Life Sciences Commons^™

Maternal Diabetes, Related Biomarkers And Genes, And Risk Of Orofacial Clefts, Tiwaporn Maneerattanasuporn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are among the most common congenital birth defects and are characterized by incomplete development of the lip or the palate or both. The lip and palate develop separately at different times during the first trimester of pregnancy. The etiology of OFCs is multifactorial and includes a combination of genetic and environmental factors. This project aims to examine role of maternal diabetes mellitus in orofacial clefts through studies of medical histories, biomarkers, and genes.

In a study of Utah birth certificates, mothers with pre-existing diabetes and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) had an increased risk of OFCs, and obese …

Strategies For Increased Lactic Acid Production From Algal Cake Fermentations At Low Ph By Lactobacillus Casei, Tom J. Overbeck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We explored using de-oiled algal biomass (algal cake) as a low-value substrate for production of lactic acid in fermentations with Lactobacillus casei, and strategies for increasing lactic acid production at low pH. L. casei 12A algal cake (AC) fermentations showed carbohydrate and amino acid availability limit growth and lactic acid production. These nutritional requirements were effectively addressed with enzymatic hydrolysis of the AC using α-amylase, cellulase, and pepsin. Producing 0.075 g lactic acid per g AC from AC digested with all three enzymes. We explored heterologous expression of the cellulase gene (celE) from Clostridium thermocellum and the …

Comparison Of Beef Flavor Compounds From Steaks And Ground Patties Of Three Usda Quality Grades And Varied Degrees Of Doneness, Kourtney Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this study was to determine how quality grade (Prime, Low Choice, and Standard) and degree of doneness (4, 25, 55, 60, 71, and 77°C) influence the development of the flavor-producing compounds in beef whole muscle and ground patties. The content and type of many compounds influence beef flavor, including: proximate composition, pH, neutral and polar lipid fatty acids, free and total amino acids, reducing sugars, and volatile compounds, in addition to cooking duration. The important proximate components include fat, moisture, and protein content. Amino acids and reducing sugars alone contribute to the five basic tastes, but they …

Effects Of Gestational Dietary Intake On Calf Growth And Early Feedlot Performance Of Offspring, Jose M. Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fetal programming is a relatively new and quickly growing field of research in the livestock industry. The concept of fetal programming is simply defined as the effects a change in maternal nutritional intake has on offspring, whether it be a genetic or physical change. The intention of this study was to specifically look at the effects of nutrient restriction of cows during the second trimester of gestation on the growth and performance of the resulting calves.

In this study, thirty-two cows of predominantly angus influence from the Utah state university herd were chosen, naturally bred to a pure bred angus …

Effect Of N-3 And N-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Inflammation, Tao Xu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) has changed drastically in the past century in the American diet has received attention due to potential effects on chronic inflammation-related metabolic diseases. In this project, the effects of dietary PUFA content and the n-6 to n-3 ratio on inflammatory responses in the acute and chronic inflammation models were evaluated. The PUFA content was modified on a Western diet background to deliver both n-6 and n-3 intakes at the 10^th and 90^th percentile of the population in the United States, and models of acute and chronic inflammation were tested in mice model. …

Analysis Of Beef Steaks Of Varying Usda Quality Grades And Thicknesses Cooked On Low And High Grill Surface Temperatures, Tonirae Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this project was to analyze the thermodynamics (thermal conductivity and diffusivity as well as protein denaturation) and physical properties (percent expressible moisture, cooking loss, change in steak thickness, shear force, texture profile analysis and rheological behavior) of beef steaks of different USDA quality grades (Upper 2/3 Choice and Select), thicknesses (thick and thin), and grill surface temperatures (high and low) cooked to the same internal degree of doneness to determine if a specific set of cooking parameters would create a profound difference in the eating characteristics, described by the tenderness and juiciness of cooked beef strip steaks. …

Increasing Student Engagement And Knowledge Retention In An Entry-Level General Nutrition Course With Technology And Innovative Use Of A Graduate-Level Teaching Assistant, Minhee Kang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Blended-design courses integrate both face-to-face and online learning. This thesis discusses the use of three teaching innovations and their effect on student engagement and course satisfaction in a blended-design nutrition course. The three teaching innovations include 1) a web-based learning platform, called Connect (published by McGraw-Hill Education) 2) other easily accessible technological tools (such as Google+), and 3) higher-level use of a graduate-level teaching assistant.

Another form of web-based learning platform, Mastering, published by Pearson Education, was use previously in the course. However, students, especially those earning the highest grades in the course, did not see value in completing these …