Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Beef Finishing Diets And Muscle Type On Meat Quality, Fatty Acids And Volatile Compounds, Arkopriya Chail

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Consumer evaluation, proximate data, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), fatty acid (FA) composition and volatile compounds were analyzed from the ribeye steaks (LT) finished on conventional feedlot (FL) and forages, including a perennial legume, birdsfoot trefoil (BFT; Lotus corniculatus), and a grass, meadow brome (Bromus riparius Rehmann, Grass). Representative retail forage (USDA Certified Organic Grass-fed, COGF) and conventional beef (USDA Top Choice, TC) were investigated (n = 6) for LT. Additionally, the effects of diet on round (GM) and chuck (TB) muscles FL, BFT and Grass were explored. Forage-finished beef was less liked in most of the affected …

Annotation Tools For Multivariate Gene Set Testing Of Non-Model Organisms, Russell K. Banks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Microarray chip technology enables researchers to obtain measures of gene activity for essentially all genes in an organism. After grouping genes into biologically meaningful sets, researchers employ certain statistical tests to identify which gene sets (biological processes) show different levels of activity across different treatment groups. The idea is to identify which biological processes are significantly affected by a certain treatment/condition in a given organism.

Non-model organisms (such as sheep) are not widely studied so gene set membership information is not always readily accessible. This thesis work utilizes two microarray studies involving sheep to provide researchers with working examples of …

Relationships Between Water Developments And Select Mammals On The U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, Bryan M. Kluever

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water is essential to life. Three general forms of water exist: pre-formed water that is available in food, metabolic water that is created as a byproduct of life processes (e.g., metabolism of fat or breakdown of carbohydrates), and free water (i.e., water available for drinking). As humans settle arid environments, the addition of man-made free water sources (e.g., sewage ponds, catchment ponds) often occurs. In addition, a tool commonly used to increase the abundance or distribution of wildlife species in desert environments is the addition of water sources, usually specifically designed to benefit game species like bighorn sheep (Ovis …

Salt And The Rough-Skinned Newt (Taricha Granulosa): Evolutionary Investigations Of Local Adaptation To An Anthropogenic And Natural Stressor, Gareth Rowland Hopkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Amphibians are osmotically-challenged due to their highly permeable skin and egg membranes. As such, biologists have mostly ignored their occurrence in saline habitats. The goal of this dissertation was to investigate the ability of amphibians to adapt to inhabit these osmotically-stressful environments. As freshwater resources are increasingly salinized due to a combination of anthropogenic and natural stressors, including road-deicing salt application, coastal storm events, and sea-level rise, it is important to understand the abilities and constraints of sensitive organisms, like amphibians, to persist in these environments. I began by exploring what is known about amphibians inhabiting saline habitats around the …

Investigation Of Sugar/Polyols As Weakly Interacting Cosolvents And Their Influence On Hardening Of High-Protein Nutrition Bars, Sami Kadhim Hassan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Western Dairy Center (WDC) at Utah State University demonstrated opportunities to improve the quality of high-protein snack foods that becoming more prevalent in western diets. Previously, such high-protein nutrition bars became too hard during storage and they had a limited shelf life, resulting in disappointment by consumers or loss of product as older products needed to be discarded.

With sponsorship as a doctoral student by the Iraq Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and in conjunction with WDC researchers, an investigation was conducted into the chemistry of high-protein nutrition bars and how the various components (protein, carbohydrate and …

Fire Environment Analysis At Army Garrison Camp Williams In Relation To Fire Behavior Potential For Gauging Fuel Modification Needs, Scott M. Frost

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Large fires (400 ha +) occur about every seven to ten years in the vegetation types located at US Army Garrison Camp Williams (AGCW) practice range located near South Jordan, Utah. In 2010 and 2012, wildfires burned beyond the Camp’s boundaries into the wildland-urban interface. The political and public reaction to these fire escapes was intense. Researchers at Utah State University were asked if a spatially organized system of fuel treatments could be developed to prevent future escapes. The first step of evaluation was to spatially predict fuel model types derived from a random forests classification approach. Fuel types were …

The Effects Of Social Norms Feedback On Fruit And Vegetable Consumption And Skin Carotenoids Among College Students, Troy A. Bailey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fruit and vegetable consumption, which has been shown to have a protective effect against chronic diseases, often decreases during the first few years of college. Implementing public health interventions to improve consumption of these foods may be time-consuming, costly and burdensome. The aim of this study was to determine if a social norms intervention, examining the effects of normative and manipulated feedback of participants’ carotenoid scores compared to a no-norm control, could increase fruit and vegetable consumption among college students. Such a strategy could be a cost-effective method for promoting healthy diets in this population.

While self-reported increases in fruit …

Validation Of Tissue Nutrient Status For Tart Cherry (Prunus Cerasus) And Peach (Prunus Persica) In Utah, Emily Tsai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fruit tree nutrition requirements change during the growing season as buds form, shoots grow, fruit sets, and internal reserves are filled. Nutrient concentrations in plant tissues are directly correlated with the nutritional status and productivity of fruit trees. Plant tissue testing is used to effectively and accurately determine the nutritional status of perennial plants. Tissue test analyses were performed on tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) and peach (Prunus persica) leaves to validate tissue sufficiency levels used in Utah and to determine optimal timing of tissue sampling for prediction of harvest nutrient status, focusing on phosphorus (P), potassium …

Mitigation Of Medusahead (Taeniatherum Caput-Medusae) Through Grazing And Revegetation On The Channeled Scablands Of Eastern Washington, Clinton A. Stonecipher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A large portion of the historical steppe and shrub-steppe habitats in eastern Washington have been altered through biotic and abiotic processes resulting in the annual grass medusahead becoming a large component of the altered vegetation. Experiments were conducted to determine: 1) if supplementing cattle with protein would help increase utilization of medusahead, 2) the grass species that could establish in the region, and 3) if mechanical disturbance would aid in such revegetation efforts. Cattle grazing medusahead-infested rangeland increased consumption of medusahead after all forage matured due to a reduction in the quality of forage alternatives. Cattle supplemented with protein increased …

Factors Influencing The Ecology Of Greater Sage-Grouse Inhabiting The Bear Lake Plateau And Valley, Idaho And Utah, Casey J. Cardinal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) are a sagebrush obligate species and as such an indicator of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitat quality and quantity. Sage-grouse populations have declined across western North America. This decline has been attributed to habitat loss and degradation of the sagebrush ecosystem. To determine factors that may cause localized declines in sage-grouse populations, managers may need site-specific information on the ecology and habitat use patterns of meta-populations. This information is currently lacking for sage-grouse populations that inhabit the Bear Lake Plateau and Valley (BLPV), encompassing parts of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. I captured, radio-marked …

Biogeography, Population Genetics, And Community Structure Of North American Bumble Bees, Jonathan Berenguer Koch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In 2011, several wild North American bumble bee pollinator species were reported to have declined by up to 96% in relative abundance in comparison to historic estimates, and one species was speculated to be extinct. None of these species have yet been documented to have recovered from these declines and additional species are now suggested to be at risk. Imperiled species in particular show increased specificity to narrow climatic envelopes, as opposed to putatively stable species. My dissertation describes patterns of population genetic diversity, structure, and gene flow pathways associated with climate variation and historical biogeography of bumble bees distributed …

Winter Ecology Of Common Ravens In Southern Wyoming And The Effects Of Raven Removal On Greater Sage-Grouse Populations, Luke W. Peebles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Common raven (Corvus corax; hereafter raven) populations have been increasing rapidly in the western United States, and these ravens cause damage to livestock, human health and safety, and wildlife species including greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse). The goals of my research were to gain a better understanding of the winter ecology of ravens, to see how raven populations were impacted by intensive removal during the winter, and to determine if raven removal aids sage-grouse populations. I found that ravens captured at landfills used these landfills sporadically for foraging, and these ravens regularly used bridges and …

Effects Of Blue And Green Light On Plant Growth And Development At Low And High Photosynthetic Photon Flux, Michael Chase Snowden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research in photobiology dates back over 200 years with studies using primitive light sources. This early research identified photoreceptors and action spectra for specific regions of the light spectrum that are paramount for photosynthesis as well as growth and development that are still topics of interest today.

Photobiological research has become an area of increasing interest since the introduction of light-emitting diodes which allow for evaluating endless combinations of light spectra. Red light-light emitting diodes were the first to be introduced that had an electrical efficiency comparable to existing light sources. The research found that red light alone was not …

Beef Average Daily Gain And Enteric Methane Emissions On Birdsfoot Trefoil, Cicer Milkvetch And Meadow Brome Pastures, Lance R. Pitcher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Conventional production of meat products from ruminant animals in the United States requires inputs including the cultivation and nitrogen fertilization of annual grains such as corn and barley, and transportation of cattle and grain to feedlots. Consumers have concerns about the impact of feedlot conditions on animal health, and about the implications of pharmaceutical inputs such as growth hormones and antibiotics on the environment and human health. These concerns have led to a growing interest in pasture-finished meat production by consumers. Such smaller-scale livestock production systems can be healthier and lower-stress for animals, are integrated into local food systems and …

Economic Assessment Of Organic, Eco-Friendly, And Conventional Peach Production Methods In Northern Utah, Trevor D. Knudsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fruit producers in Northern Utah face several challenges to their production, urbanization, decreased availability of agricultural land, and competition from domestic producers and imports. As consumers are willing to pay premiums for foods differentiated by production method, such as eco-friendly and organic, conversion to these methods may increase the profitability of fruit growing operations.

This study found that consumers in Northern Utah are willing to pay a premium for peaches grown using organic and eco-friendly production practices over conventionally grown peaches. The study also found that of the three methods of peach production examined (conventional, eco-friendly, and organic), organic had …

Self-Learning, Dvd-Based Education Versus Traditional Education Approaches To Improve The Safety Of Warfarin Use Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Jessica Oliver Hatch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia that requires extensive medical and pharmaceutical management. The coagulation antagonist warfarin is commonly prescribed to reduce AF-associated stroke. Although warfarin effectively mediates thromboembolitic risk, its management is complex as many factors influence its therapeutic range including: genetics, diet, medication, and herbal and dietary supplement (HDS) interactions. Lack of patient knowledge regarding these factors contributes to poor patient outcomes. With the emerging epidemic of AF, readily available educational tools are necessary to improve patient outcomes while reducing clinician burden.

The purpose of this study was to develop both a self-learning, DVD-based and one-on-one …

Growth Performance, Ruminal Fermentation Characteristics, And Economic Returns Of Growing Beef Steers Fed Brown Midrib, Corn, Silage-Based Diet, Christopher Scott Saunders

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sustainable beef production is extremely important to the beef cattle industry. Sustainability influences the environment, overall profits, and public concerns. One
factor that influences sustainability is the composition of cattle feed. This study compared conventional corn silage (CCS), which is most commonly used in beef steer feed, to brown midrib corn silage (BMR). Steers fed the two different diets were compared to determine differences in the areas of growth/animal performance, ruminal fermentation (digestion), and economic returns. The study included 24 beef steers randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. Treatment groups were a total mixed feed ration that included …

Groundwater And Surface Water Contributions To Metals Loading In Bayhorse Creek At The Abandoned Ramshorn Mine Site Near Bayhorse, Idaho, Hannah L. Mcdonough

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) purchased property encompassing the abandoned Ramshorn mine to develop a state park. Because the abandoned copper-lead-silver mine was a potential hazard to the local creek and sediment, the IDEQ conducted several assessments to identify environmental risks. Between 2003 and 2006, the IDEQ completed a number of basic soil and water investigations in the location of mine waste. The IDEQ received investigation and cleanup funds through the EPA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) program.

The USFS allocated $10,000 toward a two-year master’s level project to …

Using Network Models To Predict Steelhead Abundance, Middle Fork John Day, Or, Monica R. Blanchard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is important in the management of threatened and endangered species to have informed population estimates. Population estimates are used to gage whether or not recovery goals are being met. When assessing Pacific salmonids this assessment involves sampling a small subset of the population and then scaling up to estimate larger populations units. This is complicated by the fact that fish populations are not evenly distributed along river systems but respond to fluctuating physical and biological stream properties. We used rapid assessment survey methods and the River Styles classification to explore fish-habitat relationships. River Styles is a classification system that …

Population And Community Dynamics Of Freshwater Decapods In Response To Ecological And Anthropogenic Factors In Subtropical Streams In The Caribbean, Omar Perez-Reyes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Historically, cities were established in close proximity to the richest agricultural lands and freshwater resources. In tropical islands, urbanization occupies a large percentage of land use along streams and rivers and strongly affects the biota and habitat quality. I studied freshwater decapod population and community dynamics in tropical streams of Puerto Rico across human and elevational gradients. I found that: 1) streams with less urbanization had higher decapod species richness and population sizes than the highly urbanized streams; 2) changes in the food webs in the streams are the result of the influence of changes in land use and environmental …

Analysis Of Quality Of Two Different Varieties Of Peaches With Respect To Organic And Conventional Cultivation Techniques, Shruti D. Sawant

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The worldwide demand for organic produce has been on the rise in recent years. This is a result of consumer concerns about the environment and chemicals used in food production. In addition, consumers have demonstrated that they are willing to pay premium prices for organic produce based on the general assumption that organic produce is more nutritious, environmentally friendly, and better-tasting. There have been several studies that have reported significant differences with organic and conventionally grown produce. Organic fruits and vegetables have been shown to have higher dry matter, antioxidants. In addition, it has also been shown to be smaller …

Pregenomic And Genomic Effects Of 24,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3, Yang Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the United States, the major dietary source of protein is poultry meat, particularly chicken. Phosphorus absorption in chickens is a critical problem in poultry production. It therefore is important to understand the cellular and molecular regulation of phosphorous absorption in intestine to increase efficiency of the process. This would provide the benefits of reducing feed costs and reducing phosphorous excretion, thereby contributing to the sustainability of agriculture in the United States. Therefore, the focus of this thesis is determining the effect of vitamin D metabolites involved in phosphate homeostasis using the chicken as a model.

Dna Methylation In Lung Tissues Of Mouse Offspring Exposed In Utero To Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Trevor J. Fish

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) comprise an important class of environmental pollutants that are known to cause lung cancer in animals and suspected lung carcinogens in humans. PAHs are also known to cause cancer in offspring when provided to a pregnant mouse. Some evidence from cell-based studies points to PAHs as modulators of the epigenome, that is modifications to DNA structure that control the expression of genes. Inappropriate changes to the epigenome and consequently expression of cancer-critical genes are often characteristic of cancer cells. The objective of this thesis research was to determine the impact of transplacental exposure to two model …

Scalable Bio-Production Of High Value Products In Bacteria, Yukie Kawasaki

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Natural products are structurally and chemically diverse bioactive compounds produced by living organisms. The complex structures of natural products are often difficult to duplicate synthetically and thus industrial production of natural products most often depends on use of the host organisms. In this dissertation research, scalable production of natural products was pursued in bacterial platforms.

Biliverdin IXα is a natural anti-inflammatory compound which is emerging as a potent cytoprotectant in the medical field. Syringomycin E is a natural fungicide expected to be an effective agrofungicide in organic farming. Both biliverdin IXα and syringomycin E have limited supplies in the market. …

Microhabitat Selection By Greater Sage-Grouse Hens In Southern Wyoming, Scott T. Mabray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations have been declining throughout the western United States over the past 3 decades. Habitat loss within the range sagebrush steppe ecosystem is a major factor leading to sage-grouse population decline. Understanding the use of microhabitats by hen sage-grouse may provide data that will allow managers to reduce the decline in the sage-grouse population.

My objective was to determine the factors lead to site selection by hen sage-grouse hens. This was accomplished by addressing several questions regarding the interactions of habitat selection and predator avoidance among sage-grouse hens. I examined if (1) sites occupied …

Water Decision-Making Under Uncertainty, Augustina Yaa Oye Odame

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation is made up of three separate studies under the unifying theme of “Water Decision-Making under Uncertainty.” The first study analyzed a farmer’s decision to invest in a more efficient irrigation system given uncertainty about future water supplies and his post-investment efficiency. It found the price at which farmers would no longer produce to be a bigger consideration in irrigation investment than previously thought. It also found support for a careful identification and consideration of all significant sources of uncertainty in order to create better policy incentives for irrigation technology investments.

The second study extended the first to allow …

Development Of Genetic Goat And Hamster Models Of Atrial Fibrillation And Long Qt Syndrome; And Genetic Hamster Models Of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Dane A. Rasmussen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and long QT syndrome (LQTS) are potentially lethal heart rhythm disorders that can be caused by mutations in the potassium channel gene KCNQ1. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral infection with the potential to replicate the devastating effects of the SARS outbreak in 2003. All three of these diseases are in need of genetic animal models.

To address these needs, my thesis project focused on the development of genetic goat and hamster models of AF and LQTS, and genetic hamster models of MERS. Because of the goat’s similar organ size/physiology and the hamster’s similar lipid …