Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of The Co2 Grinding On Modified Atmosphere And Color Shelf Life Of Ground Beef, Sofiane Ghris

All Theses

Beef ground under air and carbon dioxide (CO2) conditions were evaluated for their storage stability at 2 ± 1¼C starting after 2 days in the dark to simulate transportation, followed by 7 days in lighted display by measuring color (CIE L*, a*, b*, the hue and chroma), gas headspace, microbiological content, and pigment content. AC (ground in air then packaged in 100% CO2 MAP) and CC (ground in CO2 then packaged in 100% CO2 MAP) treatments showed the highest a* and chroma values from day 3 to 9 compared with AV (ground in air then vacuum packaged) and CV (ground …

Development And Evaluation Of Instruments To , Patricia Michaud

All Theses

The objectives of this study are to provide evidence for and demonstrate the processes used to develop and test tools to measure the effectiveness of a culinary and nutrition education program. This study initially involved a review of literature related to the environmental conditions for and components of nutrition education interventions featuring hands-on cooking skill activities. Based on this literature examination, the Cooking Attitude, Cooking Behavior, Produce Consumption Self-Efficacy, Cooking Self-Efficacy, Self-Efficacy for Using Basic Cooking Techniques, and Self-Efficacy for Using Fruits, Vegetables and Seasonings scales and the Knowledge of Cooking Terms and Techniques evaluation were developed. The Availability and …

Natal Dispersal And New Group Formation In Capybaras (Hydrochoerus Hydrochaeris) In A Seasonally Flooded Savanna Of Venezuela, Elizabeth Rae Congdon

Dissertations

This study examines natal dispersal and new group formation in capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in a seasonally flooded savanna in Venezuela. The first section describes a novel approach to the study of dispersal that could be applied to many taxa. Dispersal is considered in three stages (emigration, transience, and immigration) and its proximate and ultimate mechanisms are clearly differentiated. The second chapter describes dispersal behavior in capybaras, including which individuals disperse, when, and to where. In the third chapter, I evaluate dispersal in capybaras with respect to social subordination and social cohesion hypotheses. In this population, some support was …

Preparation Of Divalent And Trivalent Antigens For Immunogical Studies On Degranulation Of Mast Cells And Preparation Of Ceragenins For Antiviral Studies Against Vaccinia Virus., Dianliang Geng

Theses and Dissertations

CHAPTER 1

Aggregation of receptors for IgE (Fc RI) causes mast cells and basophils to release preformed contents of granules, including histamine and a variety of enzymes. This process, called degranulation plays a central role in allergic reactions. Methods to study this process are to create multivalent ligands which can interact with the receptors and, in turn, lead to aggregation of the receptors. We prepared a series of fluorophore-labeled divalent and trivalent antigens to study the degranulation of mast cells. Trivalent antigens proved to be much better stimulators for degranulation of mast cells than divalent antigens. These results indicate that …

Pyridinium Bisretinoids: Synthesis And Photoactivated Cytotoxicity, Junping Gao

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses pyridinium bisretinoid compounds (PBRs), which were prepared for two purposes: 1) to use them as standards for detection of novel fluorophores in human RPE cells, which may be involved in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and 2) to use them in the development of a targeted and triggered drug delivery system for cancer therapy. We prepared a selection of PBRs using a one-pot biomimetic method; synthesis, mechanisms for formation, and characterization of these compounds is described. We also explored the photoreactivity of three novel PBR compounds and found that these PBRs form oxidation products under blue-light irradiation. The …

A Biomechanical Analysis Of Male And Female Intermediate Hurdlers And Steeplechasers, Laurence R. Bollschweiler

Theses and Dissertations

In the sport of track and field, proper hurdling technique is a complicated combination of various running and jumping kinematics. With most research having been done on sprint hurdling, there is a growing need for research on hurdling events of different lengths. The intermediate hurdles (IH) and the steeplechase (SC) are two events where there are a number of differences in hurdling technique. This study compared the differences in hurdling technique between events (IH and SC) as well as the differences in technique between genders. Subjects for this study consisted of 20 elite intermediate hurdlers (10 male, 10 female) and …

The Isolation And Characterization Of The Microbial Flora In The Alimentary Canal Of Gromphadorhina Portentosa Based On Rdna Sequences., Amy Renee Robertson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multicellular organisms are not single individuals but carry a complex natural microflora with them. This complex's diversity and function can be considered a distinct ecosystem. Traditional methods of isolation and identification miss >90% of the actual diversity. This study uses the gut microflora of the Madagascar hissing roach, Gromphadorhina portentosa, as a model to examine this ecosystem. Isolated cultured bacteria were used to establish methods for identifying members of the microflora based on ribosomal RNA sequences. Universal primers for Eubacterial, Archaeal, and Eukaryotic 16s/18s rRNA were then used for PCR amplification of total DNA isolated from gut contents. Sequences …

Mechanism Of Transcriptional Regulation Of C-Reactive Protein Gene Expression., Bhavya Voleti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein produced by hepatocytes whose serum concentration increases in inflammatory conditions including cardiovascular complications. Statins that are used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases to reduce cholesterol also lower serum CRP levels. In human hepatoma Hep3B cells, CRP is induced in response to cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β. The objective of the study was to determine the mechanism of regulation of CRP gene expression in Hep3B cells in response to cytokines and to determine the effect of statins on CRP expression. Key findings of our research were: 1. IL-1β-activated NF-κB p50/p65 acted synergistically with …

1, Structural And Functional Studies Of Human Replication Protein A; 2 Dna Damage Responses And Dna Repair Defects In Laminopathy-Based Premature Aging., Yiyong Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The genome of mammalian cells is under constant attack from DNA-damaging agents. To maintain genomic integrity, cells activate an array of pathways primarily consisting of DNA repair and DNA damage checkpoints. Human replication protein A (RPA), a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein, is essential for almost all DNA metabolic pathways. However, the role of RPA in nucleotide excision repair (NER), a DNA repair pathway for removing bulky DNA lesions, remains elusive. In this study, the binding of RPA to a battery of well-defined ssDNA substrates has been systematically examined using fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that RPA has a lower …

Evidence Of Ecological Speciation In Phacelia., Pamela Michele Glass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phacelia purshii Buckley and P. fimbriata Micheaux are two species that are nearly morphologically indistinguishable. Seed germination experiments showed that the high elevation endemic, P. fimbriata requires lower temperatures to trigger germination. Following interspecific crosses, pollen tubes enter ovules and maternal tissue of the gynoecium matures but hybrid diploid and triploid organs fail to develop. DNA sequences from the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed region showed that P. fimbriata and P. purshii comprise a monophyletic clade but that P. fimbriata is more differentiated from related species. In contrast, P. purshii supported significantly higher levels of intraspecific polymorphism. Phacelia fimbriata and P. …

Neochetina Species And Arthropod Communities In Water-Hyacinth Rafts In South Carolina, Benjamin Powell

All Theses

Arthropod communities inhabiting feral water-hyacinth rafts were surveyed monthly in South Carolina's Coastal Plain from March 2005 through February 2006. Special attention was given to the chevroned waterhyacinth weevil [Neochetina bruchi (Hustache)], the mottled waterhyacinth weevil [N. eichhorniae (Warner)] (both Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and the waterhyacinth moth [Niphograpta albiguttalis (Warren)] (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), which were imported into North America to control water-hyacinth. Communities of arthropods are compared among sites, flow regimes (lentic, lotic, and tidal), and months of the year. The arthropod communities in waterhyacinth rafts in South Carolina are more diverse than previously reported. Rafts in each of …

Fish Gelatin-Nanoclay Composite Film. Mechanical And Physical Properties, Effect Of Enzyme Cross-Linking, And As A Functional Film Layer, Hojae Bae

All Dissertations

The effect of clay content, homogenization RPM, and pH on the mechanical and barrier properties of fish gelatin/nanoclay composite films was investigated. The addition of clay increased the tensile strength (TS) from 30.31±2.37 MPa to 40.71±3.30 MPa. The nanoclay composite film had improved oxygen and water barrier properties when compared to neat fish gelatin film. Oxygen permeability decreased from 0.0004028±0.0000007 gm/m2dayatm to 0.0001144±0.0000162 gm/m2dayatm and the water vapor permeability decreased from 0.0312±0.0016 ngm/m2sPa to 0.0081±0.0001 ngm/m2sPa. The Small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations confirmed that the ultrasonification treatment (30 min at 40% output) resulted in …

Study Of The Reproducibility Of Proteomics Methods And Variability Of Fruit Fly Proteomes., Thomas Franklin Culwell

Theses and Dissertations

The reliability of biomarker discovery by means of proteomics has been called into question. It was speculated that "background noise" variation resulting from differences in preparation and handling of samples and proteome dynamics may mask subtle, yet important, differences due to the biological condition. Little is understood about complex proteomes and their variability. A critical aspect of proteomic biomarker research that is largely unexplored is the comparative reproducibility of certain methods such as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. In particular, with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, it is not known whether variability in peptide quantitation is dependent on any of …

Thermodynamic Evidence That Ganglioside-Mediated Insertion Of Botulinum A Into The Cholinergic Nerve Ending May Precede Endocytosis And Acidification: A Langmuir Film Study, Bradley Adam Strongin

Theses and Dissertations

Botulinum Neurotoxin (BoNT) is one of the most potent toxins known to human kind. The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was employed to investigate the conditions under which BoNT type A heavy chain would bind and/or insert into mica supported dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipid bilayers. As an alternate technique, DPPC/GT1b or total ganglioside extract (80:20) monolayers of a Langmuir Blodgett (LB) Trough were adapted to be artificial membrane models for toxin insertion studies. We conclude that LB monolayer studies are a promising candidate for BoNT/A membrane insertion investigation. Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A insertions into the LB monolayers in the presence of BoNT/A …

Pyridinium Bis-Retinoids A2-Dopamine And A2-Cadaverine: Implications In Age-Related Macular Degeneration And Cancer, Mckenzie Ruth Pew

Theses and Dissertations

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the United States of America. The pyridinium bis-retinoid A2-ethanolamine (A2E) has been implicated to play a role in AMD. We have observed novel pyridinium bis-retinoids through melanolipofuscin and human RPE extractions that may also play a role in the pathology of AMD. We have begun the construction of an amino-retinoid library in order to identify these ocular compounds. The compounds from the amino-retinoid library are also used in a targeted and triggered drug delivery system for treating cancer. Folic acid is coupled with the amino-retinoids to specifically target cancer …

Woody Invasive Plant Species Occurrence And Abundance As, Jyoti Patnaik

All Theses

The spread of invasive plants is one of the most challenging ecological problems in the 21st century, causing a $35 billion loss per year to the economy in the United states alone. More than 85% of woody invasive species were introduced originally for ornamental and landscape use. As a result, over the last few decades, perennial woody invaders have appeared in fence rows, rights-of-way, old fields, understories, and the canopies of eastern forests of the United States. Besides the information about the geographical distribution, general biological characteristics, and response to herbicides, very little information is available on the occurrence and …

Analysis Of Hg And Stable Isotope Concentrations In Bald Eagle Feathers From The Great Lakes And Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, Jennifer Thomsen

All Theses

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) feed on a variety of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. As top predators in their food chain, they may accumulate harmful concentrations of pollutants such as mercury, which can have detrimental effects on populations of this species. The stable isotope composition of feathers provides useful information about the food resources assimilated by bald eagles. The connection between mercury, (Hg), concentration and stable isotope concentration ( 13C and 15N) of feathers were measured to better understand the potential sources and pathways of Hg uptake by bald eagles living in the Great Lakes region of Michigan and Voyageurs National …

Fungal Conversion And Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Processing For Value-Added Canola Oil, Meidui Dong

All Dissertations

There is a growing awareness of health benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) e.g. arachidonic acid (ARA, C20:4n6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n3). In general, plant seed oil and animal fat do not contains long-chain PUFAs with more than eighteen carbons. This study investigated the feasibility for addition of ARA and EPA to canola oil through the fermentation of fungi, Mortierella alpina, using canola flake, cake or meal as substrates. Supercritical CO2 extraction was also investigated for lipid extraction. In addition, a supercritical CO2 explosion process was characterized and applied to enhance oil extraction using supercritical CO2 and to potentially …

Comparison Of Compost Tea And Biological Fungicides For Control Of Early Blight In Organic Heirloom Tomato Production, Richard Kouyoumjian

All Theses

The efficacy of compost tea was evaluated and compared alone and in combination with two biofungicides Serenade Max and Sonata for control of early blight caused by the fungal pathogen Alternaria tomatophila on tomato Solanum lycopersicum (L), heirloom cultivar `Cherokee Purple'. Results of field experiments over two growing seasons indicated that compost tea provided a low level of protection against early blight. The results were variable; most likely due to dry conditions and the presence of bacterial wilt the first year and tomato spotted wilt virus the second year. In both 2006 and 2007 field trials compost tea was not …

Enhancing The Ability Of Panicum Virgatum To Survive Flooding And Its Effects On Soil Activity When Used For Lakeshore Stabilization, Lee Edwards

All Dissertations

Reservoirs in upstate South Carolina are subject to erosion and vegetation has been placed to help stabilize banks, but soils are nutrient-poor and have high bulk densities. Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) has been planted in several sites, and it is hypothesized that over time, changes in microbial activity and soil quality will occur in response to the planting. As vegetated sites aged, acid phosphomonoesterase, nitrate reductase, and dehydrogenase activity increased. Low values of nitrogen fixation and substrate-induced respiration were measured at all sites with no statistical differences between sites. Fatty acids indicative of Gram negative bacteria were found in vegetated …

Development Of Novel Prolactin And Growth Hormone Receptor Agonists And Antagonists, John Langenheim

All Dissertations

Potential indications for human prolactin (hPRL) and human growth hormone (hGH) are the support and sustainment of lactation and the enhancement or reconstitution of the immune system when under dysregulation. A prolactin receptor (PRLR) antagonist, hPRL-G129R (G129R), and a PRLR and growth hormone receptor (GHR) antagonist, hGH-G120R (G120R), have been developed which may be useful for the treatment of breast cancer since PRLR is elevated in a majority of human breast tumors and makes cancer cells highly sensitive to the mitogenic and anti-apoptotic activity of hPRL and hGH.

As a single agent, G129R is more cytostatic than cytotoxic to human …

The Lss Supernodulation Mutant In Medicago Truncatula: Genetics, Characterization And Mapping, Arijit Mukherjee

All Dissertations

The symbiotic association between legumes and nitrogen fixing rhizobia culminates in the formation of root nodules. Legumes control the extent of root nodule formation through a regulatory mechanism in which nodulating roots induce a shoot response that signals back to the roots, inhibiting further nodule initiation. Disruption of genes involved in this regulatory process lead to super or hypernodulation. The lss (like sunn supernodulator) mutant of Medicago truncatula has been identified as a naturally occurring supernodulation mutation in the Jemalong cultivar. The phenotype of lss is practically indistinguishable from the phenotype of the previously isolated sunn mutant with respect to …

Studies In The Biochemistry And Cell Biology Of Trypanosoma Brucei Hexokinases, Jeremy Chambers

All Dissertations

Trypanosoma brucei expresses two hexokinases (TbHK1 and TbHK2) that are 98% identical at the amino acid level. We previously found that recombinant TbHK1 (rTbHK1) has hexokinase activity, while rTbHK2 did not, a finding attributed to differences in the C-termini of the proteins. We found that the C-terminal tails of TbHK contained a novel motif specific for eukaryotic hexokinases found within the final helix of an ATP-binding domain. By altering the residues in the C-terminal tail of TbHK1 to resemble the residues found in TbHK2, we found that D454, F462, M466, and N469 were essential to TbHK1 catalysis. Additionally, we found …

Nesting And Foraging Characteristics Of The Black Carpenter Ant Camponotus Pennsylvanicus (Degeer) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Donald Oswalt

All Dissertations

Potential nesting sites of Camponotus pennsylvanicus (DeGeer) were investigated in South Carolina to determine if nesting sites features could be characterized by habitat features for black carpenter ant nests. Environmental data from forested plots showed large-scale habitat features such as vegetation density and canopy cover were not useful as indicators for the presence or absence of nests. Small-scale individual nest characteristics such as diameter at breast height of trees, log length, tree defect type or tree species were better indicators of occupied nests. In my study, C. pennsylvanicus preferred mature hardwood (Quercus spp.) trees approximately 30 cm in diameter and …

Effects Of Season Of Fire On Red-Cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides Borealis) Reproduction And The Breeding Bird Community Of A Longleaf Pine Ecosystem, Sarah Lauerman

All Theses

Fire is the most important management tool in restoring and maintaining the longleaf pine ecosystem but the effects of season of burning on fauna are not fully understood. Of particular concern is the community of birds which breed in the longleaf pine forest, several of which are endangered, threatened or species of concern. This study examined the effects of season of fire on the breeding bird community and a population of red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCW) at Brosnan Forest in Dorchester, South Carolina. Fifty-eight RCW territories received dormant or growing season fire over a five-year period from 2001 to 2005. Prior to …

The Molecular Characterization Of The Virus And Virus-Like Agents Present In Ta Tao 5 Germplasm Of Prunus Persica , Diana Marini

All Dissertations

Peach production in the southeastern United States is limited by late spring freezes. Ta Tao 5 germplasm, used either as an interstem or by chip bud inoculation, has been shown to delay bloom and avoid the effects of these late freezes. The growth modification is graft transmissible and the germplasm has been found to be infected with ACLSV, APruV-3, and PLMVd. Using a combination of PCR, cloning, and sequencing techniques, a molecular characterization of the three graft-transmissible agents present in Ta Tao 5 has been completed.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of the isolate of ACLSV (ACLSV-Ta Tao …

Phylogeny And Classification Of Hydropsychidae Subfamilies And Genera Of The World (Insecta: Trichoptera), Christy Geraci

All Dissertations

The family Hydropsychidae is nearly ubiquitous in streams and rivers, with over 1600 described species worldwide. Hydropsychidae is ecologically important and its larvae play key roles as indicators of water quality. Conflicting morphological characters have obscured the evolutionary history of the subfamilies, and the wide diversity of phallic morphology among Hydropsyche sensu lato species has created unstable classification systems that have been disputed among authors. My research used five nuclear ribosomal and mitochondrial COI fragments to infer a molecular phylogeny for Hydropsychidae subfamilies and genera, focusing particularly on the Hydropsychinae and the Hydropsyche sensu lato lineage. The monophyly of four …

Household Food Security, Dietary Intake, And Anthropometric Assessment Of Dominican Children, Elizabeth Wall

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess nutrition and food security status of Dominican school children and their families. Anthropometric measures, diet recalls, and household food security surveys were used as tools in this assessment. This assessment may assist in prioritizing programs for the transitioning country of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
In year 1, 199 children and 197 children in year 2 from 10 primary schools in 3 regions participated in the study. Four of the schools were involved with school feeding programs while six were not involved in school feeding programs. Weight was measured on an electric scale; …

Provisioning And Prey Quality In Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus Occidentalis) In Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, Elena Sachs

All Theses

I examined parent and nestling behavior during early chick rearing in Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) nesting at a colony in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina during the 2006 breeding season. There were significant differences in the frequency of feeding, attendance, and chick aggression according to chick age, although the pattern differed among behaviors. The rate of adult feeding, chick feeding and adult attendance all decreased with chick age while chick aggressive behavior peaked when chicks were ca. 21 d post-hatch. I found that nests with at least one juvenile parent had a lower average clutch size, hatch rate, and number of …

The Effect Of Febrile Temperature On Plasmodium Falciparum, Heidi Sue Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Previously it has been shown that cultures of Plasmodium falciparum died following exposure to a febrile temperature of 40°C, as demonstrated by a decrease in parasitemia of the following generation. In the current study, the effect of 40°C treatment on culture media, erythrocytes, and parasite glucose consumption, were ruled out as possible influences on parasite death, demonstrating that 40°C impacted the parasites directly. Metabolic profiling of DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and glucose utilization during exposure to 40°C clearly indicated that febrile temperatures had direct effect on major metabolic pathways and parasite development, beginning 20-24 hr after erythrocyte invasion. The ring …