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Health, Nutrition, And Disease In Rural Northern Jordan: A Study Of Enamel Defects Related To Childhood Stress In Skeletal Samples From The Bronze Age To The Byzantine Period, Teresa Veronica Wilson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Northern Jordan has seen periods of climate change, political transformation, and economic prosperity between the Late Bronze Age to the end of the Byzantine period. This research tests the assumption that the rural agricultural communities of this region were undernourished by examining the dentition for periodic childhood stress. Canine teeth from five sites (Ya'amun, Sa'ad, Yasileh, Natfieh, and Waqqas) that covered the time periods in question were collected to study overall quality of life.

The teeth were thin-sectioned and examined under a light microscope. Digital micrographs were made of the thin-sectioned teeth in order to record the number and location …

Improving Lamb Performance With Sericea Lespedeza And Molybdenum, Mohan Acharya

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to find the effect of prolonged feeding of sericea lespedeza (SL) supplemented with sodium molybdate on changes in body weight, serum and liver concentration of trace minerals (TM), hematology, serum biochemistry, and gastrointestinal parasites. Thirty ram lambs (Katahdin and ¾ Katahdin × ¼ Romanov) were weaned; blood, liver, and fecal samples were collected and signs of internal parasitic infection on lambs were recorded. Lambs were supplemented with 900 g of alfalfa (n = 10; CON) or SL (n = 20) based supplement for 103 d. Within the SL group, half of the lambs were …

The Impact Of Digital And Physical Play On Early Childhood Development, Hannah B. Smith

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study explored the impact of technology on the play development of young children. Seven families with children between the ages of 18 and 36 months of age participated in the study. Four of the children were from homes that did not allow their children to handle and play with electronic devices, and three of the children from were from home that did allow such play. A brief developmental questionnaire was used to categorize the technology status of the home. The data collection consisted of 30-minute video recordings of each child playing with real objects followed by play with that …

Knitting As A Therapeutic Group Technique With 4th Grade Elementary School Students, Cassandra Marie Dominick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of the current study was to explore the use of knitting as an expressive arts technique. Knitting groups were conducted with 4th grade elementary school students. Each group met for 8 sessions on a weekly basis. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or control group. The experimental group received knitting instructions in the group format first. Prior to beginning the group, all participants, their teachers, and their parents completed the Social Skills Improvement System assessment (Gresham & Elliot, 2008). This measure was repeated following the end of the experimental group and again approximately 8 …

"The Claims Of Religion Upon Medical Men": Protestant Christianity And Medicine In Nineteenth-Century America, Ronald James Gordon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is the first study to examine how pastors lost authority over bodily healing in the nineteenth century. I argue that clergymen adapted to the scientific and cultural developments of the post-Darwin era by encouraging a separation of bodily healing and spiritual healing that was unprecedented in Christianity. In 1840, ministers wielded much more authority than physicians, who still practiced a heroic medicine whose foundations predated Christ. Ministers insisted that doctors' value lay in their willingness to be proselytizing Christians. The doctor who wanted to reach the upper echelon of his profession had to save the souls of the wayward …

Estimating Nitrogen Fixation Rates, Importance, And Short-Term Efficiency In Small, Temperate Reservoirs Using Delta15n Techniques, Bryant Christopher Baker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N2) fixation can give certain species of cyanobacteria a competitive advantage in lake and reservoir phytoplankton. These species of cyanobacteria, along with others that cannot fix N2, can form toxic compounds that impair water quality when present in high concentrations. N2 fixation rates may be substantial in small (< 1.0 km2), temperate reservoirs since these systems experience thermal stratification and often nitrogen (N) limitation throughout a substantial proportion of the year. However, the effects of N2 fixation on N cycling, alleviation of short-term N limitation, and water quality are not well-understood. A mesocosm experiment and ecosystem-scale observational study were conducted to 1) determine the efficiency of N2 fixation under varying N relative to phosphorus (P) supply, 2) examine the effects of N2 fixation on autotrophic biomass accumulation and microcystin production, and 3) measure N2 fixation rates and importance to autotrophic N demand and zooplankton N assimilation. Results of the mesocosm experiment indicated that N2 fixation was increased at low N:P supply under high P. However, N2 fixation was inefficient at alleviating N limitation when fixed N was the primary source of N. Additionally, microcystin production occurred only at high N:P supply when N2 fixation was low, indicating that reducing external N inputs may have a positive effect on water quality. Results of whole-reservoir determination of N2 fixation using seston δ15N natural abundances indicated that N2 fixation rates throughout the warm season were substantial and influenced by water temperature. Annual N2 fixation rates ranged from 2.2 - 6.6 g N m-2 yr-1, and contributed up to 19% of the annual autotrophic N demand. Zooplankton were assimilating fixed N in most of the study reservoirs, representing a possible mechanism of ecosystem fixed N retention. Collectively, these results suggest that N2 fixation plays a substantial role in N cycling in small, temperate reservoirs, but likely cannot alleviate short-term N limitation.

Efficacy Of Rice Insecticide Seed Treatments At Selected Nitrogen Rates For Control Of The Rice Water Weevil, Lissorhoptrus Oryzophilus Kuschel, Mallory Elise Everett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Seed-applied insecticides are the standard control method used to prevent rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel) injury to rice (Oryza sativa L.) roots, and often results in greater yields than rice that receives no seed-applied insecticide. Yield increases from seed-applied insecticides often occur even when insect pressure is low and should not cause yield loss. The research objective was to evaluate the effect of urea-nitrogen rate and seed-applied insecticide on number of rice water weevil larvae, nitrogen uptake and rice grain yield. Six trials were conducted at the Pine Tree Research Station (PTRS) and the Rice Research Extension Center (RREC) …

Embouchure, Zachery Gardner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a representative sample of the poetry I have written in the last four years. It demonstrates a variety of formal techniques and procedures. Some recurring themes and preoccupations include mysticism, birding, and early blues music.

Poultry Performance And Food Safety Impacts Of Selected Organic Acids And Probiotics, Anita Menconi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Improving production parameters and controlling foodborne pathogens have been challenges to the poultry industry. Salmonella has been the most common bacterial pathogen in laboratory confirmed foodborne illness cases, and contaminated poultry and poultry products have been identified as the most important source of transmission of Salmonella to humans. Therefore, research on effective interventions to reduce Salmonella transmission at the poultry production level has gained attention. Initially, a series of studies was conducted to evaluate the use of selected organic acids in controlling foodborne pathogens and improving poultry performance. Then, the characterization and application of lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus spp. …

Effects Of Petroleum Distillates On Amphibian Development, Kate Walker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Petroleum distillates are widely used as an energy source and the extraction and disposal of these chemicals are done with little consideration of their effects on aquatic environments. Amphibians are considered excellent ecological indicators but little research has examined effects of petroleum distillates on aquatic species. I evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects on larval amphibians with exposure to petroleum distillates associated with various venues of pollution including hydraulic fracturing. I selected three petroleum distillates (kerosene, oil, and unleaded gasoline) that are known to have negative effects on aquatic organisms and are similar to the common constituents of mixtures used …

Fertilizer Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency In Soft Red Winter Wheat And The Ability Of N-Star To Detect Alkaline Hydrolyzable Nitrogen In Crop Residues, Lana Aubrey Clark

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soil testing methods such as the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT) and Direct Steam Distillation (DSD) have been developed which measure alkaline hydrolyzable-N (AH-N) as a means of estimating potentially mineralizable-N. Crop residues play an important role in N cycling. However, the ability of the ISNT and DSD methods to determine AH-N within crop residues is unknown. Therefore, the first objective of this study was to determine the ability of the ISNT and DSD to quantify potentially mineralizable-N within five different crop residues common to Arkansas. Corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max, L.), wheat, rice (Oryza sativa, L.), and …

Transcriptomic Insights Into The Diplontic Life History Of Diatoms, Colton Richard Kessenich

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An organism's life cycle is the direct result of its evolutionary history and represents a fundamental aspect of its ancestry and ecology. Yet the process of linking alternating life-history stages has proven to be challenging, if not impossible in some cases. Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) are no exception to this challenge, and their diversity of life stages and reproductive strategies add further challenges. A central focus of diatom research has been to unravel the evolutionary events that led to their extraordinary diversity, a line of inquiry that has been greatly aided by the availability of next-generation sequence data. Yet without proper taxonomic …

The Relationship Of Goal Focus To Physical Distance, Job Title And Years Served Within The University Of Arkansas Division Of Agriculture, Christina Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between physical distance from the headquarters, number of years working within the Division of Agriculture, and job title compared to mission statement and goal focus. The Division of Agriculture as part of the University of Arkansas System is a unique organization because many of its employees are not physically located at the headquarter locations of Little Rock and Fayetteville. The Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture, has at least one office in each of Arkansas's 75 counties as well as faculty and staff members located at five …

Theory And Practice: A Historical Examination Of The Assumptions And Philosophy Of Human Resource Development, Matthew Wayne Gosney

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The history of Human Resource Development (HRD) is the history of human organizational growth and development. A review of the history of western civilization, with particular focus on the Industrial Revolution to the modern era, demonstrates a distinct interaction between the predominant philosophy of the time, theory, and practice. A better understanding of seminal events in HRD's history thus provides insight into informing philosophies of HRD and the assumptions upon which current HRD theory and practice rest. Research was conducted to explore this interplay between philosophy, theory, and practice. The research was thematic and historical in nature, including the evaluation …

Small Mammal Community Associations And Habitat Use At Pea Ridge National Military Park, Benton County, Arkansas, Christopher Reddin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Juniperus virginiana L. (Eastern Red Cedar) is a fire-intolerant tree species that has been invading and altering grassland ecosystems throughout the American Great Plains and Midwest. To see how Eastern Red Cedar encroachment affects small mammal communities, we surveyed small mammals using mark-recapture methods in Eastern Red Cedar forest and 5 other habitats common to the Ozark region. Additionally, we compared the microhabitat use of presumed juniper obligate Peromyscus attwateri J.A. Allen (Texas Mouse) and its conspecific P. leucopus Rafinesque (White-Footed Mouse). We ran over 7000 trap-nights and found that the small mammal species composition in Eastern Red Cedar was …

Survival, Abundance, And Geographic Distribution Of Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese (Branta Canadensis) In Arkansas, Margaret Eliese Ronke

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Temperate-nesting Canada geese in Arkansas have grown in abundance and range since reintroduction in the 1980s. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission uses harvest and other methods to maintain the population at desired levels. However, continued management of temperate-nesting geese requires knowledge of the population's demographics and current range to help establish quantifiable management goals.

To assess the need and effect of changing hunting regulations, survival and recovery rates and abundance were estimated for this population. Annual survival rates of temperate-nesting Canada geese banded and recovered in Arkansas from 2005 to 2011 were estimated using the Burnham joint live-dead recovery …

A Framework For Constructing Serious Games, Taylor Glen Yust

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Communicating ideas and knowledge through serious games is a trend that is currently gaining in popularity. However, at present, there is a distinct lack of a game development methodology that takes a critical approach to transforming information into gameplay. This thesis presents a framework that can be followed to construct compelling serious games that are effective at transferring knowledge to the player. This is accomplished through an analysis of atomic knowledge items and their relationships to one another, followed by a meaningful and synergetic implementation of these ideas at a foundational mechanics level.

This thesis also describes the development of …

Identifying, Monitoring, Quantifying And Converting Algae To Bio-Fuels In Bio-Reactors, Alice C. Jernigan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Growing algae as a source for bio-fuels has become an area of interest due to concerns about global warming and the reliability and ecology of the production of fossil fuels. Dried algae harvested from a pilot water quality improvement technology at the Rockaway Wastewater Treatment Facility in New York were examined as a source of carbohydrates and lipids for the production of bio-fuels in bio-reactors. The length of storage time, storage conditions, sugar and lipid extraction processes, and fuel production were studied. The results show that if the algae is stored dry (0.015 g/g algae even after a year in …

Leaching Characteristics Of Selenium From Coal Fly Ash, Mark Allen Cantrell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Selenium (Se) contamination can be a potential groundwater concern near un-lined coal ash landfills. Out of all the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority and non-priority pollutants, Se has the narrowest range between what is considered beneficial and detrimental for aquatic and terrestrial organisms. The effects of ash type (i.e., fresh and weathered), water-extractant type (i.e., deionized water, rainwater, and groundwater), and extraction time (i.e., 2- and 6-hours) on Se, arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr) concentrations were investigated from Class C, subbituminous coal fly ash produced at the Flint Creek Power Plant located in Benton County, AR. Water-extractable Se concentrations differed …

Comparison Of Sweat Rates And Sweat Electrolyte Concentrations In Collegiate Male And Female Athletes With And Without A History Of Cramping, Brittany Cherie Willard

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the two main theories of muscle cramping by comparing sweat rate and sweat-electrolyte concentrations of athletes with a reported history of exercise associated muscle cramping (EAMC) to those with minimal cramping history to provide a potential link between sodium deficiency/sweat rate and EAMCs. The methodological consistency of analyses between two separate processes was also evaluated.

Factors Influencing Water Extractable Phosphorus Reduction In Poultry Litter By Chitosan Treatment, Zachary Paul Simpson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phosphorus is known to be a chief factor in the eutrophication of freshwaters. Phosphorus in land applied poultry litter can runoff and pollute these freshwaters. Chitosan, the deacetylated form of the biopolymer chitin, has been shown to have an effect on reducing water extractable phosphorus (WEP) in poultry litter when applied as a powder. The intent of this study was to measure the effect that acetic acid and incubation time have on chitosan’s ability to reduce WEP in poultry litter. The results were that the presence of poultry litter treatment (PLT) in the litter inhibits chitosan’s ability reduce WEP. Chitosan …

Forging Careers In Food Law And Policy: Challenges And Opportunities For Law Schools, Allison Condra

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Food Law and Policy (FL&P) is a quickly growing field of legal practice that offers many exciting career opportunities for law students. As national awareness of food and agricultural issues increases, particularly the way laws and policies influence our food system, more law students are demanding that their law schools offer courses, internships, and clinical experiences in this field. Law schools across the country have an opportunity to satisfy this student demand, while at the same time providing students with skills and knowledge that will equip them to engage with the many complex, dynamic, and important issues related to the …

Contents, Journal Editors

Journal of Food Law & Policy

No abstract provided.

Health And Welfare Preempted: How National Meat Association V. Harris Undermines Federalism, Food Safety, And Animal Protection, Marya Torrez

Journal of Food Law & Policy

In 2008, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) released an undercover video filmed at the Hallmark Meat Packing Company and Westland Meat Company (Hallmark/Westland) in Chino, California. "The footage depicted nonambulatory cows being kicked, dragged, electrocuted, jammed with forklifts and sprayed in the nostrils with water to simulate drowning - in an effort to get them to stand up and walk to their slaughter." At least five inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - the federal agency tasked with ensuring that food safety and animal welfare guidelines are followed - were present at the time. The …

A Content And Visual Analysis Of Promotional Pieces Used To Promote The Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, Amy Hughes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A communications campaign was developed for a commodity promotion board in the southern region of the United States with promotional pieces produced and disseminated by a third-party communications group to reach the general public, soybean producers, and animal agriculture producers target audiences through key themes and messages. A systematic, content-driven approach assessed the potential impact on perceptions of individuals. This study utilized a content and visual analysis based on semiotic theory to analyze creative pieces and focus groups to assess content quality and impact.

Many of the creative pieces displayed too many themes, and the themes did not accurately represent …

Beginning Of Malignant Tumor Cells, Emily K. Shields

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Despite advances in cancer treatments, cancer is still ranked the second leading cause of death. Cancers are started by cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs, also called tumor-initiating cells, are found in tumors and are responsible for the growth of tumors and the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. CSCs are very resistant, and cannot be killed by chemotherapy or radiation treatments. These cells can come from healthy stem cells. The environment surrounding the healthy stem cells and mature cells can cause mutations in the cell’s genetics, resulting in development of CSCs. The environment can also increase tumor …

Double Bitted Axes Of The Fourche Maline: Use-Wear Analysis And Experimental Replication, Rachel Ann Campbell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the Fourche Maline double bitted tools from the Fourche Valley site, 3YE948, in Yell County, Arkansas. The assemblage consists of 65 tools surface collected from the site, which vary in form, condition, material composition and wear. Microscopic use-wear on these artifacts was analyzed using high resolution epoxy casts and complemented by a collection of experimental replicas which served as an analytical control. The use-wear analysis of the double bitted tools provides information as to the tool function, the relation between tool form and function, and the life cycle of these tools.

Effects Of Instrumentation On Dental Microwear Textures: Reanalysis And Augmentation Of An Early Hominin Sample, Anna Jacquelyn Ragni

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dental microwear texture analysis has been refined to a methodology relying upon scanning confocal microscopy for its advantages of repeatability and standardized quantification. A new instrument, the Plu Neox (Sensofar Corp.) confocal profiler recently entered the market, sparking questions among dental anthropologists related to the advantages and efficacy of this new technology, which has better resolution and lighting properties than previously available white-lighted based confocal profilers. This thesis reports on three complementary studies that set out to evaluate the comparability of the Plu Neox to the Plu Standard system and assess its ability to distinguish primates on the basis of …

Knowledge, Perceptions, And Outcomes Of Agricultural Communications Curriculum In Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms, Carley Payne Calico

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. This study was comprised of three parts including a pilot test, teacher training assessment, and a descriptive field test over a two-year period. For the pilot test portion of the study, students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules (careers, writing, design, and multimedia) predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas. The pilot test indicated students' …

Fluorescence Imaging Of Microdialysis Sampling, Jordan Leigh Haynie

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many biomolecules including proteolytic enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are released when a material, such as a microdialysis probe, is implanted in a living organism. The MMPs cleave structural protein components of the extracellular matrix and play an important role in biological functions such as wound healing.1-3 Many enzymatic substrates for MMPs have fluorescent product mimics, and the mimics can be used as agents to monitor biochemical processes.1 In this study, microdialysis, a minimally invasive sampling technique, was combined with fluorescence imaging to determine the possibility of monitoring microdialysis in real-time, and thus provide a method that could ultimately …