Cacao’s Relationship with Mesoamerican Society

We know what we eat, but do we eat what we know? Our diet extends far beyond nutrients and food availability—we imbue food with cultural significance. The meaning and use of a particular food is subject to change over time, but the fact that it holds a place in society remains constant. Improving technologies and intensified globalization have dispersed foods across the world and through time. An excellent example of such a food is Theobroma cacao L., now commonly known as chocolate (for a brief history of the plant, see McNeil 2006:1-28). It has a long history in human culture. By examining how it was first used, we can gain insight to an evolution of its meaning and eventually larger ideas on food studies. Cacao had great religious, political, and social weight in the Mesoamerican region. There is considerable evidence for the ritual use of cacao among the Preclassic Maya, and its role as noteworthy political currency appears to increase by Late Classic times, reflected in the vessels themselves and their archaeological contexts. The Preclassic era lasted from 2000 BC-AD 200 and the Classic from AD 200-700. I argue that while the ritual use and significance of cacao remained constant throughout time, the cacao-containing vessels, or “chocolate pots”, became recognized as powerful social objects unto themselves. In order to demonstrate this idea, this paper will discuss the ecology of cacao, Mesoamerican preparation, political and social elements, cacao pots, religious and ritual contexts, and cacao as a political currency

Opening Closed Doors: A Rationale for Creating a Safe Space for Tutors Struggling with Mental Health Concerns or Illnesses

Because writing centers exist to help students find success in academia—to enter doors that may otherwise be closed to them—writing center literature rightly discusses the need to work with students of all backgrounds and abilities (Pemberton; Neff; Hamel). Writing center personnel have written about how writing centers and other campus resources can support students with disabilities (Hewett; Logan; Zimmerman), as well as the diverse ways in which these students learn and what we, in turn, can learn from them. The field actively recognizes that writing centers and student support centers in general are actually engaging in political advocacy, a fact that has been noted in this very publication.University Writing Cente

What Do SoTL Practitioners Need to Know about Learning?

What does someone embarking on a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) project need to know about how students learn? And how can the SoTL novice reconcile their goals to improve teaching and learning with the vastness of the literature on the science of learning? In this article, we consider the complexity of this literature and its intersection with SoTL. We also review several popular books and websites that might be used by the SoTL novice as entry points for grounding their SoTL studies, informing the questions they ask and narrowing the literature they read. In these brief reviews, we offer practical tips and advice on how to use these resources effectively so that one does not have to become an expert in the science of learning to perform outstanding SoTL research

Generalized Stoichiometry and Biogeochemistry for Astrobiological Applications

A central need in the field of astrobiology is generalized perspectives on life that make it possible to differentiate abiotic and biotic chemical systems. A key component of many past and future astrobiological measurements is the elemental ratio of various samples. Classic work on Earth's oceans has shown that life displays a striking regularity in the ratio of elements as originally characterized by Redfield. The body of work since the original observations has connected this ratio with basic ecological dynamics and cell physiology, while also documenting the range of elemental ratios found in a variety of environments. Several key questions remain in considering how to best apply this knowledge to astrobiological contexts: How can the observed variation of the elemental ratios be more formally systematized using basic biological physiology and ecological or environmental dynamics? How can these elemental ratios be generalized beyond the life that we have observed on our own planet? Here we expand recently developed generalized physiological models to create a simple framework for predicting the variation of elemental ratios found in various environments. We then discuss further generalizing the physiology for astrobiological applications. Much of our theoretical treatment is designed for in situ measurements applicable to future planetary missions. We imagine scenarios where three measurements can be made - particle/cell sizes, particle/cell stoichiometry, and fluid or environmental stoichiometry - and develop our theory in connection with these often deployed measurements.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure

Peran Lsm dalam Program Pendampingan Anak Jalanan Menuju Ketahanan Sosial Keluarga (Study Kasus Lsm Ppap Seroja di Kota Surakarta)

Bachtiar Rofi\u27i. “PERAN LSM DALAM PROGRAM PENDAMPINGAN ANAK JALANAN MENUJU KETAHANAN KELUARGA (Study Kasus LSM PPAP Seroja Di Kota Surakarta)”.Skripsi. Surakarta: Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan. Universitas Sebelas Maret 2017. Siti Rochani dan Siany Indria Liestyasari. Penelitian betujuan untuk mengetahui: (1) untuk mengidentifikasi bentuk pendampingan LSM yang mengarah pada ketahanan sosial keluarga anak jalanan; (2) untuk mengetahui kendala LSM dalam penerapan pendampingan orangtua dan anak jalanan di Kota Surakarta; (3) Untuk mengetahui dampak dari pola pendampingan LSM terhadap orangtua dan anak jalanan di Kota Surakarta.Penelitian ini termasuk dalam jenis penelitian kualitatif dengan pendekatan study kasus.Pengumpulan data berasal dari wawancara, observasi, serta dokumentasi. Wawancara dilakukan dengan enam informan, yang terdiri dari dua pengurus LSM, dua orangtua anak jalanan, dua anak dampingan LSM diantaranya ada yang masih berprofesi sebagai anak jalanan, dan mantan anak jalanan. Penelitian ini mengunakan tekhnik pengambilan informan dengan cara purposive sampling. Dalam melakukan uji validitas data, yang dilakukan yaitu dengan trianggulasi sumber dan trianggulasi metode.Tekhnik analisis data menggunakan analisis interaktif yang terdiri dari pengumpulan data, reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan data (verivikasi data).Hasil penelitian menunjukan: (1) Pendampingan LSM yang mengarah pada ketahanan sosial keluarga anak jalanan adalah (a) aspek pendidikan, (b) aspek ekonomi, (c) aspek kesehatan, (d) aspek agama, (e) aspek komunikasi, (f) aspek hukum; (2) Kendala LSM dalam penerapan pendampingan orangtua dan anak jalanan di Kota Surakarta adalah (a) kendala internal, (b) kendala eksternal (3) Dampak dari pola pendampingan LSM terhadap orangtua dan anak jalanan di Kota Surakarta mencangkup (a) aspek pendidikan, (b) aspek ekonomi, (c) aspek kesehatan, (d) aspek agama, (e) aspek komunikasi, (f) aspek hukum.Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah bahwa meningkatkan ketahanan sosial keluarga anak jalanan dianggap solusi yang tepat untuk megurangi angka anak jalanan yang ada di Kota Suarakarta. Kata Kunci : Anak Jalanan, Ketahanan Sosial Keluarg

High-Throughput Sequencing for Understanding the Ecology of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Wildlife-Human Interface

Rising rates of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) demand creative, efficient, and integrative investigations to understand their transmission, ecological contingencies, and dynamics at wildlife-human interfaces. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) methodologies provide enormous potential to unravel these contingencies to improve our understanding, but their potential is only just starting to be realized. While recent work has largely focused on novel pathogen discovery at likely interfaces, high-throughput methods can also allow disease ecologists to better explore the critical effects of climate, seasonality, and land-use changes on EIDs. HTS can facilitate the creation of entire host-pathogen networks, integrate important microbiome and co-infection data, and even pinpoint important exposure routes at interfaces through environmental media. Here we highlight studies at the frontier of HTS and disease ecology research, identify current limitations, and outline promising future applications for EIDs

Bioabsorbable metal zinc differentially affects mitochondria in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells

Zinc is an essential trace element having various structural, catalytic and regulatory interactions with an estimated 3000 proteins. Zinc has drawn recent attention for its use, both as pure metal and alloyed, in arterial stents due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low corrosion rates. Previous studies have demonstrated that zinc metal implants prevent the development of neointimal hyperplasia, which is a common cause of restenosis following coronary intervention. This suppression appears to be smooth muscle cell-specific, as reendothelization of the neointima is not inhibited. To better understand the basis of zinc\u27s differential effects on rat aortic smooth muscle (RASMC) versus endothelial (RAENDO) cells, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis of both cell types following one-week continuous treatment with 5 µM or 50 µM zinc. This analysis indicated that genes whose protein products regulate mitochondrial functions, including oxidative phosphorylation and fusion/fission, are differentially affected by zinc in the two cell types. To better understand this, we performed Seahorse metabolic flux assays and quantitative imaging of mitochondrial networks in both cell types. Zinc treatment differently affected energy metabolism and mitochondrial structure/function in the two cell types. For example, both basal and maximal oxygen consumption rates were increased by zinc in RASMC but not in RAENDO. Zinc treatment increased apparent mitochondrial fusion in RASMC cells but increased mitochondrial fission in RAENDO cells. These results provide some insight into the mechanisms by which zinc treatment differently affects the two cell types and this information is important for understanding the role of zinc treatment in vascular cells and improving its use in biodegradable metal implants

Breastfeeding, infant formula supplementation, and Autistic Disorder: the results of a parent survey

BACKGROUND: Although Autistic Disorder is associated with several congenital conditions, the cause for most cases is unknown. The present study was undertaken to determine whether breastfeeding or the use of infant formula supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid is associated with Autistic Disorder. The hypothesis is that breastfeeding and use of infant formula supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid/arachidonic acid are protective for Autistic Disorder. METHODS: This is a case-control study using data from the Autism Internet Research Survey, an online parental survey conducted from February to April 2005 with results for 861 children with Autistic Disorder and 123 control children. The analyses were performed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Absence of breastfeeding when compared to breastfeeding for more than six months was significantly associated with an increase in the odds of having autistic disorder when all cases were considered (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.42, 4.35) and after limiting cases to children with regression in development (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.01, 3.78). Use of infant formula without docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid supplementation versus exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a significant increase in the odds of autistic disorder when all cases were considered (OR 4.41, 95% CI 1.24, 15.7) and after limiting cases to children with regression in development (OR 12.96, 95% CI 1.27, 132). CONCLUSION: The results of this preliminary study indicate that children who were not breastfed or were fed infant formula without docosahexaenoic acid/arachidonic acid supplementation were significantly more likely to have autistic disorder