Digital Commons Network^™

Greenhouse Gas Emissions As Influenced By Nitrogen Fertilization And Harvest Residue Management In Sugarcane Production, Sanku Dattamudi, Jim Jian Wang, Syam K. Dodla, H. P. Viator, Ron Delaune, April Hiscox, Murali Darapuneni, Changyoon Jeong, Patrick Colyer

Faculty Publications

Core Ideas: Application of urea led to higher N2O emissions than urea–ammonium nitrate in sugarcane. Residue retention led to higher N2O and CH4 emissions irrespective of N source. Both N source and residue management did not affect CO2 emissions. Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is a major row-crop in the southern United States with high rates of N-fertilizer application and unique harvest-residue management. A 2-yr field experiment was conducted to investigate different N-fertilizer effects (urea and urea ammonium nitrate, UAN) and harvest-residue managements (residue-retain, RR, and residue-burn, RB) on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils under sugarcane production. In 2012, a split-plot …

Intraguild Predation: Interactions Between Predators, Pathogens, And Their Shared Resources In Crop Pest Communities, Andrew Jason Flick

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Crop pest management requires an understanding of the complex interactions among pest species that potentially damage crop yield and species that may be crucial for controlling pest species outbreaks. For example, predators, parasitoids, and pathogens are constantly interacting via their shared prey or hosts. Predators may prefer infected prey, which can be easier to catch; however, infected prey may be less nutritious or even lethal for predators. These interactions then dictate the short-term dynamics of host and pathogen as well as between prey and predator. "How these dynamics change as the species in the system change either empirically or theoretically?" …

Phenotypic And Transcriptomic Characterization Of Colonial Phase Variation In The Cholera Pathogen Reveals A Novel Smooth Biofilm-Defective Form, Bliss Nicole Lambert

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Biofilm formation, through the production of Vibrio polysaccharide (VPS), greatly enhances the environmental fitness and pathogenic success of Vibrio cholerae. As a result of phase variation, V. cholerae can switch from a smooth form to rugose, whose cells produce excess VPS, resulting in highly structured biofilms and greater resistance to stress. To further characterize the reversible process of phase variation, we isolated three colonial lineages. Each lineage began with a smooth parent, N16961, and contained a rugose variant derived from the parent, N16961R, as well as a smooth revertant of the rugose, N16961SD. We found clear phenotypic and transcriptomic …

Physicochemical And Ecotoxicological Assessment Of Biochar For Environmental Application, Maria Guillermina Cantou

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Multiple benefits of biochar conversion and utilization, including soil carbon sequestration and environmental remediation, have been proposed by researchers. Biochar may be produced from a wide array of feedstocks and pyrolytic process conditions. This influences the final biochar composition, which includes the presence of potential pollutants that could ultimately result in detrimental environmental impacts. The major purpose of this research was to improve our understanding of potential unintended effects of biochar addition to the environment either as a potential source of toxicity towards organisms or as a material influencing availabilities of other soil contaminants. Biochars were produced from ten different …

Men’S Jeans Fit Based On Body Shape Categorization, Elahe Saeidi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to categorize lower body shape in men and to investigate the interplay between body shape and fitting issues appearing in men’s jeans. More specifically, the goal of the study was to improve apparel fit based on body shape. The detailed objectives of the study were to: (1) Categorize male body shapes using statistical analysis; (2) use 3D virtual fitting technology to assess fit and develop a shape-driven pants block pattern for each body shape.

This quantitative study was conducted in three stages: (1) categorizing the body shape of 1420 male scans, aged 18-35, from …

Multidimensional Relationships Of Herbicides With Insect-Crop Food Webs, Anamika Sharma, Prashant Jha, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

Controlling weeds is critical for improving the yield and quality of crops. Herbicides are the most commonly applied pesticides in agro-ecosystems. Herbicides affect insects directly as contact damage and indirectly by influencing food supplies. The innate susceptibility, life stages, and mode of feeding of insects can affect the herbicide–insect interaction. Interaction of herbicides with insect pest and beneficial insects is mainly indirect and absence of weeds either can reduce the insect population or causes switching of host plant and hence can also increase the population. The direct effect of herbicides depends on carrier or surfactant used. Presence of herbicides also …

Adoption Of Sustainable Agriculture Practices Among Farmers In Kentucky, Usa, Bijesh Mishra, Buddhi R. Gyawali, Krishna P. Paudel, Neelam C. Poudyal, Marion F. Simon, Siddhartha Dasgupta, George Antonious

Faculty Publications

© 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. Promoting the sustainable agricultural practices at an individual farm level is essential to ensure agricultural sustainability. This study analyzed whether and how various factors related to farm or farmers’ characteristics influence the adoption intensity of sustainable agriculture practices. We used a negative binomial regression model to fit the data collected from a mail survey of farmers in Kentucky, USA. Our results showed that the adoption intensity of sustainable agriculture practices varied significantly among agricultural districts in Kentucky. Farmers who grew row crops, had irrigation facilities, and were in favor of …

Reporting Characteristics In Sports Nutrition, Conrad P. Earnest, Brandon M. Roberts, Christopher R. Harnish, Jessica L. Kutz, Jason M. Cholewa, Neil M. Johannsen

Faculty Publications

Purpose: To examine data reporting characteristics in sports nutrition. Methods: We examined 236 papers from ten journals published in 2016. The primary outcome was statistical variance associated with treatment (SD (correct) vs. SEM or CI). Secondary outcomes included the reporting of: (a) effect sizes (Y/N); (b) outcome prioritization (Y/N; primary, secondary, etc.) and (c) statistical variance relative to change from baseline (CI (correct) vs. SD or SEM). As tertiary/exploratory outcome, we examined whether authors stated a directed hypothesis. Statistical evaluation was performed using chi-square analyses. Results: We observed significant trends for all analyses (p < 0.001) and between category comparisons (p < 0.002). For the primary outcome, 128 (59%) articles correctly used SD to denote treatment variance, while 79 (36%) and 11 (5%) used SEM and CI, respectively. For secondary outcomes, 63 articles (29%) reported effect sizes, while 155 (71%) did not. Additionally, 188 articles (86%) did not prioritize outcomes, 134 articles (61%) stated no hypotheses and 40 (19%, out of 100) articles used CI to denote change scores vs. SD (19%, n = 41) and SEM (n = 10, 5%). Eight articles (4%) reported no variance terms. Conclusions: Overall, there are gaps regarding reporting in sports nutrition. Editors, journal publishers, and the field of exercise science alike should consider these outcomes and provide editorial staff, reviewers and authors with more concrete guidelines.

Effect Of Surrounding Vegetation On Microbial Survival Or Die-Off On Watermelon Surface In An Agriculture Setting, Vijay Singh Chhetri, Kathryn Fontenot, Ronald Strahan, Veerachandra K. Yemmireddy, Katheryn J. Parraga Estrada, Achyut Adhikari

Faculty Publications

Preharvest contamination of produce with food borne pathogens has been a major food safety issue. In this study, we investigated the effect of surrounding vegetation on the survival of natural and inoculated generic Escherichia coli on watermelon rinds in an agricultural field setting. There was no significant difference (p >.05) on the populations of natural generic E. coli (1–1.46 log Most Probable Number (MPN)/sample) and coliforms (<3.99 log CFU/cm2) on watermelons harvested from low, medium, and high levels of vegetation. However, the survival rate of generic E. coli inoculated on watermelon rind discs was variable with the level of vegetation. A significant reduction in generic E. coli count was observed within 12 hr at all vegetation levels. After 108 hr, discs placed at low vegetation level had a highest die-off reduction (3 log Colony Forming Units (CFU)/cm2) compared to medium and high vegetation levels. Practical applications: To ensure preharvest produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) produce safety rule has suggested a time interval between last irrigation and harvest for potentially contaminating microorganisms to die-off. However, a knowledge gap exists regarding the influence of surrounding vegetation on microbial die-off rates on produce in the agricultural field. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of considering the surrounding vegetation while making decisions for developing preharvest risk management strategies based on microbial die-off rate calculations.

Supplemental Nitrogen Applications On Corn In Lower Mississippi River Delta Alluvial Soils, Henry J. Mascagni, Brenda Tubana, Marilyn Dalen

Faculty Publications

Core Ideas: Corn optimal N rate on two alluvial soils ranged from 200 to 265 kg N ha−1. Supplemental N applied at early silk increases corn grain yield on two alluvial soils. Relative chlorophyll readings did not consistently diagnose need for supplemental N. Nitrogen deficiency may occur late in the corn (Zea mays L.) growing season due to N fertilizer loss, particularly on poorly drained clay soils, or increased plant demand. Results from field trials conducted from 2006 to 2014 at the Northeast Research Station, St. Joseph, LA, were summarized to evaluate the influence of supplemental N (SN) on corn …

Neonatal Vitamin A Injection Promotes Cattle Muscle Growth And Increases Oxidative Muscle Fibers, Bo Wang, Wei Nie, Xing Fu, Jeanene M. De Avila, Yannan Ma, Mei Jun Zhu, Martin Maquivar, Steven M. Parish, Jan R. Busboom, Mark L. Nelson, Min Du

Faculty Publications

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Vitamin A and its metabolite, retinoic acid (RA), are important regulators of cell differentiation and organ morphogenesis. Its impact on beef cattle muscle growth remains undefined. Method: Angus steer calves were administrated with 0 (control) or 150,000IU vitamin A (retinyl palmitate in glycerol, i.m.) per calf at birth and 1 month of age. At 2 months of age, a biopsy of the Biceps femoris muscle was obtained to analyze the immediate effects of vitamin A injection on myogenic capacity of muscle cells. The resulting steers were harvested at 14months of age. Results: Vitamin A administration …

Rats Fed Dietary Bioactive Components (Resistant Starch, Whole Grains, And Fat) Undergo Altered Biometrics And Gene Expression As A Result Of Gut Fermentation, Justin Lamont Guice

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The whole grain and fat content of the diet have been previously shown to affect intestinal fermentation and phenotype conferred by high–amylose maize resistant starch (HAMRS), a form of fermentable dietary fiber. The current studies were designed to compare rodent gut health following consumption of whole grain and non–whole grain prebiotics on moderate fat (MF) and high fat (HF) diets, and to optimize health effect based on dosage of whole grain resistant starch prebiotics.

Study 1: Diets were prepared to contain the following factors RS (Present/Absent), WG (Present/Absent), and Fat (HF/MF). A three–way ANOVA was performed with statistical slice …

An Ethanolic Extract Of Artemisia Scoparia Inhibits Lipolysis In Vivo And Has Antilipolytic Effects On Murine Adipocytes In Vitro, Anik Boudreau, Allison J. Richard, Jasmine A. Burrell, William T. King, Ruth Dunn, Jean Marc Schwarz, David M. Ribnicky, Jennifer Rood, J. Michael Salbaum, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Faculty Publications

© 2018, American Physiological Society. All rights reserved. An ethanolic extract of Artemisia scoparia (SCO) has metabolically favorable effects on adipocyte development and function in vitro and in vivo. In diet-induced obese mice, SCO supplementation significantly reduced fasting glucose and insulin levels. Given the importance of adipocyte lipolysis in metabolic health, we hypothesized that SCO modulates lipolysis in vitro and in vivo. Free fatty acids and glycerol were measured in the sera of mice fed a high-fat diet with or without SCO supplementation. In cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes, the effects of SCO on lipolysis were assessed by measuring glycerol and free …

Novel Modelling Approaches To Characterize And Quantify Carryover Effects On Sensory Acceptability, Damir Dennis Torrico, Wannita Jirangrat, Jing Wang, Penkwan Chompreeda, Sujinda Sriwattana, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul

Faculty Publications

Sensory biases caused by the residual sensations of previously served samples are known as carryover effects (COE). Contrast and convergence effects are the two possible outcomes of carryover. COE can lead to misinterpretations of acceptability, due to the presence of intrinsic psychological/physiological biases. COE on sensory acceptability (hedonic liking) were characterized and quantified using mixed and nonlinear models. N = 540 subjects evaluated grape juice samples of different acceptability qualities (A = good, B = medium, C = poor) for the liking of color (C), taste (T), and overall (OL). Three models were used to quantify COE: (1) COE as …

Intestinal Microbiome Composition Of An Acute In Vivo Alzheimer’S Disease Rat Model, Jimmy Saravia

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Soil Health Of Pastures Over-Seeded With Winter Annuals, Kathleen M. Bridges

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Utilizing winter annuals in livestock pastures reduces feed costs of hay, and provides additional vegetative cover that is beneficial to the soil. However, how this practice affects the soil microbial communities has not been well studied. Two sites were included in this study. Both were commercial cattle grazing operations that over-seeded a mixture of grasses, legumes, and brassicas into pastures dominated by bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum). Soil health was assessed using a suite of physical, chemical, and biological properties. Soil physical assessments included bulk density and aggregate stability. Soil chemical assessments included macronutrients, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), total …

Evaluation Of Oral Function Before And After Frenectomy In Breastfed Infants Diagnosed With Tethered Oral Tissue, Cindy L. Parr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Assessment and treatment of tethered oral tissue, or tongue tie, vary within and across providers, resulting in inconsistent surgical and therapeutic outcomes. Assessment and treatment have historically focused on the anatomical (structural) underpinnings of tongue tie, as opposed to the physiological (functional) aspects that can affect daily activities. This is particularly noteworthy in the infant population in regards to breastfeeding. Clinical findings, however, suggest that connections exist between tongue tie and a variety of other oral functions that go beyond breastfeeding. The goal of this research was to examine a relatively small group of breastfed infants with tethered oral …

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21, Adiposity, And Macronutrient Balance In A Healthy, Pregnant Population With Overweight And Obesity, Elizabeth F. Sutton, Christopher D. Morrison, Jacqueline M. Stephens, Leanne M. Redman

Faculty Publications

© 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis. Aim of the study: The regulation and actions of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) are responsive to energy status and macronutrient balance, and investigations of FGF21 in normal pregnancy, which could be informative for FGF21 biology, are seldom. The goal of our study was to examine FGF21 levels in a contemporary healthy, pregnant population. Methods: We phenotyped 43 women with overweight and obesity during pregnancy for weight, body composition, and fasting blood. Serum FGF21 was measured during the first and third trimesters. Placentas were collected at delivery. Results: Maternal FGF21 concentrations were positively …

Louisiana Agriculture Fall, 2018, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

No abstract provided.

Louisiana Agriculture Fall, 2018, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

No abstract provided.

Fertilization Influences The Nutrient Acquisition Strategy Of A Nomadic Vine In A Lowland Tropical Forest Understory, Carrie L. Woods, Saara J. Dewalt, Catherine L. Cardelús, Kyle E. Harms, Joseph B. Yavitt, S. Joseph Wright

Faculty Publications

© 2018, Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Aims: Tropical tree and lianas in the understory are limited by soil nutrients despite growing in extremely low light. It is not known if nomadic vines are also limited by nutrients in low light conditions. Methods: We measured differences in root architecture and mycorrhizal colonization, and leaf nutrients of a nomadic vine, Philodendron fragrantissimum (Araceae), in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization plots in a lowland tropical moist forest in central Panama to measure potential nutrient limitation. Results: Relative to plants in control plots, leaf P concentration was 54% higher and leaf N concentration …

The Effect Of Acute, Static Stretching On The Gastrocnemius’ Plantarflexion Torque Across Selected Knee And Ankle Combinations, Emile Jeunesse

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Development, Validation, And Testing Of A Self-Determination Theory Instrument Called The Motivation To Prepare Healthy Foods Questionnaire, Ariana Delong Bailey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objectives of these studies were to validate and confirm the structure of a previously developed questionnaire that measures the psychosocial constructs defined by the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and then test this questionnaire in a nutrition education setting. The instrument, titled the Motivation to Prepare Healthy Foods Questionnaire (MPHFQ), included items that measured intrinsic motivation, perceived competence, relatedness, autonomy, and autonomy support. These studies evaluated the questionnaire’s validity and ability to measure changes in the SDT construct scores.

The MPHFQ is a previously developed and reliable instrument intended to measure adults’ intrinsic motivation and perceived competence to prepare healthy foods, …

Quality Of United States And Bangladesh Shrimp Due To Growth And Post-Harvest Practices, Murshida Khan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Shrimp is one of the most consumed and traded seafood, and due to its high demand, consumers depend on both wild caught and farmed products. Post-harvest practices can greatly affect health, safety, and quality, and the goal of this project was to study the effects of chemicals, bacteria, and antibiotics on shrimp from Louisiana and Bangladesh. Quality changes (proximate composition, color, texture and total plate count of bacteria) in shrimp from Louisiana (Farfantepenaeus aztecus and Litopenaeus setiferus) and Bangladesh (Penaeus monodon and Macrobrachium rosenbergii) were determined due to the application of melanosis preventing compounds (sulfite powder, …

Feasibility Study Of The Switch Implementation Process For Enhancing School Wellness 13 Education 1303 Specialist Studies In Education, Senlin Chen, David A. Dzewaltowski, Richard R. Rosenkranz, Lorraine Lanningham-Foster, Spyridoula Vazou, Douglas A. Gentile, Joey A. Lee, Kyle J. Braun, Maren M. Wolff, Gregory J. Welk

Faculty Publications

Background: There is a need to identify strategies that enhance the implementation of evidence-based school wellness intervention programs in real-world settings. The present study evaluates the feasibility of empowering school wellness leaders to deliver an evidence-based, childhood obesity-prevention program called Switch ™. We specifically evaluated the feasibility of a new implementation framework, based on the robust Healthy Youth Places framework, to increase capacity of school leaders to lead school wellness programming. Methods: The SWITCH (School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health) implementation process was evaluated in a convenience sample of eight Iowa elementary schools. Teams of three leaders from each school …

Managing The Risks And Rewards Of Death In Eusocial Insects, Qian Sun, Kenneth F. Haynes, Xuguo Zhou

Faculty Publications

Eusocial insects frequently face death of colony members as a consequence of living in large groups where the success of the colony is not dependent on the fate of the individual. Whereas death of conspecifics commonly triggers aversion in many group-living species due to risk of pathogens, eusocial insects perform cooperative corpse management. The causes and social context of the death, as well as feeding and nesting ecology of the species, influence the way that corpses are treated. The corpse itself releases cues that dictate the colony's response. As a result, social insects exhibit behavioural responses that promote disease resistance, …

Adipose Tissue Dysfunction Occurs Independently Of Obesity In Adipocyte-Specific Oncostatin Receptor Knockout Mice, Jacqueline M. Stephens, Jennifer L. Bailey, Hardy Hang, Victoria Rittell, Marilyn A. Dietrich, Randall L. Mynatt, Carrie M. Elks

Faculty Publications

© 2018 The Obesity Society Objective: This study examined the phenotypic effects of adipocyte-specific oncostatin M receptor (OSMR) loss in chow-fed mice. Methods: Chow-fed adipocyte-specific OSMR knockout (FKO) mice and littermate OSMRfl/fl controls were studied. Tissue weights, insulin sensitivity, adipokine production, and stromal cell immunophenotypes were assessed in epididymal fat (eWAT); serum adipokine production was also assessed. In vitro, adipocytes were treated with oncostatin M, and adipokine gene expression was assessed. Results: Body weights, fasting blood glucose levels, and eWAT weights did not differ between genotypes. However, the eWAT of OSMRFKO mice was modestly less responsive to insulin stimulation than …

Mtor Complex 1 Implicated In Aphid/Buchnera Host/Symbiont Integration, Edward B. James, Honglin Feng, Alex C.C. Wilson

Faculty Publications

Obligate nutritional endosymbioses are arguably the most intimate of all interspecific associations. While many insect nutritional endosymbioses are well studied, a full picture of how two disparate organisms, a bacterial endosymbiont and a eukaryotic host, are integrated is still lacking. The mTOR pathway is known to integrate nutritional conditions with cell growth and survival in eukaryotes. Characterization and localization of amino acid transporters in aphids suggest the mTOR pathway as a point of integration between an aphid host and its amino acid-provisioning endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola. The mTOR pathway is unannotated in aphids and unstudied in any nutritional endosymbiosis. We annotated …

Effect Of 12 Wk Of Resistant Starch Supplementation On Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In Adults With Prediabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Courtney M. Peterson, Robbie A. Beyl, Kara L. Marlatt, Corby K. Martin, Kayanush J. Aryana, Maria L. Marco, Roy J. Martin, Michael J. Keenan, Eric Ravussin

Faculty Publications

Background: Type 2 resistant starch (RS2) has been shown to improve glycemic control and some cardiovascular endpoints in rodent and human studies. Objective: The aim of this study was to perform one of the first randomized clinical trials in adults with prediabetes and one of the longest trials to test whether RS2 can improve cardiometabolic health. Design: 68 overweight [body mass index (BMI) ≥27 kg/m2] adults aged 35-75 y with prediabetes were randomized to consume 45 g/d of high-amylose maize (RS2) or an isocaloric amount of the rapidly digestible starch amylopectin (control) for 12 wk. At baseline and postintervention, ectopic …

Bio-Based Polyurethane Foams Made From Microwave Liquefaction Of Biomass, Xingyan Huang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Polyurethane (PU) foam is one of the most versatile construction insulations due to its low density, low thermal conductivity, and high mechanical performance. However, it is still highly dependent on petro-based chemicals, i.e. polyol and isocyanate. In this work, biomass, such as rape straw, switchgrass, and yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) were liquefied using microwave energy to produce bio-based polyol in order to substitute petro-based polyol in the production of PU foam. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were also extracted from liquefaction solid residue. They were then applied to reinforce high bio-content PU foam. Moreover, lignin was fractionated from bio-polyol by …