Examining Sustainable Diets for Planetary Health: A Mixed Methods Study of Sustainable Diets Knowledge Creation, Reproduction, and Recommendations

Food systems are a vital component of planetary health, or the inextricably linked health of humans and the environment, with the capacity to both threaten and support all dimensions of sustainability. Sustainable diets are recognized as both a driver and outcome of a sustainable food system needed to support the well-being of people and the planet. Although attention to sustainable diets as both a lever for change and result of complex food system dynamics is growing both within academia and beyond, there have been limited efforts to comprehensively review and synthesize the evolution and current state of sustainable diets research. Similarly, few studies have systematically examined how and what kinds of sustainable diets research is created, reproduced, and recommended for future study and food systems change. This comprehensive understanding of sustainable diets knowledge is essential in determining whether and how this research acknowledges and accounts for the full suite of sustainability dimensions and broader food systems dynamics. It is critical in accurately and thoroughly assessing system trade-offs and designing just, effective strategies for a sustainable food system transformation. Without it, research and solutions run the risk of inhibiting and contradicting planetary health goals. This three article mixed methods dissertation aims to address these gaps in knowledge and analysis through a thematic scoping review, bibliometric and altmetric analysis, and content analysis. Each chapter in this dissertation builds layers of detail and depth to our understanding of sustainable diets research and its implications for future study and food systems change. The first chapter presents a thematic scoping review of sustainable diets literature. This chapter uses topic modeling, a natural language processing method, to identify research gaps, trends, and themes over time and across disciplines, and examines how these themes align with components of sustainable diets described by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Chapter 2 studies how the literature considered in the thematic scoping review is created and reproduced. Drawing from the mutual aims of science of science and research impact evaluation, it examines the practice of science through a citation and altmetric analysis and evaluation of whether and how research characteristics and indicators of power are linked with impact metrics. Chapter 3 takes a closer look at the objectives and recommendations of the most highly cited sustainable diets literature through a content analysis. It also reviews how the literature aligns with upstream and downstream food system influences as described by the Food Systems Dashboard’s Food Systems Framework to identify strengths and gaps in the research. The dissertation concludes with a summary of the findings and a critique of the ability of sustainable diets research to adequately address systems trade-offs necessary to designing solutions for a sustainable food system

Comparison Of The Ptsd Factor Structure Among Hispanics And Non-Hispanic Whites Affected By Hurricanes

The Hispanic population in the United States (US), is a growing segment of the US population. This group is vulnerable to developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to minority-related stressors, financial insecurity, and their concentration in coastal regions prone to natural disasters. PTSD is a highly heterogeneous diagnosis with a complex factor structure. The factor structure within Hispanics may vary from Non-White Hispanic (NHW) individuals, the predominant group used in prior factor analytic work. Identifying such differences would inform culturally relevant theories of PTSD. Most prior research has focused on NHW samples or used DSM-IV criteria for Hispanics. The present study examined the PTSD factor structure in Hispanics after a natural disaster using the DSM-5 criteria. Invariance between Hispanics and NHW was also examined. The results of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) indicated that the seven-factor Hybrid model exhibited superior model fit compared to the alternative models. There was strict invariance between Hispanics and NHW for this model. The findings suggest that a seven-factor hybrid model offers a reliable conceptualization of PTSD, and a more accurate assessment compared to extant models across Hispanics and NWHs

Addressing Resource Gaps for Autistic Adolescents and Adults

Autistic patients of all ages often experience greater difficulty accessing healthcare and worse health outcomes compared to neurotypical peers. Additionally, patients who are older when they are diagnosed as autistic (e.g. later adolescence, adulthood) frequently report increased comorbid medical problems and problems with mental and emotional health. Healthcare providers often feel they have inadequate knowledge and skills to confidently treat autistic patients, and are also often unaware of what resources are available to support patients. This project describes efforts to better equip primary care providers in Hardwick, VT with resources to support autistic patients, and discusses anticipated outcomes of similar interventions.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/2214/thumbnail.jp

Exploring The Role Of Host-Derived Sphingolipids In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Interactions With The Host

Sphingolipids are critical to eukaryotic cell membrane structure and function and play important bioactive roles in regulating processes such as cell growth and differentiation, apoptosis, phagocytosis, and pathogen defense. Specifically related to bacterial infections, sphingoid bases such as sphingosine are potent antimicrobial lipids with activity against a variety of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Additionally, bioactive sphingolipids, such as ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate, regulate phagocytic cell function and help elicit inflammatory responses. Given the importance of sphingolipids to the host, it is not surprising that many pathogens evolve the capability to alter host sphingolipid homeostasis, promoting pathogenesis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common opportunistic pathogen especially in the health care setting. P. aeruginosa is less susceptible to sphingosine’s antimicrobial activity than many Gram-negative bacteria. Previous data from our lab showed that exposure of P. aeruginosa to sphingosine or sphingosine-rich host environments leads to induction of a small set of sphingosine-responsive genes in an SphR-dependent manner. These genes protect P. aeruginosa from growth inhibition by sphingosine while also promoting pathogenesis strategies. My dissertation focused on identifying the metabolic function of the sphingosine-responsive gene products and understanding the impact they have on the host. We determined that the sphingosine-induced metabolic operon, sphBCD, is important for P. aeruginosa growth in the presence of sphingosine through sphingosine detoxification. Additionally, we demonstrated that PlcH, a known virulence factor and sphingosine-induced sphingomyelinase, can hydrolyze sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC), an important host bioactive sphingolipid responsible for regulating critical cellular and tissue responses. Lastly, we investigated the impact the sphingosine-responsive genes have on the host. Here, cerN, encoding a ceramidase, seems to play a role in P. aeruginosa evasion of macrophage phagocytosis, decreasing overall phagocytic engulfment. Our data underscore the interplay between P. aeruginosa and host sphingolipid axis exploitation, demonstrating mechanisms by which P. aeruginosa can both bypass host antimicrobial tactics and degrade critical host bioactive molecules

Functional Characterization Of The Polymerase Domain Of Polymerase Θ In Humans And T. Cruzi

Polymerase θ is a large A-family DNA polymerase (2,590 residues) that repairs double-strand breaks and has unique lesion bypass abilities. Pol θ possesses an unusual three domain architecture consisting of a helicase-like domain connected to the polymerase domain through a central linker domain. As pol θ is already larger than most polymerases, the presence of structural inserts in its polymerase domain make the protein even larger. These inserts, which are conserved in mammalian pol θ, may have evolutionary importance as lower eukaryotes lack some or all of the inserts observed in humans; interestingly, parasites like trypanosomatids have a polymerase that has unique inserts not found in humans. The polymerase domain alone harbors three inserts. The role of inserts 1 and 2 has been investigated, and recent experiments by our lab suggest that removal of insert 3 increases polymerase extension efficiency. However, it remains unknown how pol θ uses insert 3 to regulate the efficiency of DNA synthesis. By structurally and biochemically interrogating the properties of a polymerase domain variant that lacks disordered insert 3, we aim to uncover the requirements for efficient DNA extension and how that activity is modulated by structural motifs in pol θ. Recently, the ability of pol θ to coordinate and extend single-stranded DNA substrates has been reported. X-ray diffraction data of a pol θ variant lacking insert 3 in complex with single-stranded DNA and incoming nucleotide were collected at the Diamond synchrotron at 4.4 Å. These preliminary crystallographic data hint at the possible location of the DNA hairpin in the active site of the human polymerase, which has not been modeled before. Additionally, binding affinities of the pol θ polymerase domain and two insert deletion variants were determined. Pol θ is found in most eukaryotes, including trypanosomatid parasites. Sequence alignments indicate that the pol θ protein of the trypanosomatid T. cruzi (which causes chronic Chagas disease) contains the polymerase domain, albeit with no vestigial exonuclease domain, and lacks the N-terminal helicase-like domain. Biochemical characterization of T. cruzi pol θ along with in vivo cellular studies have led to a better understanding of what role pol θ is playing in these parasites. Ultimately, expression of T. cruzi pol θ in E. coli was unsuccessful. In vivo studies of the parasite hold promise but require more optimization before any conclusions can be drawn from the system. The observation of altered growth with overexpression T. cruzi pol θ in parasites indicates that this protein plays an important role in parasite biology, but a continued rigorous approach is required to know for certain

GPR 3D Image Reconstruction with Sparse Recovery for Random Spatial Sampling

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is widely used for subsurface exploration in applications such as structural health monitoring, archaeological surveys, and the detection of buried objects. However, traditional 3D GPR imaging requires dense spatial sampling along regular grids, which is time-consuming and often impractical, especially in complex environments with obstacles or accessibility issues. In this paper, we introduce a novel method that leverages sparse recovery techniques to enhance 3D GPR imaging from reduced spatial measurements collected along arbitrary scanning paths. By exploiting the inherent sparsity of subsurface targets, we employ the Dantzig Selector with cross-validation to accurately reconstruct target locations from spatially random-sampled GPR data. The reconstructed data is then processed using the Back-Projection Algorithm (BPA) to generate high-resolution 3D images. We validate our method through simulations, demonstrating that our approach not only improves imaging quality but also significantly reduces data acquisition time and storage requirements. Performance analysis under various noise levels and sampling densities highlights the robustness and practicality of our method for flexible scanning paths in 3D GPR applications. This work contributes to making GPR surveys more efficient and effective, particularly in scenarios where traditional dense sampling is challenging

Diatom Community Dynamics In Cold-Region Stream Ecosystems: Examining Changes in Composition and Diversity in Response to Shifts in Environmental Factors

Diatoms, photosynthetic algae with silica-based cell walls, play a critical role in aquatic primary production and act as sensitive indicators of ecosystem conditions. Stream ecosystems in cold regions, including the Arctic and northeastern U.S., are experiencing shifts of different environmental factors driven by global climate change that influence diatom communities. The research in this dissertation used existing, unanalyzed samples collected over many years from two well-studied, cold-region stream ecosystems — the Upper Kuparuk River in the Arctic and the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the northeastern U.S. — to examine how variations in key environmental drivers, such as nutrient availability and temperature, affect diatom community composition and diversity. The analyses of the samples from Hubbard Brook provided the first ever classification of diatom species in streams draining the watersheds at this well-known research forest. The research revealed diatom diversity varied across streams due to differences in pH, dissolved organic carbon, and light availability, underscoring the influence of local environmental conditions. These findings highlight the importance of some diatom species as indicators of environmental change and provide a baseline to track future ecological changes. Analysis of samples from the long-term phosphorus fertilization experiment in the Upper Kuparuk River were used to assess diatom community responses to enrichment of the ecosystem with the limiting nutrient. Phosphorus addition led to shifts in diatom communities, favoring species adapted to higher phosphorus levels, while also promoting bryophyte growth that altered diatom habitats. Despite the cessation of phosphorus inputs, the fertilized reach showed lasting differences in community structure, suggesting that changes in nutrient levels can have enduring effects on diatom composition. Other samples from this long-term experiment enabled a unique 25-year analysis of diatom communities in the unmanipulated reach of the Upper Kuparuk River, in a region that is undergoing rapid climate change. The study identified alkalinity, nitrate + nitrite, total dissolved phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon, and wind speed as key drivers of community change, with specific taxa acting as bioindicators of warming conditions. This long-term perspective enhances understanding of diatom resilience and adaptability to climate-driven environmental changes in Arctic headwater streams. Overall, the findings indicate diatom communities are sensitive to localized nutrient enrichment and broader environmental shifts, with their responses differing based on the nature and scale of these changes. This work emphasizes the value of long-term monitoring for understanding ecological dynamics in cold-region streams and the role of diatoms as indicators of ecosystem health in the context of climate change

African Swine Fever Prevention In The United States: A Behavioral And Policy Perspective

Transboundary animal diseases (TADs) decimate millions of livestock annually, withestimated costs in the billions. These diseases threaten global food security, production, trade, supply chains, human health, biodiversity, and ecosystem health. Addressing and mitigating TADs, such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and African Swine Fever (ASF), requires implementing on-farm biosecurity measures. However, human behavior and decision-making on farms or at ports of entry may compromise these efforts. Moreover, current biosecurity policies seek to reduce the impact of disease outbreaks. However, because investments in biosecurity are not tied to indemnification, these policies may inadvertently create a perverse incentive for producers to reduce their biosecurity expenditure before or during an outbreak. Traditional economic approaches have addressed such issues through financial incentives. However, a more profound understanding of producers\u27 and public perceptions and motives about disease prevention and indemnification can inform public policy on animal health, improve market incentives, and reduce the associated cost of disease prevention. This dissertation fills this gap by using a mix of surveys, choice experiments, and simulation games to understand human behavior in epidemic prevention in the US. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the first paper aimed to understand the complex socio-psychological and demographic factors influencing farmers\u27 biosecurity decisions. I conducted a national survey of 422 swine producers to assess their attitudes and intentions toward biosecurity. Using a latent class analysis, I identified three distinct classes of producers: Biosecurity Sceptics, Biosecurity Compliant, and Biosecurity Ultra-Compliant. The results show that producer characteristics significantly influence biosecurity attitudes and class membership, with small-scale producers less likely to adopt ultra-compliant biosecurity practices. Attending at least one eradication program encouraged biosecurity compliance, and a larger share of income derived from production operations influenced biosecurity compliance. After identifying the risk profile and attitudes of the producers, the second paper analyzed these responses concerning their ex-ante motivation to self-invest in biosecurity to be eligible for indemnity, the likelihood of buying livestock insurance before an outbreak, and readiness to report suspected infections on their farms. Using a partial proportional odds model, findings from this paper revealed that the intent to call a veterinarian, trust in government agencies, and farmers\u27 risk perception were instrumental in the willingness to self-invest in biosecurity, buy livestock insurance, and promptly report infections on their farms. This provides evidence that biosecurity compliance would increase if indemnification were tied to a demonstration of biosecurity effort. In the third paper, I developed a choice experiment to elicit the preference between the current unconditional and alternative conditional indemnity policies. Findings from the study revealed a strong preference for the conditional indemnity policy. A decomposition of the factors revealed that females and older people preferred the conditional indemnity policy. Moreover, factors like anticipated regret and salience of biosecurity revealed a strong preference for the conditional indemnity policy. This finding supports implementing a conditional indemnity policy, which can potentially reduce the costs associated with disease outbreaks while incentivizing biosecurity adoption and addressing the moral hazard problem in the current indemnity policy. Theoretically, the study contributes to the literature on risk management and moral hazard by demonstrating that socio-psychological factors, such as anticipated regret and salience of biosecurity, play a critical role in shaping preferences for indemnity policies

Spatial Analysis Of Human-Environment Interactions In The Context Of Climate Change

With the onset of global climate change, the United States (US) has begun to experience rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events, including heat waves, drought, hurricanes, and wildfires. These types of events can have devastating effects on infrastructure, agriculture, and lives, but there has been limited research in a US context on how these climate impacts affect important relationships between humans and their environment, such as migration in response to environmental factors, and the adoption of more resilient farming practices. I addressed this gap through three dissertation chapters. First, I explored relationships between human migration across US counties and environmental factors such as the climate, landscape, and long-term frequencies of natural hazards (Chapter 2). I found that, controlling for socioeconomic and environmental factors, higher county-level frequencies of heat waves and hurricanes were associated with reduced migration, but those of wildfires and relatively hot summers were associated with increased migration. Next, I explored how these patterns of environmental migration relate to household income (Chapter 3). I found more overall migration among lower income households, but higher state-level net migration rates for higher-income households, suggesting the former may have more migration ‘churn’ while the latter appear to move in a more directed fashion towards desirable areas. I also found that county-level net migration rates of people, and associated net flows of household income, tended to be lower following destructive hurricanes. Finally, I investigated spatial and temporal patterns of US field crop diversity, an important factor in agricultural resilience (Chapter 4). I found that there are distinct regional differences in county-level field crop diversity, with the highest diversity levels in the northern Great Plains. I also found that county-level diversity has decreased slightly over the last 25 years, particularly in some of the least diverse regions. My research contributes new insights into current human-environment relationships, an important first step towards understanding how those relationships might be affected by ongoing climate change, and towards building a more resilient society

The Association Between Body Image Dissatisfaction and Mental Health in Men

The objective of my dissertation was to contribute to the understanding of body image dissatisfaction in men. Study 1 was a systematic review of the literature from the past decade, focusing on studies which examined the association between body image and mental health, specifically depression, anxiety, and self-esteem, in men. The results and methodology of the reviewed studies were highly heterogeneous. There were more than 55 different measures of body image utilized, which could generally be classified as thinness-oriented, muscularity-oriented, or general measures of body image satisfaction. The associations between body image and mental health were highly heterogeneous, and differed based on measurement type and sample characteristics, including sexual orientation and age-range of the sample. Study 2 expanded on these findings to improve understanding of the extent to which the type of BID assessed impacts the relationship between body image and mental health in men, and whether these potential differences differ based on sexual orientation and age. A Qualtrics survey was administered to 325 gay and 325 straight men between the ages of 18 and 91 (M = 47.74, SD = 17.59). Data was analyzed using a multiple group path analysis with drive for thinness, drive for muscularity, and body appreciation predicting anxiety, depression, and self-esteem, with age moderating these associations. The results indicated that all three measures of BID are important predictors of mental health in straight men, but only body appreciation is associated with mental health in gay men. Age appeared to have a moderating effect on only select associations between body image and mental health in the present study. This study highlights the importance of considering type of body image assessed and sexual orientation important factors when examining concepts related to body image and eating disorders in future research