The\u00a0Youth Food Lab<\/a>\u00a0is bringing together young innovators to tackle food systems challenges facing their local communities. It provides a platform for ten teams to transform their visions into a developed business model.<\/p>

The Youth Food Lab is a collaboration between the\u00a0World Food Forum<\/a>\u00a0(WFF),\u00a0Wageningen University Research<\/a>\u00a0(WUR),\u00a0I4Nature<\/a>, and the\u00a0International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences<\/a>\u00a0(IAAS). With their combination of global presence, facilitation, and academic and research backgrounds, the four partners serve as a holistic foundation for participating teams.<\/p>

The nine-month program has three stages to support the teams. Janina Peters, Head of Innovation at World Food Forum tells Food Tank, \u201cStage one is analyzing the system that they are working on and coming up with their own systems map. Stage two is focused on the business side of things. Stage three is all around communication, marketing and storytelling.\u201d<\/p>

Teams will learn everything from fundraising and strategic planning to launching their own website for effective communication of their project goals. \u201cIn October, we have our World Food Forum Flagship event. We invite the teams to come here and present their projects at this global stage,\u201d she adds.<\/p>

This final phase will build on existing competitions including the\u00a0Transformative Research Challenge<\/a>\u00a0(TRC),\u00a0Nature Based Solutions Challenge<\/a>\u00a0and global project competitions. The Youth Food Lab adds a capacity development component to bring teams\u2019 proposals to reality, helping them move from ideas to impact, and scale the solutions they are developing.<\/p>

\u201cHaving a concluding chapter at the World Forum is crucial. We are showcasing that youth have solutions that are practical and implementable,\u201d Vice President of Communications at the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS), Florence Oberlin tells Food Tank. \u201cThey just need funding and the ability to learn from older generations.\u201d<\/p>

Read the full article about youth food lab by Emily Weaver at Food Tank. Read the full article<\/a><\/button><\/p>","excerpt":"The Youth Food Lab is bringing diverse perspectives to solve complex issues in building a resilient food system.","byline":"","author":"Giving Compass","author_bio":null,"author_img_url":null,"publisher":"Food Tank","type":"post","image":null,"gc_medium_image":"https:\/\/cdn.www.hbhuluo.com\/images\/categories\/featured-category-education.jpg","has_featured_image":false,"img_alt":"","img_caption":"","gc_selection":false,"url":"\/\/www.hbhuluo.com\/article\/youth-can-address-local-food-sustainability-issues","is_gc_original":false,"is_evergreen":false,"footnotes":null,"audio":false,"pdf":null,"video":false,"date_added":"Apr 11, 2023","date_modified":"Apr 11, 2023","categories":[{"id":44,"name":"Education","slug":"education"},{"id":54,"name":"Human Services","slug":"human-services"},{"id":55,"name":"Food and Nutrition","slug":"food-and-nutrition"},{"id":110,"name":"Region","slug":"region"},{"id":122,"name":"Global","slug":"global"},{"id":150,"name":"Youth Development","slug":"youth-development"}],"_date_added":1681171200,"_date_modified":1681171200,"_categories":["education","human-services","food-and-nutrition","region","global","youth-development"],"_tags":[]},{"id":216490,"title":"The Importance of Prioritizing Mental Health in Career and Technical Education","summary":"

\r\n \t
• Occupational therapy labs in Michigan support a new approach that helps boost student mental health through mindfulness practices.<\/li>\r\n \t
• How can all vocational and career-readiness programs invest in student mental health?<\/li>\r\n \t
• Learn more about mental health here.<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","intro":null,"content":"In recent years, I\u2019ve personally witnessed more of my students struggle to make that transition or not make it at all. It has nothing to do with a lack of technical skills, as I\u2019ve seen them master complicated vocational concepts and tasks \u2014\u00a0graphic design, woodworking, 3D printing, and\u00a0CNC programming. The struggle has everything to do with skyrocketing anxiety, depression, and trauma experienced by my students as they prepare to enter the workforce.Our students are experiencing a\u00a0mental health crisis across our state\u00a0and\u00a0country,\u00a0and that\u2019s something all of us can and must work to address. That\u2019s why I\u2019m focused on helping our general education and special education students develop job skills and strengthen their mental health while still in our hallways.Starting about six years ago, I worked with my colleagues at Warren Woods Public Schools in Warren, Michigan, to launch a new approach to student mental health and wellness to complement our existing emphasis on pre-vocational skill development. The program, available at our district\u2019s two high schools,\u00a0includes an OT lab that combines technology-driven and traditional machines, a reset room where students can process emotions in a calming environment, and an after-school program called Scratch the Surface.When we first launched the after-school program, it served only as an alternative to traditional disciplinary measures for students who were skipping school or getting behavior referrals in class. But nearly all of the students referred to the program voluntarily continued attending well past what was required.Attendance has gone up and behavior referrals down to near zero for every Warren Woods-Tower High School student who has participated since the program began. At Enterprise High School, the principal of our alternative education program says the OT lab has given students a supportive outlet when they need it most since they can choose when during their school day to visit. Through the power of mindfulness, my students have learned to process their feelings in a constructive way at school. This has allowed them to refocus on developing job skills and preparing for career success.","html_content":"

  In recent years, I\u2019ve personally witnessed more of my students struggle to make that transition or not make it at all. It has nothing to do with a lack of technical skills, as I\u2019ve seen them master complicated vocational concepts and tasks \u2014\u00a0graphic design, woodworking, 3D printing, and\u00a0CNC programming<\/a>. The struggle has everything to do with skyrocketing anxiety, depression, and trauma experienced by my students as they prepare to enter the workforce.<\/p>

  Our students are experiencing a\u00a0mental health crisis across our state<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0country,<\/a>\u00a0and that\u2019s something all of us can and must work to address. That\u2019s why I\u2019m focused on helping our general education and special education students develop job skills and strengthen their mental health while still in our hallways.<\/p>

  Starting about six years ago, I worked with my colleagues at Warren Woods Public Schools in Warren, Michigan, to launch a new approach to student mental health and wellness to complement our existing emphasis on pre-vocational skill development. The program, available at our district\u2019s two high schools,\u00a0<\/b>includes an OT lab that combines technology-driven and traditional machines, a reset room where students can process emotions in a calming environment, and an after-school program called Scratch the Surface.<\/p>

  When we first launched the after-school program, it served only as an alternative to traditional disciplinary measures for students who were skipping school or getting behavior referrals in class. But nearly all of the students referred to the program voluntarily continued attending well past what was required.<\/p>

  Attendance has gone up and behavior referrals down to near zero for every Warren Woods-Tower High School student who has participated since the program began. At Enterprise High School, the principal of our alternative education program says the OT lab has given students a supportive outlet when they need it most since they can choose when during their school day to visit. Through the power of mindfulness, my students have learned to process their feelings in a constructive way at school. This has allowed them to refocus on developing job skills and preparing for career success.<\/p>

  Read the full article about prioritizing mental health in CTE programs by Michele Morgan at Chalkbeat.

Read the full article<\/a><\/button><\/p>","excerpt":"Our school-based occupational therapy labs teach job skills that take the whole student into account, writes Michele Morgan, an OT at Warren Woods Public Schools.","byline":"","author":"Giving Compass","author_bio":null,"author_img_url":null,"publisher":"Chalkbeat","type":"post","image":null,"gc_medium_image":"https:\/\/cdn.www.hbhuluo.com\/images\/categories\/featured-category-health.jpg","has_featured_image":false,"img_alt":"","img_caption":"","gc_selection":false,"url":"\/\/www.hbhuluo.com\/article\/the-importance-of-prioritizing-mental-health-in-career-and-technical-education","is_gc_original":false,"is_evergreen":false,"footnotes":null,"audio":false,"pdf":null,"video":false,"date_added":"Apr 11, 2023","date_modified":"Apr 11, 2023","categories":[{"id":26,"name":"Health","slug":"health"},{"id":54,"name":"Human Services","slug":"human-services"},{"id":110,"name":"Region","slug":"region"},{"id":111,"name":"North America","slug":"north-america"},{"id":131,"name":"Quality Employment","slug":"quality-employment"},{"id":214,"name":"Mental Health","slug":"mental-health"}],"_date_added":1681171200,"_date_modified":1681171200,"_categories":["health","human-services","region","north-america","quality-employment","mental-health"],"_tags":[]},{"id":216486,"title":"Studies Show Impacts of Violent Childhood Trauma","summary":"

\r\n \t
• A recent study found higher post-traumatic stress disorder levels in adults who\u00a0survived violent crimes as children.<\/li>\r\n \t
• How can adverse childhood experiences have long-term impacts on individuals?<\/li>\r\n \t
• Learn more about childhood trauma.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","intro":null,"content":"The researchers surveyed 24 respondents who were victims of gunshot, stab, or assault wounds as children between the years of 2011 and 2020. Of the participants, 15 suffered a gunshot wound, eight suffered a stab wound, and one was assaulted.Respondents were primarily teenagers at the time of injury, with a median age of 16.6 years. An average of six years had passed from the initial\u00a0injury\u00a0to the time respondents were contacted for the study.Of these respondents, 10 (41.7%) screened positive for probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), significantly higher than the 6.8% of the general population that is typically diagnosed with PTSD. Patients who screened positive reported at least three of the following five traits:Nightmares\u00a0or intrusive thoughtsAvoiding thinking about or being in situations that remind them of the event(s)Constantly feeling on-guard, watchful, or startledFeeling numbness or detachment to people, activities, or surroundingsFeeling guilt or blaming yourself or others for the event or problems from the eventIn addition, 46% of respondents reported substance abuse in the past 30 days (other than alcohol or prescription medications) compared to approximately 13% of the general population, while nearly 17% reported persistent symptoms related to their injury.These lasting physical and mental effects emphasize the need for hospitals, community organizations, and social support networks to work together to help monitor these patients long-term, according to lead author Nicole A. Wilson, assistant professor in the departments of surgery, pediatrics, and biomedical engineering at the University of Rochester Medical Center.","html_content":"

  The researchers surveyed 24 respondents who were victims of gunshot, stab, or assault wounds as children between the years of 2011 and 2020. Of the participants, 15 suffered a gunshot wound, eight suffered a stab wound, and one was assaulted.<\/p>

  Respondents were primarily teenagers at the time of injury, with a median age of 16.6 years. An average of six years had passed from the initial\u00a0injury<\/a>\u00a0to the time respondents were contacted for the study.<\/p>

  Of these respondents, 10 (41.7%) screened positive for probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), significantly higher than the 6.8% of the general population that is typically diagnosed with PTSD. Patients who screened positive reported at least three of the following five traits:<\/p>

  • Nightmares<\/a>\u00a0or intrusive thoughts<\/li>
  • Avoiding thinking about or being in situations that remind them of the event(s)<\/li>
  • Constantly feeling on-guard, watchful, or startled<\/li>
  • Feeling numbness or detachment to people, activities, or surroundings<\/li>
  • Feeling guilt or blaming yourself or others for the event or problems from the event<\/li><\/ul>

    In addition, 46% of respondents reported substance abuse in the past 30 days (other than alcohol or prescription medications) compared to approximately 13% of the general population, while nearly 17% reported persistent symptoms related to their injury.<\/p>

    These lasting physical and mental effects emphasize the need for hospitals, community organizations, and social support networks to work together to help monitor these patients long-term, according to lead author Nicole A. Wilson, assistant professor in the departments of surgery, pediatrics, and biomedical engineering at the University of Rochester Medical Center.<\/p>

    Read the full article about post-traumatic stress disorder by Scot Hesel at Futurity.

Read the full article<\/a><\/button><\/p>","excerpt":"Adults who were victims of gunshot, stab, and assault wounds as children had higher rates of PTSD, according to a new study.","byline":"","author":"Giving Compass","author_bio":null,"author_img_url":null,"publisher":"Futurity","type":"post","image":null,"gc_medium_image":"https:\/\/cdn.www.hbhuluo.com\/images\/categories\/featured-category-health.jpg","has_featured_image":false,"img_alt":"","img_caption":"","gc_selection":false,"url":"\/\/www.hbhuluo.com\/article\/studies-show-impacts-of-violent-childhood-trauma","is_gc_original":false,"is_evergreen":false,"footnotes":null,"audio":false,"pdf":null,"video":false,"date_added":"Apr 11, 2023","date_modified":"Apr 11, 2023","categories":[{"id":26,"name":"Health","slug":"health"},{"id":76,"name":"Human Rights","slug":"human-rights"},{"id":110,"name":"Region","slug":"region"},{"id":111,"name":"North America","slug":"north-america"},{"id":214,"name":"Mental Health","slug":"mental-health"},{"id":176565,"name":"Scientific Research","slug":"scientific-research"},{"id":176571,"name":"Research","slug":"research"},{"id":176573,"name":"Children and Youth","slug":"children-and-youth"}],"_date_added":1681171200,"_date_modified":1681171200,"_categories":["health","human-rights","region","north-america","mental-health","scientific-research","research","children-and-youth"],"_tags":[]},{"id":216492,"title":"Looming Behind Antibiotic Resistance is Another Bacterial Threat \u2013\u00a0Antibiotic Tolerance","summary":"

\r\n \t
• Megan Keller explains the threat of antibiotic tolerance, when a bacterium survives extended exposure to an antibiotic and can \"reawaken\" when the antibiotic is gone.<\/li>\r\n \t
• What role can you play in addressing the threat of\u00a0antibiotic tolerance?<\/li>\r\n \t
• Read about working toward solutions to end antibiotic misuse<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","intro":null,"content":"Have you ever had a nasty infection that just won\u2019t seem to go away? Or a runny nose that keeps coming back? You may have been dealing with a bacterium that is tolerant of, though not yet resistant to, antibiotics.Antibiotic resistance is a huge problem, contributing to nearly 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. But antibiotic tolerance is a covert threat that researchers have only recently begun to explore.Antibiotic tolerance happens when a bacterium manages to survive for a long time after being exposed to an antibiotic. While antibiotic-resistant bacteria flourish even in the presence of an antibiotic, tolerant bacteria often exist in a dormant state, neither growing nor dying but putting up with the antibiotic until they can \u201creawaken\u201d once the stress is gone. Tolerance has been linked to the spread of antibiotic resistance.I am a microbiologist who studies antibiotic tolerance, and I seek to uncover what triggers tolerant bacteria to enter a protective dormant slumber. By understanding why bacteria have the ability to become tolerant, researchers hope to develop ways to avoid the spread of this ability. The exact mechanism that sets tolerance apart from resistance has been unclear. But one possible answer may reside in a process that has been overlooked for decades: how bacteria create their energy.Cholera and antibiotic toleranceMany antibiotics are designed to break through the bacteria\u2019s outer defenses like a cannonball through a stone fortress. Resistant bacteria are immune to the cannonball because they can either destroy it before it damages their outer wall or change their own walls to be able to withstand the impact.Tolerant bacteria can remove their wall entirely and avoid damage altogether. No wall, no target for the cannonball to smash. If the threat goes away before too long, the bacterium can rebuild its wall to protect it from other environmental dangers and resume normal functions. However, it is still unknown how bacteria know the antibiotic threat is gone, and what exactly triggers their reawakening.My colleagues and I at the D\u00f6rr Lab at Cornell University are trying to understand processes of activation and reawakening in the tolerant bacteria responsible for cholera, Vibrio cholerae. Vibrio is rapidly evolving resistance against various types of antibiotics, and doctors are concerned. As of 2010, Vibrio is already resistant to 36 different antibiotics, and this number is expected to continue rising.To study how Vibrio develops resistance, we chose a strain that is tolerant to a class of antibiotics called beta-lactams. Beta-lactams are the cannonball sent to destroy the bacteria\u2019s fortress, and Vibrio adapts by activating two genes that temporarily remove its cell wall. I witnessed this phenomenon using a microscope. After removing its cell wall, the bacteria activate even more genes that morph it into fragile globs that can survive the effects of the antibiotic. Once the antibiotic is removed or degraded, Vibrio returns to its normal rod shape and continues to grow.Normally rod-shaped Vibrio cholerae remove their cell walls and turn into globs in the presence of penicillin, enabling them to survive longer.Vibrio cholerae revert back to their rod-shaped structure once the antibiotic threat is removed.In people, this process of tolerance is seen when a doctor prescribes an antibiotic, typically doxycycline, to a patient infected with cholera. The antibiotic temporarily seems to stop the infection. But then the symptoms start back up again because the antibiotics never fully cleared the bacteria in the first place.The ability to revert back to normal and grow after the antibiotic is gone is the key to tolerant survival. Exposing Vibrio to an antibiotic for a long enough time would eventually kill it. But a standard course of antibiotics often isn\u2019t long enough to get rid of all the bacteria even in their fragile state.However, taking a medicine for a prolonged period can harm healthy bacteria and cells, causing further discomfort and illness. Additionally, misuse and extended exposure to antibiotics can increase the chances of other bacteria residing in the body becoming resistant.Other bacteria developing toleranceVibrio isn\u2019t the only species to exhibit tolerance. In fact, researchers have recently identified many infectious bacteria that have developed tolerance. A bacteria family called Enterobacteriaceae, which include major food-borne disease pathogens Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli, are just a few of the many types of bacteria that are capable of antibiotic tolerance.As every bacterium is unique, the way one develops tolerance seems to be as well. Some bacteria, like Vibrio, erase their cell walls. Others can alter their energy sources, increase their ability to move or simply pump out the antibiotic.I recently found that a bacterium\u2019s metabolism, or the way it breaks down \u201cfood\u201d to make energy, may play a significant role in its ability to become tolerant. Different struc...","html_content":"

  Have you ever had a nasty infection that just won\u2019t seem to go away? Or a runny nose that keeps coming back? You may have been dealing with a bacterium that is tolerant of, though not yet resistant to, antibiotics.<\/p>

  Antibiotic resistance is a huge problem, contributing to nearly 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019<\/a>. But antibiotic tolerance is a covert threat that researchers have only recently begun to explore.<\/p>

  Antibiotic tolerance<\/a> happens when a bacterium manages to survive for a long time after being exposed to an antibiotic. While antibiotic-resistant<\/a> bacteria flourish even in the presence of an antibiotic, tolerant bacteria often exist in a dormant state, neither growing nor dying but putting up with the antibiotic until they can \u201creawaken\u201d once the stress is gone. Tolerance has been linked to the spread of antibiotic resistance<\/a>.<\/p>

  I am a microbiologist<\/a> who studies antibiotic tolerance, and I seek to uncover what triggers tolerant bacteria to enter a protective dormant slumber. By understanding why bacteria have the ability to become tolerant, researchers hope to develop ways to avoid the spread of this ability. The exact mechanism that sets tolerance apart from resistance has been unclear. But one possible answer may reside in a process that has been overlooked for decades: how bacteria create their energy<\/a>.<\/p>

  Cholera and antibiotic tolerance<\/h2>

  Many antibiotics are designed to break through the bacteria\u2019s outer defenses<\/a> like a cannonball through a stone fortress. Resistant bacteria are immune to the cannonball because they can either destroy it before it damages their outer wall or change their own walls to be able to withstand the impact.<\/p>

  Tolerant bacteria can remove their wall entirely and avoid damage altogether. No wall, no target for the cannonball to smash. If the threat goes away before too long, the bacterium can rebuild its wall to protect it from other environmental dangers and resume normal functions. However, it is still unknown how bacteria know the antibiotic threat is gone, and what exactly triggers their reawakening.<\/p>

  My colleagues and I at the D\u00f6rr Lab at Cornell University<\/a> are trying to understand processes of activation and reawakening in the tolerant bacteria responsible for cholera, Vibrio cholerae<\/em>. Vibrio<\/em> is rapidly evolving resistance<\/a> against various types of antibiotics, and doctors are concerned. As of 2010, Vibrio<\/em> is already resistant to 36 different antibiotics<\/a>, and this number is expected to continue rising.<\/p>

  To study how Vibrio<\/em> develops resistance, we chose a strain that is tolerant to a class of antibiotics called beta-lactams<\/a>. Beta-lactams are the cannonball sent to destroy the bacteria\u2019s fortress, and Vibrio<\/em> adapts by activating two genes that temporarily remove its cell wall. I witnessed this phenomenon using a microscope. After removing its cell wall, the bacteria activate even more genes that morph it into fragile globs that can survive the effects of the antibiotic. Once the antibiotic is removed or degraded, Vibrio<\/em> returns to its normal rod shape and continues to grow.<\/p>