Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Metabolism Of Aflatoxin B1 In Two Quail Genera Coturnix Japonica And Callipepla Californica, Sean Moody

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Avian species are highly susceptible to the hepatotoxic mycotoxin aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁). Domesticated turkeys are exquisitely sensitive, due to a combination of highly-efficient hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated bioactivation, and to dysfunctional alpha-class glutathione S-transferases (GSTAs) which typically detoxify the bioactivated electrophilic metabolite exo-AFB₁-8,9-epoxide (AFBO). Wild turkeys are relatively resistant to AFB₁ in large part due to expression of functional GSTAs. Quail, a related Galliforme, are slightly less sensitive in vivo to AFB₁, but whether this is related to the hepatic metabolic profiles of these two critical enzymes has not been rigorously evaluated. …

Transfer Effects Of A Multiple-Joint Isokinetic Eccentric Training Intervention To Nontraining-Specific Traditional Muscle Function Measures, Steven Spencer

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The transfer effects of isokinetic, eccentric-only resistance training programs on non-specific measures of muscle function such as isometric peak force, isokinetic concentric peak force and dynamic constant external resistance 1-repetition maximal strength (DCER 1RM) have been researched extensively in a single joint context, yielding mixed results. However, investigations involving multiple-joint isokinetic eccentric-only training models have been sparse. The purpose of this study was to investigate the transfer effects of a short-term multiple-joint isokinetic eccentric leg press (Eccentron) training program on several measures of lower-body strength and performance. Fifteen participants performed Eccentron training three times/week for four weeks and were evaluated …

Impact Of Fish Oil On Intestinal Permeability, Inflammation, And Performance In Swine, Anthony Fernando Alberto

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Our research examined the effects of fish oil supplementation on intestinal permeability, systemic inflammation and performance in piglets. An lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge was done to stimulate the synthesis and release of the cytokines, in an effort to mimic the immune response that piglets would have when facing stress or pathogen challenge. Fish oil increased feed intake but did not affect growth when compared to control. Total fatty acid digestibility increased by 6% when fish oil was included in the diet. Also, we observed a 16% increase on 16-carbon fatty acids digestibility. Fish oil did not affect the plasma …

Survey Of Ncaa Athletic Trainers’ Administration Of The National Wrestling Coaches Association Weight Certification Program, Samuel Konrath

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Context: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) implemented a minimum weight certification program in 1997 to help protect wrestlers from dangerous weight loss practices. Despite nearly a quarter of a century of this program, there is no published research detailing the implementation of it.

Objective: Determine how the NCAA minimum weight certification is being implemented across Division I programs.

Design: Cross-sectional study

Setting: Survey

Patients or Other Participants: A total of 35 (45.5%) of 77 NCAA division I wrestling athletic trainers responded to the survey.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Survey data on how the NCAA minimum weight certification program was implemented …

Development And Validation Of A Basic Ground Skills Assessment For Equine-Assisted Services, Sarah J. Andersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The equine-assisted services program at Utah State University produced and validated an assessment process used to test equines for suitability for equine-assisted services. Equine-assisted services incorporate the interaction of humans who face mental, physical, emotional, and/or social challenges and equines for therapeutic purposes. Recreational, physical, mental, social, and/or emotional goals are met through various equine-assisted services such as therapies, equine-assisted learning, and horsemanship.

Due to the potential for human injury while interacting with equines, it is important to ensure equines are assessed for safe behavior prior to participation in equine-assisted services. This is why our group developed and tested the …

Test-Retest Of The 5-Minute Psychomotor Vigilance Test, Katharine Dennison

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of many variables in the 5-minute Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). Many studies have looked at the validity of a 5-minute PVT, but few so far have looked at reliability. For this study, 13 adult females who worked 12-hr shifts were recruited to complete a two trial day study. The first trial day, the subjects submitted health questionnaire followed by a self-reported sleepiness scale and then a 5-minute PVT. The second trial session the subjects only competed the sleepiness scale followed by the 5-minute PVT. After analyzing the data, it was …

No Evidence Of Stochastic Resonance In Postural Sway Response To Noisy Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation In Healthy Young Adults, Dominique Rice

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The transcutaneous application of a sub-sensory electrical stimulation to the vestibular afferents, known as noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS), is thought to cause a reduction in postural sway at optimal amplitude intensities due to a mechanism known as stochastic resonance (SR). SR is a phenomenon whereby the addition of low amplitude noise to a non-linear system can be beneficial rather than detrimental. In humans, behavioral markers of SR in postural sway have been inconsistent, potentially due to insufficient power or false positives. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to determine whether the frequency of observing SR-like effects improves …

Mindfulness-Based Practices For The Impaired Performance Athlete, Mackenzie L. Campbell

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Mindfulness-based programs are becoming commonly considered for the improvement of athlete's mental and physical state. However, their usage in improving performance in impaired athletes is limited and not fully understood. The purpose of this thesis was to review the standing literature on the topic of the application of mindfulness to improving athletic performance in wellbeing-impaired athletes. Seventy-three articles were included as references for this paper describing functional mechanisms, clinical significance and anecdotal evidence that points to the effectiveness of mindfulness in sport for the treatment of pain, injury recovery, prevention of injury, and chronic illness. Ultimately, this review supports the …

The Wingate Anaerobic Test: A Comprehensive Literature Review And Update On Reference Values In Athletes, Caleb Christie

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The Wingate Anaerobic test (WAnT) was developed in the 1970s as a measurement of lower extremity anaerobic power (Ayalon, Inbar, Bar-Or, 1974) and has long been used as a measurement tool in athletes, who are often defined by numbers. While numbers are not able to entirely predict or evaluate athletic ability, they are often used as a tool to predict or rate athletes. The WAnT has long been a gold standard in evaluating lower extremity power, which is a highly valuable aspect of many sprint and power-driven sports (e.g., hockey, football, or track and field). The WAnT was originally developed …

Social Media Usage And Psychological Well-Being In Adolescents: A Comparison Among Demographics, Heather A. Mccall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine social media use of adolescents in the U.S. and their psychological well-being to expand the research of this quickly changing topic. The researcher collected online responses from 409 adolescents between the ages of 13-17 years old concerning their social media use and psychological well-being.

Variables in the research included time spent on social media, number of platforms used, active use, parental mediation, and emotional connection. The two variables that had a statistically significant relationship with psychological well-being included parental mediation and emotional connection to social media.

Recommendations for continued research could include …

Utilization Of Protective Cultures To Reduce Late Gas Formation By Paucilactobacillus Wasatchensis, Ireland R. Green

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cheesemaking is a process susceptible to defects caused by microbes not purposefully added by the manufacturer. While these bacteria are not a health concern, they can cause problems such as producing carbon dioxide inside the cheese. This can cause slits and cracks in cheese making cheese unsuitable for slicing. One such bacteria identified by cheese researchers at Utah State University and Weber State University is Paucilactobacillus wasatchensis. When present in cheese, it can cause gas formation by using galactose to supply its energy. In doing so, it takes this six-carbon sugar and converts it into a five-carbon sugar and …

Local And Systemic Effects Of Flavonoid Intake With Submaximal Cycling Exercise: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Stephanie Kung

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Moderate to high intensity endurance exercise is a known cause of exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome, a condition often associated with intestinal complaints such as discomfort, cramps, and diarrhea. Oftentimes, elevated intestinal inflammation and permeability (a “leaky gut”) are also observed. Previous research has shown that flavonoids, natural compounds found in many fruits and vegetables, may mitigate these exercise-induced effects. In particular, certain cocoa powders contain high levels of flavonoids, and chocolate milk is a good source of protein and sugars for sustaining intense activity. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a dairy pre-workout beverage, with …

Effect Of High-Intensity Ultrasound On Bubble Dynamics, Oxidation, And Crystallization Behavior Of Fats, Juhee Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) provide desired texture, stability, and extended shelf life in food products. These types of lipids have been commonly used in food industry. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to remove generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of PHOs in 2015 due to the association between PHOs and coronary heart disease (CHD), type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Hence, it is necessary to find alternative new healthy lipids or novel processing conditions that can be used to replace the functionality of PHO. Among the processing methods to be used in alternative PHOs fats, high-intensity …

Comparison Of Microbial Diversity Of Fifteen Aged Cheddar Cheeses From Different Regions Using Next Generation Sequencing, Sophie L. Overbeck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This project was funded by BUILD Dairy to test the efficacy of using next generation sequencing to study Cheddar cheese microbiomes. The 15 different cheese samples used in this study were purchased in the retail market from various manufacturers and different origins of manufacture. Sequencing was done by the Center for Integrated Biosystems at Utah State University using Illumina MiSeq.

The aim of this project is to provide further understanding of how using next generation sequencing can benefit the study of bacterial communities and their influence during the aging process of Cheddar cheese and the possibility of identifying defect causing …

Synergistic Effect Of High Intensity Ultrasound, Antimicrobial Compounds, And Uv-A Light On Microbial Quality Of Dairy Products, Bryce Rodney Hales

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Food spoilage and contamination remains a common problem within the food industry. Furthermore, the continued change of consumer demand and perspective on food quality and products has led the food industry and researchers to find new methods of food preservation. Many of these new methods hope to use non-thermal processes since thermal processes tend to decrease the overall quality of the final product. Some new non-thermal methods that have been looked at are the use of high intensity ultrasound (HIU), ultraviolet light, and the use of natural antimicrobials. In this study, UHT milk inoculated with either E. coli K12 or …

When Healthy Turns Harmful: Increasing Understanding Of Potential Risk Factors And Approaches To Decreasing Orthorexic Behaviors, Elizabeth King

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) is a relatively new term used to describe individuals who place an excessive value on consuming a “pure” or healthful diet, so much so that their psychological, and potentially physical, health is negatively affected. ON is driven by a focus of consuming high-quality foods rather than limiting the quantity of food. This has sometimes been referred to as “clean eating”, or only consuming “clean” foods. A commonality between ON and other eating disorders (EDs) is that the behaviors are rooted in restriction, where an individual with ON would focus on restricting specific foods, or even entire food …

Improving The Specificity Of Vertical Stiffness Measurement In Depth Jump Landings, Miles Mercer

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Greater lower extremity stiffness has been shown to increase bilateral jump height through stretch-shortening cycle optimization. Currently, there are two established methods for estimating vertical stiffness (K_vert) of the human body, which is a variant of lower extremity stiffness. The validity of these methods for estimating K_vert in non-cyclical human movements has been questioned recently due to the complex physiological and neuromotor factors that support stiffness regulation in the muscle-tendon complex. The purpose of the present study was to improve the specificity of K_vert measurement using direct derivation of vertical ground reaction force (GRF) and center …

The Effects Of Trace Mineral Supplementation On Performance, Health, And Carcass Quality Of At-Risk Mineral Deficient Feedlot Cattle, Tevan J. Brady

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Morbidity in feedlot cattle due to disease is a common economical loss for feedlot producers. Utah is not typically considered a ‘feedlot state’, but there are several producers in the southern part of the state that specialize in receiving at-risk cattle. These cattle are at-risk because they are coming from areas known to be mineral deficient. Areas such as the western US, are known to be deficient in several trace minerals important in immune response. Therefore, it is critical that producers have an adequate plan to decrease the negative effects that this has on economic viability of their beef operations, …

It's About Time: Examining The Role Of Time Together And Perceived Stress In Couple Relationships, Rachel J. H. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Because stress is a common struggle in romantic relationships and because stress can spill over into couples’ interactions and affect their level of relationship connection, it is important to understand what can help couples adapt to stress and maintain meaningful relationships. Quality time together has been found to have positive effects on relationship outcomes overall. Additionally, family stress theory has posited that having sufficient resources can help couples adapt to stress and avoid a crisis situation. As such, time together was examined as a potential resource for couples to draw upon to adapt to the potential negative effects of perceived …

Effect Of Dietary Short And Medium Chain Fatty Acids In Murine Lethal Sepsis Model, David Son Dang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sepsis is defined as the presence of an infection in combination with systemic inflammation in a host. One of the detrimental results of sepsis is multiple organ failure which eventually leads to death. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an endotoxin that can be found on the outer surface of gram-negative bacteria, can be used as a model for sepsis. LPS present in the circulatory system of hosts can induce symptoms that are seen in patients during septicemia.

Previous studies have suggested that including milk fat in a diet may protect against a lethal dosage of LPS in rodents. Milk fat has a unique …

Investigating Heat Risk Messaging Using Social Media Studies And A Survey Experiment, Yajie Li

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Extreme heat causes hundreds of deaths each year in the United States even though cost-effective protective measures are available. Heat warning messages sent by government agencies have the potential to reduce the negative impacts by motivating people to take protective actions. To help reach the potential, this dissertation examined the content of warning messages and public responses to warning messages in the US. This research analyzed three kinds of data: 1) heat warning messages posted on Twitter, 2) public comments on heat warning messages posted on Facebook, and 3) experimental results collected using an online survey.

Results show that, for …