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Reflections on the Journey to Improve Medical Nutrition Education
(Nutrition Today, 2024-09) Kathryn M Kolasa,; Craven, Kay; Eliot, Kathrin A
The landscape of nutrition education within the United States health care system has a rich history although the impact remains limited. This paper explores various change drivers to address the need for increased value for incorporating knowledge of food and nutrition into health professions education. Key initiatives discussed include the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, the Medical Nutrition Education Summit and recent Food Is Medicine Summits which have contributed to reshaping healthcare priorities. This paper also underscores the relevance of value-based care and interprofessional collaboration in addressing the nation’s nutrition-related challenges. With acknowledgement of persistent barriers to the effective integration of nutrition education across the medical curricula continuum, the paper recognizes the historical perspectives that have contributed to today’s landscape. It also explores strategies proposed to enhance medical nutrition education, including funding sources, curriculum development, competency frameworks, culinary medicine programs and legislation. The authors emphasize the need for sustained advocacy, innovative and intentional curriculum design, and interprofessional collaboration to equip health care professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively address the mounting burden of diet-related diseases today.
Characterizing background-dependent effects of zfl1;zfl2 double mutants in maize development
(2025-05-02) Pakulniewicz, Emma Louise
Reproduction in flowering plants is reliant on the correct function of the genes that regulate meristems, which are stem cell populations that give rise to specific tissues. Maize is a monoecious grass species that develops two inflorescences: the tassel, producing male flowers, and the ear, producing female flowers. In early development, tassel and ear primordia follow similar growth patterns that rely on shared regulators, but their meristems differentiate into their respective floral organs based on transcription factors (Thompson, 2014). Redundant genes zfl1 and zfl2 are upstream regulators of floral organ identity genes, and individuals with transposon insertion mutations in both zfls have defective floral meristems and severely altered phenotypes (Bomblies et al., 2003). However, these genes have only been studied in one inbred line (W22). Due to the highly diverse genetic background of maize, there is an abundance of family lines, each possessing a variable genetic makeup that manifests in a distinct presentation of mutations. The Thompson Lab has introgressed zfl1 and zfl2 mutations into the A619 background and has observed some enhanced phenotypic effects. We are characterizing the double mutant zfl1;zfl2 phenotype of maize with an A619 background by rearing individuals with varying numbers of mutated zfl alleles in a greenhouse, extracting DNA from their leaf tissues, identifying presence of zfl mutations through PCR and gel electrophoresis, and imaging early tassels and ears with scanning electron microscopy. In our investigation we have observed that zfl gene mutations have a dosage effect of severity, causing non-double mutants to exhibit mild floral defects. Evidence shows that zfl1;zfl2 double mutants demonstrate derepressed bracts, indeterminate floral meristems, and reduced tassel branching. These SEM micrographs have provided modern imagery of maize with zfl mutant defects and may aid in establishing the functions of zfl1 and zfl2, increasing understanding of maize development, and exploring the function of zfl homologs in other cereal crops.
Social Medias Affect on Emotional Intelligence
(2025-05-01) Casey, Caitlyn Savannah
Examining the relationship between social media use and emotional intelligence (EQ), this study investigates the warning signs of addiction and the psychological consequences it may produce. Specifically, it explores how varying patterns of social media use, from moderate to excessive, impact well-being, self-control, and in-person sociability. Drawing on previous research surrounding behavioral addiction and emotional intelligence, the study introduces four hypotheses: (1) excessive social media use may lead to a decrease in in-person sociability; (2) excessive use will be negatively associated with self-control; (3) excessive social media use will have a negative relationship with emotionality; and (4) there will be an inverted U relationship between social media use and well-being. Prior studies suggest that while moderate engagement with social platforms may yield neutral or even beneficial mood effects, excessive usage often results in emotional dysregulation. To test these hypotheses, participants from a diverse online sample recruited via Prolific will complete the Bergan Social Media Scale, the Social Media Addiction Scale, and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue). Previous findings link compulsive social media behavior to reduced emotional self-awareness, diminished self-control, heightened stress, and lower levels of face-to-face interaction. By analyzing these patterns, the present study aims to deepen understanding of how digital behaviors influence emotional functioning in everyday life.
This study compares previous research, and showcases our plan to continue the research through survey comparison to contribute to the field.