How do we collaborate? A look into Maine\u27s Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network

As a society we realize that the dynamic needs of science and society are often complex and interdependent and that there is a need to work with and across diverse expertise and practices in order to create the development of new methods and to provide innovative solutions to socially relevant work. Thus, we call collaborative research efforts into action. Maine’s Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network (SEANET) is such an endeavor, as it is a collaborative effort traversing a nexus of complex, dynamic challenges in Maine, including issues related to socio-economic shifts, climate change, and declining capture fisheries. While SEANET’s plan to incorporate a collaborative approach aims to achieve an inspiring, sustainable end-goal it provides only a high-level map for how to get there, and includes few explicit directions. Following the need to better understand such an effort, this thesis considers the interdisciplinary collaboration on the team and provides both action-orientated and theoretical insights. The following thesis is an analysis of the individuals and teams involved in this sustainability science minded project. More specifically, this research informs strategies of improvement for the SEANET team while also adding to the scholarly conversation on interdisciplinary collaborations through the use of both quantitative methods and qualitative methods. In the first part of this study, an online survey was distributed to assess the current communication preferences and engagement needs of the team. Compiled into a technical report, this chapter is aligned with the needs of team, and the NSF strategic plan in place, to foster informed collaborative processes moving forward. The second part of this study entailed the use of interviews to better understand how team members contend with deeply normative dimensions of interdisciplinary success. This chapter provides insight into how scientists and research agencies involved in sustainability science minded interdisciplinary teams might shape research agendas and their relationship to society moving forward

Optimal Sizing of Energy Storage with Embedded Wind Power Generation

Energy storage technologies are key to increased penetration of renewable energies on the distribution system. Not only do they increase availability of energy, but they contribute to the overall reliability of the system. However, the cost of large-scale storage systems can often be prohibitive, and storage needs to be sized appropriately, both to fill the energy gaps inevitable in renewable energies such as wind and to minimize costs. In this work, a Monte Carlo Simulation is performed to optimally size an energy storage system while minimizing overall system cost. 30 years of historical wind speed data are used to model the probabilistic behaviour of the wind and the seasonal variation of the wind is captured in the model. A generation adequacy assessment shows the system reliability increasing with energy storage. The energy storage is sized for reliable operation of the case study system with 60% wind penetration. The levelized cost of storage is calculated for the optimally sized level of storage and for the level of storage required to make wind power generation reliable

Effects of genotype and sowing date on phytostanol-phytosterol content and agronomic traits in wheat under organic agriculture

Cereals are an important source of sterols and stanols in the human diet. The present study underlines the effect of genotype and weather conditions in bread wheat, on total sterol and stanol content (TSS), agronomic traits, proteins and ash content under organic conditions. Variations in TSS as well as other characters between two sowing dates were observed. A broad genotypic variability was also reported since extreme genotypes differed by more than 30 mg 100. g-1 DW for TSS, with total stanol content varying twofold. Moreover, two groups of genotypes that differed in agronomic production, ash and protein content were depicted, based on their response to an increase in temperature. This result suggests that the genotypic factor prevails over the sowing date factor for determining sterol and stanol traits in wheat cultivated under organic conditions. Nevertheless, a strong interaction exists between the two factors, which can be used to drive bioaccumulation of these molecules

Sterol concentration and distribution in sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus L.) during seed development

Sunflower seeds are currently used for edible oil production. Among oil minor compounds, phytosterols are of special interest due to their cholesterol reducing properties. This paper reports studies on their accumulation and distribution in the embryo and hull, and the effects of temperature on phytosterol contents in sunflower seed produced under both conventional and organic field conditions. An optimized method of sterol determination, adapted to studies on small samples of seed, is presented. Seventy-two % of phytosterols were found in the embryo, 28 % in the hull. The periods of phytosterols concentration varied according to sterol category and seed part. Application of these results to improve production of natural sterols for functional food use is discussed

How Can You Recognize Success? Individual Responses to Food System Policy Aimed at Children

Farm-to-school (FTS) programs and similar programs are gaining attention for many reasons, one of which is the recognition that they could help stem the increase in childhood overweight and obesity. Most programs that have been evaluated have increased students\u27 selection or intake of fruits and vegetables following the incorporation of FTS components. However, the wide range of activities that are typically part of FTS programs make it difficult to pinpoint which components have the greatest potential to improve students\u27 health behaviors. Within the field of nutrition education, theory-based interventions that target the key underlying factors influencing health behavior offer the most promise.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fss2014/1016/thumbnail.jp

Sterol content in sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus L.) as affected by genotypes and environmental conditions

Phytosterols play essential roles in many plant cell mechanisms. They are of industrial interest since, as part of the diet, they can reduce Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol. An increase in plant sterol contents by improved crop varieties or crop management could help to answer industrial demands and also to develop environmentally friendly extraction methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate genotypic variability for sterol content in cultivated sunflower and effects of sowing date, in particular sowing date. Results showed large variability among a collection of sixteen sunflower inbred lines and hybrids. Total sterols varied almost twofold between extreme genotypes. A delay of sowing, giving higher temperatures during seed formation, induced a general increase in total sterol concentration by up to 35 per cent, as well as sterol composition but this varied according to genotype. These results are discussed with the aim of improving sterol content by sunflower breeding programmes

Composition de la graine de tournesol (Helianthus annuus L.) sous l'effet conjugué des contraintes agri-environnementales et des potentiels variétaux

Les graines de tournesol sont une source de matières premières recherchées par l'industrie pour l'alimentation humaine et animale et pour des applications non alimentaires. Toutefois, la composition des graines de tournesol est largement influencée par les facteurs génétiques et environnementaux. Notre démarche vise à caractériser les modes d'élaboration de constituants de la graine utiles pour les transformations industrielles par l'adaptation des conduites culturales et par le choix de génotypes. Par l'utilisation de l'expérimentation pluriannuelle de plein champ et de quelques génotypes présentant des caractéristiques intéressantes (oléiques ou non oléiques et/ou tolérants à la sécheresse), la variabilité des teneurs en composés de la graine est étudiée selon les conditions agrienvironnementales (date de semis, régime hydrique, séquences climatiques). Elle révèle le rôle déterminant de l'élévation de température ou de la contrainte hydrique survenant après floraison sur le déplacement de l'équilibre huile/protéines vers la fraction protéique. Il apparaît aussi une forte corrélation entre la teneur en acides gras insaturés à maturité (acides oléique et linoléique) et la température. Sous stress hydrique, la teneur en acide oléique chute tandis que la teneur des autres acides gras et celle des phytostérols sont renforcées. L'analyse de la dynamique d'accumulation des constituants en réponse aux contraintes appliquées permet d'identifier deux phases dans l'accumulation de l'acide oléique. L'accumulation des phytostérols dans l'huile est maximale en début de maturation des graines et sous l'effet des forts déficits hydriques. Pour caractériser les génotypes utilisés, il a été choisi de déterminer le niveau d'expression des gènes du métabolisme de base du tournesol sur une puce à ADN du tournesol (Génoplante BAP ENSAT). En réponse à une forte contrainte hydrique, ces gènes sont exprimés ou réprimés selon les conditions de stress hydrique. L'approche intégrative alliant caractérisations agro-physiologique, lipochimique et génomique permet de progresser dans la connaissance des interactions génotype*environnement pour une production de qualité, et, aussi de dégager des éléments de gestion de la culture de tournesol susceptibles d'orienter les synthèses vers les constituants d'intérêt industriel. ABSTRACT : Sunflower seeds are a source of raw materials required for industrial purposes in human and animal food and nonfood applications. However, sunflower seeds composition is largely influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Our study deals with the characterization of the accumulation of seed components useful for industrial transformations by the choice of cultural practices and genotypes. Using a pluri-annual field device and genotypes with traits of interest (oleic or non oleic and/or drought tolerant), the seed composition variability is studied under agri-environmental conditions (sowing date, water regime and climate sequences). The major effect of high temperature or water constraint occurring after flowering is to orientate oil/protein balance towards the protein fraction. It appears also a closed correlation between the unsaturated fatty acid contents (acid oleic and acid linoleic) and the temperature at physiological maturity. Under water stress the oleic acid content is reduced while the content of the other fatty acids or phytosterols is enhanced. The analysis of components accumulation in response to stress leads to the identification of two phases for oleic acid accumulation. The phytosterols accumulation in oil reaches a maximum at the beginning of seed ripening under scarce water resource. To characterize the genotypes selected, the expression level of genes involved in primary metabolism is undertaken using a sunflower microarray (Génoplante BAP ENSAT). In response to a strong water constraint, these genes were up- or down-regulated according to water stress level. The integrative approach combining agro-physiological, biochemical and genomic characterizations improves knowledge on genotype*environment interactions for quality production, and also, points out some ways to adapt sunflower crop to the production of specific components for industrial purposes

Fatty acid and phytosterol accumulation during seed development in three oilseed species

This study was carried out to compare the kinetic accumulation of bioactive lipids during seed development in three oil crops rapeseed, sunflower and woad. Field experiments were conducted under organic conditions during 3 years. After flowering, seeds were collected each 4–5 days until harvest. The three species differed by the quantity and quality of both fatty acids and sterols. Higher levels of phytosterols and fatty acids were reached between 20 and 40 days after flowering (DAF) in sunflower, 40 and 60 DAF in rapeseed and 25 and 45 DAF for woad. The modification of lipid composition during the grain filling depends on species. Knowledge of the composition and accumulation of fatty acids and phytosterols in sunflower, rapeseed and woad seeds would assist in efforts to achieve industrial applications. These seeds may give an interesting source of bioactive lipids

Sampling tomorrow\u27s lunch today: Examining the effect of sampling a vegetable-focused entrée on school lunch participation, a pilot study

School lunch programs are important pillars in the food system, as they impact children\u27s health, local agriculture, and community food security. When offering a new lunch entrée that contains vegetables, schools must consider whether students will choose the new entrée to avoid low participation rates and decreased revenue. Previous research in marketing suggests that sampling (i.e. taste testing) can positively impact consumer choice. In terms of encouraging students to eat school lunch and particularly items that include vegetables, it is often assumed that sampling will help direct food choice to healthier items, but little research has investigated the impact of sampling on food choice in a school lunch environment. The objective of this research was to investigate in a pilot study whether providing samples of a vegetable-focused lunch entrée the day before it appeared on the school lunch menu increased National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation. The study took place at a Vermont middle school in 2015. Four new vegetable-focused entrées were supplied over three consecutive months. During month two, the entrées were sampled at a middle school the day before they were offered for sale, and NSLP participation, as well as revenue was tracked over three months. Our results suggest that sampling may have a positive impact on NSLP participation rates and food service revenue, but that more research is needed to better assess how sampling can be utilized in the most efficacious way to promote NSLP participation and healthy eating patterns