Jim Cochran was born in Carlsbad, California in 1947. He came to UC Santa Cruz in the late 1960s as an undergraduate student to study child development and 19th century European intellectual history. As a student at Merrill College (one of the UC Santa Cruz residential colleges), he lived up the hill from the Chadwick Garden (Student Garden Project) and admired the organic food and flowers grown on that steep hillside. After he graduated, Cochran took a job as an assistant to organizers of Co-op Campesina, a farm worker-owned production co-op in the Pajaro Valley, California. He later helped several farmer co-ops in Central California with marketing and financial planning. This shaped his future role as founder of Swanton Berry Farm, famous as the first certified organic farm in the United States to sign a labor contract with the United Farm Workers (UFW). Swanton Berry Farm offers their workers low income housing on site, health insurance, vacation and holiday pay, a pension, and other benefits including an employee stock ownership program. In 2006 Cochran received the Honoring Advocates for Social Justice in Sustainable Agriculture (Justie) Award from the Ecological Farming Association.

Cochran began Swanton Berry Farm in 1983 because he wanted to try to grow strawberries organically. He was the first (modern) commercial organic strawberry farmer in California, and in 1987 the California Certified Organic Farmers certified his farm. Cochran’s methods became a resource for other organic strawberry growers, and in 2002, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded him the Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award for developing organic methods of growing strawberries that did not rely on the soil fumigant methyl bromide. A key component of Jim’s success was his partnership with UC Santa Cruz agroecologists Steve Gliessman and Sean Swezey in on-farm research.

Travelers along the North Coast of Santa Cruz County visit the Swanton farm stand on Highway One, where they pick strawberries by the sea, and savor the fabulous jams, truffles, strawberry pies, scones and other treats concocted in the kitchen. When no one is minding the store, customers pay on the honor system, a lesson in trust that Cochran encourages. A photo exhibit documenting the agricultural history of Santa Cruz County and of the United Farm Workers is displayed above long comfortable tables where customers sip coffee supplied by the Community Agroecology Network.

Ever a visionary, Cochran joined the Roots of Change Council’s Vivid Picture Project, which is “daring to dream up a comprehensive vision of a sustainable food system in California.” He discusses all of these aspects of his career in this interview conducted by Ellen Farmer on December 10, 2007, at Swanton Berry Farm in Davenport, California.

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been identified as a significant contributor to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and numerous adverse health outcomes, placing a considerable financial burden on healthcare systems and societal well-being. With the elderly population experiencing a notable and ongoing rise in MetS prevalence, it becomes crucial to grasp its pathogenesis and explore avenues for mitigating its progression. By understanding and addressing factors that exacerbate MetS, we may potentially hinder the development of chronic diseases and curb the associated escalation in healthcare costs. Recent advancements in aging biomarkers, such as epigenetic clocks, offer promising insights into various health conditions. However, existing research has primarily adopted a cross-sectional approach. Therefore, this dissertation aims to illuminate the prospective association between epigenetic markers and metabolic dysfunction within cohorts comprising racially diverse older adults. Specifically, there are three key objectives of this dissertation: 1) assess the effect of changes in metabolic dysfunction over time on clock accelerations; 2) construct regression models to predict changes in MetS components from initial epigenetic clock accelerations. Additionally, we evaluate the predictive capability of these epigenetic clock accelerations for the onset of MetS. And 3) we investigate the association between baseline DNAm level at CpG sites and subsequent changes in MetS components. Following this, we construct predictive models for incident MetS using baseline DNAm levels at CpG sites through two distinct methods: an epigenome-wide association study approach and a candidate CpG site approach.Methods: To address the first study objective, we used data from 867 participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) who were assessed for demographic characteristics and metabolic biomarkers measured at baseline in 2008. In 2016, using newly collected blood samples, HRS estimated five epigenetic clocks for continuing respondents, including Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge, and DundinPoAm. Epigenetic clock acceleration, defined as the difference between chronological age and epigenetic age, served as an age-adjusted biomarker for aging. Metabolic dysfunction level was assessed at both baseline and follow-up, which was defined as having three or more of the following abnormalities: hypertension, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and waist circumference. Linear regression models were conducted to assess each clock acceleration at follow-up in relation to changes in metabolic dysfunction level, while adjusting for baseline covariates and follow-up years. Separate linear regression analyses were employed to regress each clock acceleration against changes in each metabolic dysfunction component, controlling for baseline covariates and follow-up years. Finally, potential effect modification by sex was evaluated in the relationship between changes in metabolic dysfunction level and clocks. Following this, stratified analyses were performed using separate linear regression models for each sex to evaluate the effect of metabolic dysfunction level on clock accelerations. For the second objective, a total of 537 participants from the Women’s Health Initiative were included in this analysis. Demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and epigenetic clock data were collected at baseline, while measurements of MetS components were obtained at baseline and follow-up. Epigenetic age was calculated using five established algorithms: Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge, and DunedinPACE. Logistic regression models were employed to assess the association between epigenetic clock acceleration and changes in each MetS component, controlling for baseline covariates, follow-up duration, and baseline MetS measures. Similar models were applied to participants at risk of MetS at baseline (n = 281) to explore the association between epigenetic clock accelerations and incident MetS. For the third objective, we analyzed the identical participant cohort as in aim 2, using data on the same covariates pertaining to demographic characteristics and health behaviors. DNAm levels were assessed in blood samples using the Illumina 450k array. Following quality control, our analysis incorporated 421,172 CpG sites. Logistic regression models were employed to assess the impact of DNAm levels at CpG sites on changes in individual MetS components, while adjusting for baseline covariates, follow-up duration, and baseline MetS measures. Incident MetS analysis was carried out in participants at risk of MetS at baseline (n = 281). Two approaches were employed, both using similar models as in the longitudinal change analysis. Model 1 utilized an EWAS approach, while Model 2 focused on a group of candidate CpG sites selected from the longitudinal change analysis. Results: Our findings for the first study objective are as follows. Our study participants in HRS cohort were predominantly female (61%), with a mean age of 66 years, and a mean follow-up time of 8 years. When investigating how changes in indicators of metabolic dysfunction over time affect subsequent clock accelerations, participants who transitioned from a high to a low risk of metabolic dysfunction experienced a slower PhenoAge (β = -1.61, 95% CI -3.11, -0.12) compared to those who remained consistently low risk. Regarding effects of individual metabolic components, participants who improved from abnormal to normal HDL levels exhibited accelerated PhenoAge (β = 3.05, 95% CI 1.59, 4.51) and DunedinPoAm (β = 0.03, 95% CI 0.01, 0.05) compared to those who maintained healthy HDL levels. Similarly, those who developed new abnormalities in HDL levels showed acceleration in PhenoAge (β = 1.89, 95% CI 0.50, 3.29) and DunedinPoAm (β = 0.02, 95% CI 0.01, 0.04) compared to those consistently within the healthy range. Moreover, individuals who returned their total cholesterol levels to normal experienced acceleration in Hannum (β = 2.96, 95% CI 0.91, 5.01), GrimAge (β = 3.19, 95% CI 0.33, 6.04), and DunedinPoAm (β = 0.06, 95% CI 0.02, 0.10), while those experiencing worsening levels over time exhibited acceleration in Hannum (β = 2.45, 95% CI 1.00, 3.90) but deceleration in DunedinPoAm (β = -0.04, 95% CI -0.06, -0.01). Participants with improved HbA1c levels also showed accelerated GrimAge (β = 1.83, 95% CI 0.59, 3.07) compared to those within the normal blood sugar range. Lastly, no heterogeneity by sex was observed in the relationship between metabolic dysfunction level and clocks. Regarding the second study objective, here are our findings. At baseline, WHI participants had a mean age of 63.6 years, with a mean follow-up duration of 15.4 years. Among the 537 participants, changes in glucose levels were significantly associated with accelerated Horvath (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.22, 1.87), PhenoAge (OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.10, 1.61), and GrimAge (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.10, 2.35). Changes in waist circumference were associated with accelerated Hannum (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.14, 1.87) and DunedinPACE (OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.06, 1.66) clocks, while changes in HDL levels were associated with accelerated DunedinPACE (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.15, 1.76). Similar trends were observed among participants at risk of MetS. Additionally, GrimAge was associated with changes in HDL (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.03, 2.72) and waist circumference (OR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.06, 2.85), while DunedinPACE was associated with changes in triglycerides (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.09, 1.95) and glucose levels (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.06, 2.02). In the incident MetS analysis, GrimAge (OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.17, 2.87) and DunedinPACE (OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.02, 1.75) were associated with the onset of MetS. The findings pertaining to the third study objective are outlined below. Among the 537 participants, we identified 92 CpG sites associated with changes in MetS components, annotated to 69 genes. Some of these genes have demonstrated functional relevance to MetS previously, such as CXCR7 (cg15066967) and KDR (cg14323109) for hypertension, PPT2 (cg24283914) for HDL levels, ZFHX3 (cg05918327), NEU1 (cg10849498), and BCKDHB (cg19242448) for triglycerides, and PLIN1 (cg08749443) for waist circumference. In the incident MetS analyses, Model 1 identified 19 CpG sites, while Model 2 found 14 CpG sites linked to MetS onset. Some of these sites have been annotated to genes relevant to MetS, including PRKCZ (cg00095688), GPR133 (cg14499928), IGFL-1 (cg25246031), and ESCRT (cg10035272). Both approaches produced ROC curves with good discriminability of MetS compared to a model considering only current MetS conditions and without DNAm markers. Conclusion: In sum, this dissertation reported the bi-directional relationship between epigenetic clocks and changes in metabolic dysfunction indicators, as well as several CpG sites that may be implicated in the progression of MetS in the elderly population. These findings indicate that metabolic dysfunction accelerates epigenetic clocks, which in turn predicts MetS incidence. Consequently, epigenetic clocks may serve as a valuable tool for categorizing risk among older adults, identifying those at high risk of metabolic dysfunction. Furthermore, the CpG sites associated with MetS progression could provide directions for further investigation into their biological functions and their contributions to MetS development.

Defining the American urban form relies on a perceived division between ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ areas. I trace the idea of the urban/rural divide through the evolution of human settlement patterns in the United States from the nineteenth century onwards. I argue that while a superficial distinction between urban and rural land was once relevant to characterizing city forms and metropolitan growth trends, in contemporary contexts there no longer exists an actual separation of lands based on their ‘natural’ character around cities. Thus, continuing to plan for urban/rural areas ignores how pressing planning concerns arise from greater socio-ecological processes, and places that extend beyond designated settlement boundaries. I explore how new conceptualizations of urbanization, including urban sustainability, urban resilience, and planetary urbanization, can inform a post-urban/rural divide planning paradigm.

Time's Up! For John and the Robots is a non-combat action game where the player must avoid enemies and solve puzzles under a time limit. The goal of this game is to get players to think on their feet and take risks to get past dilemmas due to the pressure of a time limit.