of these two techniques were compared using PCR and gel electrophoresis to determine which of these methods, direct swabbing or passive DNA collection, works best for gathering genetic samples without causing unnecessary harm to susceptible and endangered species. It was concluded that the passive technique resulted in distinguishable DNA approximately 1.8 times more consistently than the active technique and is the better option among these methods.
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    Preterm Birth Rates and the Determinants of Health
    (2021) Zielke, Sophia;
    Preterm births present significant increased medical risks for children born. The medical community has largely focused on identifying individual factors that increase preterm birth risk for mothers, yet additional research is needed to identify systemic factors that increase preterm birth rates in certain geographic areas. Systemic analysis comparing geographic areas in Minnesota is critical because the preterm birth rates of Minnesotan counties differ. Some counties have a singleton preterm birth rate of over 10% while other counties have a preterm birth rate under 5%. This paper is based on a review of research literature and my own empirical analysis on preterm birth rates across counties in Minnesota. Both the correlates of county level preterm birth rates in Minnesota and potential interventions are identified. Correlates related to higher county level preterm birth rates include racial and ethnic disparities, particularly between American Indian mothers and other maternal demographic groups, maternal smoking, and high abortion rates in counties. High abortion rates potentially indicate high levels of unplanned pregnancies. Interventions may include greater representation of Black and American Indian women in the medical field, and increased trust and transparency between medical practitioners and patients to improve the efficacy and consistency of healthcare. Smoking cessation interventions implemented on the environmental and individual levels, comprehensive sexual education, and the implementation of policies supportive to motherhood to decrease stress and increase the feasibility of parenting also hold critical importance.