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The Role Of Microbiota-Biotransformed Bile Acid Metabolites On Campylobacter Jejuni- And Clostridium Perfringens-Infection, Ying Fu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) are two leading pathogenic bacteria responsible for both human and animal diseases. In chapters Ⅱ to Ⅳ, I presented an overview of current knowledge on the role of immune response, microbiota, bile acids and their microbial metabolites on campylobacteriosis, and C. perfringens induced necrotic diseases.In chapter Ⅴ, I investigated effects of deoxycholic acid-modulated anaerobes (DCA-Anaero) on attenuating chicken transmission-exacerbated campylobacteriosis. SPF Il10-/- mice were gavaged with clindamycin for 7 days followed by infected with three C. jejuni strains, Cj-P0 (C. jejuni AR101), Cj-P1 (from chicken pre-infected with C. jejuni AR101), and …

Evaluation Of Extended Aging Type And Cooking Practices On Palatability Of Beef Steaks, Katharine Anne Bugenhagen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two studies were conducted to determine if sous vide was a viable way to improve palatability of various beef cuts, and to determine whether extended aging duration and the presence of a bone impacts the consumer ratings of beef short loins.When evaluating the impact of sous vide cooking (SVG) on multiple beef muscles, there was a muscle × method interaction for overall liking (P = 0.04). The traditionally cooked (TRAD) Longisimus lumborum (LL) was rated the highest (P < 0.05). The Chuckeye steak (CHE) was rated next, both TRAD and SVG, with the traditional ranked higher, this was followed by the Triceps brachii (TB) also for both TRAD and SVG, however for the TB the SVG ranked higher (P < 0.05). The TRAD Biceps femoris (BF) rated the lowest (P < 0.05) of all of the muscles. Shear force did no differ between the cooking treatments (P > 0.05), or was there an interaction between muscle × method for shear force measurements (P < 0.05). The LL was rated the highest for tenderness (P < 0.05) while the BF was rated the lowest (P < 0.05). The second study compared subprimals aged over three aging periods (21, 42 63 days), then split into bone-in or boneless steaks, there were no interactions observed within the consumer data (P ≥ 0.05). BI steaks were rated higher (P < 0.05) for juiciness and overall liking by consumers, however BI and BL were rated similarly by consumers for tenderness and flavor (P > 0.05). When evaluated by consumers, aging did …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Novel Electrochemical Struvite Recovery In Municipal Wastewater Treatment At The Plant And U.S. Watershed Scales, Karla Morrissey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the supply of phosphorus decreases, nutrient recovery in municipal wastewater treatment has become an important area of research. Recovery methods for phosphorus-containing fertilizers, such as struvite, and other products are currently being developed and assessed for their efficiency and economic feasibility. Potential environmental impacts from nutrient recovery are also being assessed as design for the environment is important, especially with regards to the eutrophying potential of phosphorus in phosphorus-limited freshwater aquatic systems. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool that can be used to estimate potential environmental impacts of a product or service focusing on its entire life cycle. …

Amino Acid Nutrition In Broiler Breeders, Jordan Weil

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Amino acids (AA) are commonly referred to as the building blocks of protein due to their role in the synthesis of proteins. Considering these nutrients are involved in growth and metabolism, much emphasis is placed on determining the dietary requirements of amino acids. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the amino acid requirements of performance parameters such as egg weights, egg production, egg mass, feed conversion ratios, and body weight gain in two age groups of broiler breeders. In this experiment, 648 Cobb 700 broiler breeder hens were placed in individual cages to determine the amino acid requirements of …

Optimization Of Clostridium Septicum Antigen Production And Evaluation Of Vaccine Administration Parameters For A Candidate Bacterin-Toxoid To Prevent Dermatitis In Commercial Turkeys, Aaron Forga

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to optimize the hemolytic activity of two isolates of Clostridium septicum to evaluate if hemolytic titer of C. septicum antigen at time of formalin inactivation corresponded to increased serum antibody titer to the C. septicum alpha-toxin of turkeys immunized with an experimental formalin inactivated bacterin-toxoid vaccine. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of the thesis. Chapter 2 consists of a literature review focused on clostridial dermatitis, specifically C. septicum-associated dermatitis (cellulitis) that affects commercial turkeys. Chapter 3 outlines our attempts to optimize an experimental autogenous bacterin-toxoid vaccine as a potential strategy to mitigate clostridial …

Differential Impacts Of Hhv-6a Versus Hhv-6b Infection In Differentiated Human Neural Stem Cells, Elham Bahramian

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within the family Herpesviridae, sub-family β-herpesvirinae, and genus Roseolovirus, there areonly three human herpesviruses that have been described: HHV-6A, HHV-6B, and HHV-7. Initially, HHV-6A and HHV-6B were considered as two variants of the same virus (i.e., HHV6). Despite high overall genetic sequence identity (~90%), HHV-6A and HHV-6B are now recognized as two distinct viruses. Sequence divergence (e.g., >30%) in key coding regions and significant differences in physiological and biochemical profiles (e.g., use of different receptors for viral entry) underscores the conclusion that HHV-6A and HHV-6B are distinct viruses of the β-herpesvirinae. Despite these viruses being implicated as causative agents in …

Mle And Eap Methods For Estimating Ability Scores For Data Of Varying Sample Size And Item Length, Sahar Taji

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this research, the performance of two popular estimators, Maximum Likelihood Estimator(MLE) and Bayesian Expected a Posteriori (EAP) is studied and compared in estimating the latent ability score in an Item Response Theory (IRT) model. The 2-Parameter Logistic (2PL) IRT model which is characterized by difficulty and discrimination item parameters is used to estimate the latent ability scores. Several datasets are generated for variety of sample size and item length values. The Monte-Carlo simulation is used to analyze the performance of the estimators. Results show that MLE produces reliable results with low root mean square error (RMSE) across all datasets. …

Exploring Leadership In An Extreme Environment: A Haiti Farm Project, Tami Strickland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the impact Situational Leadership Theory II® has on followers in a small community in Haiti. Many studies have examined Situational Leadership Theory II® in corporate environments, but not in the low-income context of Haiti. The study focused on how the leadership characteristics and adaptability levels of an expatriate influenced the construction and the ongoing management of a Haiti egg farm project, which is timely based on the volatility currently in the country prior to and after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Using various data gathering instruments, the study explored the expatriate’s leadership …

Micronutrient Concentration Effects On Lettuce Growth And Susceptibility To Pythium, Kalyn M. Helms

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In hydroponic production waterborne pathogens such as Pythium are ubiquitous and continually threaten a wide range of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) crops in hydroponic production, including but not limited to: lettuce, spinach, basil, arugula, cucumber, tomato, sweet pepper, roses, chrysanthemums, and cannabis (Sutton et al., 2006; Gull, 2002; McGehee and Raudales, 2021; Gillespie, 2020). Despite extensive sanitation measures, disease control in hydroponics is fallible and requires constant surveillance and management to minimize outbreaks (Sutton et al., 2006). A potential disease suppression strategy is to increase micronutrient concentrations within hydroponic systems to naturally strengthen plant defenses against pathogens such as Pythium. …

Thermal Inactivation Kinetics Of Salmonella In Milk Powder As Impacted By Water Activity And Powder Type, Erika Litta Kadas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically, low-water activity (aw) foods (aw <0.65) were considered to be microbiologically safe for consumption. However, these foods have been implicated in outbreaks of pathogens such as Salmonella enterica, at a frequency that surely challenges this assumption of safety. Although usually implicated in outbreaks involving poultry and egg products, Salmonella spp. have frequently been the culprit in several outbreaks and recalls associated with low-water activity foods (LWAF) due to contamination resulting from the environment, animals, or even the employees during pre-or post-processing. One such LWAF that has been associated with Salmonella spp. outbreaks is milk powder. Milk powders are used in a variety of products ranging from infant formula to confectionary goods. With their widespread use, improving their safety is imperative. A key step in improving their safety is to thoroughly investigate preventive controls related to milk powder processing. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) established the Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule, which mandates that processors design and establish a food safety plan outlining any potential hazards and the steps they will take to ensure those hazards do not compromise the safety of the product. Presently, the dairy industry does not have an established kill-step for milk powders post-spray drying. Spray drying may reduce some microbial populations, however, desiccation(e.g., spray drying) is not considered a kill-step. The work outlined in this thesis aims to assist our dairy industry partners in establishing their own thermal process for milk powders post-spray drying. Moisture sorption isotherms of two milk powders (nonfat dry milk: NFDM and a milk protein concentrate with 85% protein content: MPC-85) were determined and showcased that the temperatures at which the isotherms were determined (23, 40, or 60°C) significantly affected both the adsorption and desorption isotherms (p<0.0001) for each powder. Secondly, the thermal inactivation kinetics of Salmonella spp. in both powders were evaluated at two different water activities (0.20 and 0.30) and three temperatures (75, 80, and 85°C) to determine the effect of water activity on the thermal resistance of a cocktail of Salmonella spp. The D-values of Salmonella were heavily influenced by the thermal treatment temperature (p< 0.0001), but not the water activity (p >0.05). The overall findings contained within this thesis provide valuable information about the thermal inactivation kinetics of Salmonella spp. to our partners in the dairy industry so that they may implement an appropriate thermal process for their milk powders.

Molecular Diagnostic Survey Of Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera L., Pathogens And Parasites From Arkansas, Usa, Dylan Cleary, Allen L. Szalanski

Entomology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Managed honey bee populations have fluctuated over the past several decades in the U.S. While a single factor has not been identified for these losses, the interaction between multiple biotic and abiotic stressors have been suggested to be responsible. Of major concern are several invasive parasite and pathogen species as well as colony management. A single honey bee colony often suffers from multiple harmful agents, that may act synergistically and cause greater declines in bee health. We conducted a survey to detect known and lesser-known honey bee parasites and pathogens. While previous research has primarily focused on commercially managed colonies, …

Economic Contribution Of Agriculture And Food To Arkansas’ Gross Domestic Product 1997-2021, Leah English, Jennie Popp

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

Agricultural production, processing, and retail industries are major contributors to Arkansas’ GDP. Agriculture contributes to the state economy through direct agricultural production, value-added processing, and agricultural retail activities. The Agriculture and Food Sector, which is comprised of agricultural production, processing, and retail industries, promotes economic strength through various interactions with other industries. The use of non-agricultural goods and services as inputs into the agricultural sector promotes diversified growth in Arkansas’ economy and thus plays a vital role in maintaining economic stability throughout the state. This report 1) compares the relative size of the Agriculture and Food Sector in Arkansas with …

Modifications Of Cellulose-Based Biomaterials For Biomedical Applications, Nour Fatema, Ruben Michael Ceballos, Chenguang Fan

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cellulose is one of the most abundant organic compounds in nature and is available from diverse sources. Cellulose features tunable properties, making it a promising substrate for biomaterial development. In this review, we highlight advances in the physical processes and chemical modifications of cellulose that enhance its properties for use as a biomaterial. Three cellulosic products are discussed, including nanofibrillated, nanocrystalline, and bacterial cellulose, with a focus on how each may serve as a platform for the development of advanced cellulose-based biomaterials for Biomedical applications. In addition to associating mechanical and chemical properties of cellulosic materials to specific applications, a …

Minutes Staff Senate Meeting, October 13, 2022, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Staff Senate

Staff Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Performance, Body Composition, And Processing Yield In Broilers: A Systematic Review And Meta-Regression, Diego A. Martinez, Jordan T. Weil, Nawin Suesuttajit, Cole Alan Umberson, Abdullah Scott, Craig N. Coon

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study aims to model the relationship among performance, whole body composition, and processing yield through meta-regression. Scientific papers found in Scopus and Google Scholar were included if they reported results and variability values of an actual experiment in the three mentioned groups of variables using a single broiler genetic line. Weighted mean effect sizes were determined with a random model, the risk of bias was determined, and heterogeneity was considered an indicator of usefulness. Meta-regressions considered the effect sizes of the response variable and the percent change in one or more variables as predictors. A 78-row database was built …

Volatiles In Berries: Biosynthesis, Composition, Bioavailability, And Health Benefits, Inah Gu, Luke Howard, Sun-Ok Lee

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Abstract

Interaction Between The Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal And Thyroid Axes During Immobilization Stress, Hakeem J. Kadhim, Wayne J. Kuenzel

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The location of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRH-R2) on thyrotropes within the avian anterior pituitary (APit) and its activation by different stressors indicate a possible communication between hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and thyroid (HPT) axes. Therefore, an experiment was designed to 1) compare the timing of major components of the HPT axis to those of the HPA axis; 2) address whether stressors activating the HPA axis may simultaneously upregulate components of the HPT axis. Blood, brain, and APit were sampled from chicks prior to stress (control) and 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min following immobilization (IM) stress. The nucleus of the …

Prospective Life Cycle Assessment And Cost Analysis Of Novel Electrochemical Struvite Recovery In A U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plant, Karla G. Morrissey, Leah English, Greg Thoma, Jennie S. Popp Ph.D.

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Nutrient recovery in domestic wastewater treatment has increasingly become an important area of study as the supply of non-renewable phosphorus decreases. Recent bench-scale trials indicate that co-generation of struvite and hydrogen using electrochemical methods may offer an alternative to existing recovery options utilized by municipal wastewater treatment facilities. However, implementation has yet to be explored at plant-scale. In the development of novel nutrient recovery processes, both economic and environmental assessments are necessary to guide research and their design. The aim of this study was to conduct a prospective life cycle assessment and cost analysis of a new electrochemical struvite recovery …

Mapping And Selection Of Downy Mildew Resistance In Spinach Cv. Whale By Low Coverage Whole Genome Sequencing, Gehendra Bhattarai, Dotun Olaoye, Beiquan Mou, James C. Correll, Ainong Shi

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a popular leafy vegetable crop and commercial production is centered in California and Arizona in the US. The oomycete Peronospora effusa causes the most important disease in spinach, downy mildew. A total of nineteen races of P. effusa are known, with more than 15 documented in the last three decades, and the regular emergence of new races is continually overcoming the genetic resistance to the pathogen. This study aimed to finely map the downy mildew resistance locus RPF3 in spinach, identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with the resistance, refine the candidate genes …

Broiler Vitamin Nutrition Guidelines, Nelson E. Ward

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

In a time of record feed prices, nutritionists and production managers continue to look for opportunities to lower growout costs. Even though their contribution seldom exceeds 1-2% of feed costs, vitamins are not immune to this cost-crunching scrutiny. Furthermore, in late 2017, an unparalleled drop in global vitamin supply resulted in sharply increased prices, and in some cases, outright shortages. Such events have placed pressure on vitamin fortification levels in broiler feeds. Nutritionists decide on the fortification rates based on a variety of criteria – bird age, production phase, field experience, research trials, and so forth. The rapid change in …

Recent Findings On Phosphorus Digestibility Of Feed Ingredients In Broilers, Jay Hampton, Wenting Li, Franco Mussini, Katie Hilton, Janet Remus, Samuel J. Rochell

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Accurately meeting the dietary P needs of broilers is critical to ensure optimal bird performance, health, and welfare without causing undue environmental burdens associated with excess dietary P excretion. Phosphorus is commonly supplied in broiler diets from inorganic phosphates derived from non-renewable sources, but it has been estimated that peak P production will occur between 2030-2040 and that the global supply of P could be depleted within this century (Cordell and Drangert, 2009; Nest and Cordell, 2012). To address these concerns, inorganic P use in agriculture, including use in broiler diet formulation, requires careful stewardship. To this end, the dietary …

Reduction Of Protein Levels In Broiler Feed For Commercial Application – A German Case, Andreas Lemme, Kilian Fenske, Heiner Westendarp, Mathias Guhe, Elmar Rother

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

A project was initiated to apply dietary CP reduction under commercial conditions. The main objective was to demonstrate and validate that dietary CP can be reduced without compromising broiler performance in a production system which is already rather efficient. In addition, we wanted to demonstrate the potential of dietary CP reduction on reducing N-excretions especially in the context of German revised regulations and monitoring attempts. Finally, as previous research suggested, few further aspects such as impact of dietary CP reduction on litter quality and quantity, footpad health, change of ingredient inclusion levels and related impact on sustainability impact factors were …

Application Of Simulation Modelling In Broiler Integration: Is It A Necessary Nutritional Tool?, Peter Chrystal

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Modelling techniques have been used in many industries globally to illustrate to others an understanding of the way processes work. Also, engineers and scientists employ models to predict the consequences of various courses of action. Simple pictorial models, such as the diagram of the chicken digestive system, are useful in education and may be more suitable than a photograph for the purposes of explaining how the animal converts ingested feed into components that can be assimilated, leaving residue that is excreted. Complex, predictive models seek to quantify a specified outcome based on defined inputs. Many attempts have been made over …

State Of The Art Pullet And Breeder Nutrition, Rick Van Emous

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

During the last six to seven decades, broilers have been successfully selected for maximum growth and feed efficiency (Zuidhof et al., 2014). Modern fast-growing broilers reach a body weight of 2.0 to 2.5 kg in 35 to 45 days with an average daily growth of 55 or more gram a day (Augère-Granier, 2019). In a study with different broiler strains representative of broilers in 1957 or 1978 were compared with a broiler strain from 2005 (Zuidhof et al., 2014). The 2005 strain showed, over a 56-day growth period, a 4.6 times higher growth rate and a 50% lower feed conversion …

Broiler Breeder Males: Feed And Nutrition Discussion, Benton Hudson

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

The methods for feeding broiler breeder males have evolved over recent decades, and further revisions will likely be needed as males become more challenging to manage. Since the introduction of separate male feeding systems in the early 1980’s, breeder males’ nutrient needs have been better managed via daily feed restriction. If a breeder operation can effectively produce, haul, and store a separate male diet, then it provides more options to use different nutrient levels or feed additives that are designed to enhance fertility. This article will outline the history of male-separate feeding and revisit nutritional research on fertility of broiler …

Amino Acids Were Not All Created Equal, Peter H. Selle, Shemil P. Macelline, Peter V. Chrystal, Sonia Y. Liu

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

The contention that amino acids were not all created equal is based on the simple premise that intestinal uptakes of non-bound (synthetic, crystalline, feed-grade) amino acids are more rapid than their protein-bound counterparts. The post-enteral ramifications of this difference in bioequivalence are amplified in broiler chickens given their express growth rates and just one complication is the post-prandial oxidation of amino acids. The lack of bioequivalence between non-bound and protein-bound amino acids is a real obstacle to the development and adoption of reduced-crude protein diets that have the potential to promote sustainable chicken-meat production Thus, the purpose of this paper …

Recent Advancements On Calcium And Phosphorus Recommendations In Broilers, Justina Caldas, Marcelo Silva

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Calcium and phosphorus have been recognized essential nutrients in chickens since 1950’s (Lesson & Summers, 2001) playing important roles in bone development, among other functions. Calcium is assumed an inexpensive nutrient in animal least cost formulation while phosphorus is considered expensive and scant. The actual economic impact comes from the influence of calcium on phosphorus requirements, changes in phosphorus digestibility, buffer capacity, gut health, trace mineral absorption, fat digestibility, welfare traits, etc. Both minerals have important interactions to be considered during formulation. Few changes have been made over the past 20 years to calcium and phosphorus recommendations because these values …

Decoding The Gut Microbiome; Providing Solutions For Poultry Production, Nichoals Evans, Peter Karnezos, Curtis Novak, Diana Ayala, Emily Kimminau, Kay Russo

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

The term “microbiome” refers to all the micro-organisms within a particular environment. In poultry, the microbiome is influenced by the barn, diet, and age of the birds and is believed to modulate immunity and inflammation. In the past, culture methods were primarily used to evaluate the presence of the various micro-organisms present in the microbiome; however, recent technological advances in genomic sequencing have revolutionized sample analysis. This technology has opened new avenues of research in poultry production and our understanding of the associated health challenges. Turkey cellulitis has been a major economic and health concern for many years. Traditional bacterial …

Application Of Nutritional Immunology In The Mitigation Of Economic And Production Losses In The Poultry Industry Associated With Food-Borne Pathogens, Coccidiosis, And Necrotic Enteritis., Shahna Fathima, Ramesh K. Selvaraj

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Sub-therapeutic doses of antibiotics were used in poultry production since the 1950s for improved production, prophylaxis, and animal welfare. Extensive and indiscriminatory use of antibiotics led to the emergence of antibiotic resistance in food-borne pathogens of public health significance (Jones & Ricke, 2003). As per the United States Centre for Disease Control, more than 2.8 million infections in 2019 were caused by multidrug resistant bacteria. Due to public health concerns, the use of antibiotic growth promoters in livestock production was prohibited by Sweden and Denmark in 1986 and 1998 respectively (Hammerum et al., 2007). The European Union banned the use …

A Dynamic Approach To Feed Formulation, Rob Gous

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that the opportunity cost of using fixed tables of nutrient requirements when formulating feeds for broilers can be considerable, and that nutritionists should consider a more dynamic approach to defining the lower bounds of amino acids in particular, in line with the objective of the business, which is to maximise profit. In order to do this, it is necessary to consider the potential growth rate of the broiler, the cost of feed and amount of feed consumed, and the income generated from the sale of product.