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A Procedure For Developing A Carcass Merit Program For The Pork Industry, James Allen Burrow

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A stratified sample of 420 market hogs representing the seven 10- pound incremental carcass weight classes from 140 lbs. to 210 lbs., and the nine last rib back fat classes from less than .8 inches to 1.5 inches, or greater, within each weight class were analyzed to determine carcass value and yield of wholesale cuts. Simple correlation coefficients were calculated between each of the carcass measurements. The carcass yield data were manipulated by multiple regression procedures to achieve a series of equations for predicting the weights of the primal cuts. The benefits of being able to predict the weights of …

The Influence Of Embryo Cell Culture Systems On Pretransfer Development Of Early Ovine Embryos, Pablo Gabriel Daniel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The complete requirements for early embryo development in vitro of the ovine and other domestic species remain unknown. Many studies have concentrated on new media, supplementation, and gas atmosphere formulations.

A newer approach is to coculture early embryos with different cell types to provide the physico-chemical requirements for their development.

In this study, oviduct epithelial (OEC) and dissociated embryo cell (DEC) growth were tested in minimum essential media (MEM) and RPMI. Media were supplemented with fetal calf serum (FCS) and equine derived serum (EDS). Fetal calf serum supported maximum cell confluence in OEC collected on day 3 and day 13 …

Root Exploitation Of Fertile Soil Microsites, Robert B. Jackson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Root exploitation of enriched soil microsites was examined for the tussock grasses Agropyron desertorum and Agropyron spicatum and the shrub Artemisia tridentata. Two mechanisms of exploitation of the microsites were examined: root proliferation and changes in nutrient uptake capacity. One day after nutrient solution was applied to small soil patches, the mean relative growth rate of Agropyron desertorum roots in enriched patches was two to four times greater than for roots of the same plants in soil patches treated with distilled water. This rapid and striking root proliferation occurred in response to N-P-K enrichment as well as to P or …

Using Computer Imaging To Assess Visual Impacts Of Forest Insect And Disease Pests, Daniel Rabin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Forest insect and disease pests alter the appearance of trees, thereby impacting visual resources. Because of the complexity of most forest landscapes, the degree of visual impact of pest-infested forest stands is difficult to quantify.

This paper describes a method of measuring visual impacts of pest-infested forest stands. Photographs of healthy Ponderosa pine trees were entered into a computer video-image-processing system. Using this system, images of trees were altered to simulate different degrees of infestation by limb rust, a forest pathogen.

The altered and unaltered images were shown to groups of observers who rated the scenes in terms of "scenic …

Management, Foraging Behavior, Diet Composition And Forage Quality Of Free-Ranging But Herded Camels In Ceeldheer District, Central Somalia, Ahmed A. Elmi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In Somalia, camel (Camelus dromedarius) survivability and milk production has been higher than for other domestic livestock and contributes substantially to the subsistence of Somali pastoralists. The objective of this research was to study management, foraging behavior and nutrition of camels in their natural habitat to determine how production continues under seasonal nutritional stress.

Management systems of Ceeldheer pastoralists are based on available natural pasture and water. The natural rotation grazing system maintained an ecological equilibrium in the District.

Pastoralists manipulate their herds to suit existing environmental conditions, family needs and labor availability for herding. In herd management, …

Change In Serum Iron As A Measure Of Bioavailability Of Dietary Iron, Mary Beth Wright

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Methods currently used to determine iron bioavailability have disadvantages for both the subjects and researchers involved. One safe and simple method that needs further evaluation, the serum iron absorption method, involves an initial blood drawing, dosages of iron, and blood drawings taken at intervals thereafter. Generally, the rise in serum iron or area under the curve is used to determine iron uptake. Two experiments were conducted using the serum iron absorption method in an effort to improve the utility of this method for the measurement of iron bioavailability. With this effort in mind, an equation adjusting for dose of iron …

Plasmin In Milk: Activity Measurement, Effect Of Environmental Factors, And Correlation With Milk Coagulation, Eric D. Bastian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bovine plasmin activity was measured on H-D-valyl-L-leucyl-L-lysyl-4-nitroanilide by following absorbance changes at 405 nm. Steady-state kinetic parameters V_max, K_m, K_I, and K_I' were estimated. Bovine plasmin is competitively inhibited by casein and has a K_cat of .0158 ΔA₄₀₅/min/nM, K_m of .107 mM substrate, and K_I of .86 mg/ml casein. Bovine plasmin can be measured directly in bovine milk without interference from casein.

A total of 380 milk samples from nineteen Holstein (one herd) and nineteen Jersey (one herd) cows was collected monthly during one lactation period. Samples …

Chemical Evaluation And Biological Vitamin A Activity Of The Major Carotenoids In The Hybrid Carrot Beta Iii, Cynthia M. Schweitzer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Genetically enhanced high-carotene Beta III hybrid carrot was compared to a commercial carrot cultivar, Nantes Coreless, for carotene content and macronutrient composition. Beta III contained more than twice the total carotene content of Nantes Coreless, with α-carotene/β-carotene ratios higher in Beta III. Total solids from protein, lipids, and carbohydrate were greater in Beta III than in Nantes Coreless. Beta III contained about five times the amount of sucrose and one-fifth the amount of glucose and fructose than Nantes Coreless or reported literature values.

Comparison of the bioavailability of carotenes in Beta III and Nantes Coreless to purified β-carotene and retinyl …

A Quantitative Assessment Of Minerals Of Toxicological Importance In Utah Fast Foods, Lisa R. Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

X-ray flourescence (XRF) and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) measurements for manganese, iron, copper, and zinc were compared for 96 samples of 21 foods from different sources. Correlation coefficients were 0.94 for manganese, 0.99 for iron, 0.93 for copper, and 0.91 for zinc for XRF vs. AAS determinations.

Similiar comparisons were performed on 228 samples of fast foods purchased in Utah retail outlets. Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.91 for copper to 0.97 for iron and zinc. Comparisons of values generated by XRF for manganese, iron, copper, zinc, selenium, arsenic, and aluminum to values certified by the National Bureau of Standards indicated …

Selenium And Iron In The Rat Intestine: Effects On Lipid Peroxidation, Sileny Vega

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Effects of Fe and Se status on GSHPx activity and lipid peroxidation in liver and intestinal mucosa were studied. Rats were Se and Fe supplemented (+Se+Fe), Se-deficient and Fe-supplemented (-Se+Fe), Se supplemented and Fe overloaded (+Se++Fe) by intramuscular injection, or Se deficient and Fe overloaded (-Se++Fe) for 20d. Fe overloaded tissues had more Fe, but hemoglobin was unaffected. Liver and mucosal GSHPx activity was low in Se-deficient rats. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were higher in Fe overloaded and -Se++Fe vs +Se++Fe tissues. Mucosal TBARS was higher in -Se++Fe rats gavaged with CBrCl₃. In experiment 2, Fe overload …

A Longitudinal Study Of Dietary Intake And Influence Of Iron Status On Infants' And Toddlers' Mental And Motor Development, Steven Matley Wood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Thirty-two non-anemic children were assessed clinically, biochemically and anthropometrically at six months, one year and two years of age to investigate the relationship of iron status to mental and motor development. Using dietary history and dietary record instruments, dietary iron was estimated and compared to the National Food Consumption Survey (1985) and the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for corresponding age groups. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development (which assess mental and motor development) and the Caldwell Home Inventory (which evaluates the environmental stimuli) were performed and correlated with blood iron parameters, anthropometric measurements and dietary nutrient intakes.

Nutrient intakes of …

In Vitro Identification Of The Effect Of Serotonin On Lymphocyte Dna Synthesis And Natural Killer Cell Activity, Kim Kartchener Kane

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the neurotransmitter, serotonin (SE), on the immune function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of normal, healthy subjects. This was done as a preliminary investigation to studies on the association of SE with immune changes in autistic subjects.

The PBMC isolated from normal male subjects were treated with various concentrations of SE for 48 hrs. Their incubation in SE at a concentration of 10^-3 M induced about a 35% decrease in DNA synthesis. However, incubation of the cells in lower concentrations (10^-4 to 10^-10) of …

Fee Hunting Opportunities On Private Land In Utah: An Economic And Policy Analysis, Lucy A. Jordan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Objectives of this research were (1) to describe fee hunting as it is currently practiced in Utah and (2) to assess the adequacy of fee hunting efforts in addressing the problems of wildlife habitat and hunter access on private land. To collect information, Utah landowners who charged for deer (Odocoileus hemionus) or elk (Cervus elaphus) hunting in 1986 were surveyed by telephone and mail.

Compared to the average Utah livestock rancher, those involved in fee hunting have larger livestock operations and have owned their property longer. They are Utah natives. Fee hunting is concentrated in northern …

Phenotypic Characterization Of Actinobacillus And Actinobacillus-Like Species Isolated From Ram Lambs With Epididymitis, Yen-Bou Liu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to characterize phenotypically Actinobacillus and Actinobacillus-like species cultured from ram lambs with epididymitis (lamb epididymitis), so as to better understand the species and strains of Actinobacillus responsible for causing the disease. Two American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) type species of Actinobacillus (A actinomycetemcomitans and A seminis) and 24 field isolates were tested in this study. The field isolates were cultured from either lesions or semen of ram lambs with clinical epididymitis and had been identified as members of the genus Actinobacillus, based on cultural and morphological criteria. When analyzed by …

Production Of Monoclonal Antibodies Specific For The Gamonts Of Eimeria Tenella, Nancy Carol Larsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cecal coccidiosis, caused by the protozoan Eimeria tenella, may manifest as a devastating disease in young chickens and result in substantial economic loss for producers. The parasite progresses through a complex life cycle, exhibiting both asexual and sexual (gamont) stages of development. The purpose of this study was to produce a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against epitopes contained on surface antigens (Ags) of the gamonts of E. tenella with the intent of blocking the fertilization process. Gamonts were harvested from infected ceca, partially purified by differential centrifugation throught a discontinuous 5050% Percoll density gradient and used as a …

Incremental Returns To Cattle Feeding From Alternative Feedlot Practices, Ibrahim R. Hani

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The main goals of this study are to: 1) identify the influence of various breeds, feeds, and hormone additives on the final weight or the rate of gain of feeder cattle; 2) determine the physical relationships among breeds, feeds, hormone additives, and other variables; and 3) estimate the costs and benefits associated with alternative feed and/or hormone additives and other variables to determine whether the benefits of using different breeds, feeds, and hormone additives exceed the costs. The linear mode l was initially chosen and showed that Rumensin additive and Angus and Simmental cross breeds were not significant on the …

Utilization Of Poultry Waste (Composted Caged-Layer) As A Supplement For Sheep Fed Straw During Late Pregnancy, Raul Meneses R.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The utilization of composed caged-layer waste (CCLW) in diets for pregnant ewes fed cereal straw was evaluated. Five sheep were assigned to five diets containing, 0, 5.72, 11.37, 23.80, and 32.69% CCLW in a 5x5 Latin square design. Water intake, feed intake and feces output were measured. Feed and feces were analyzed for dry matter, crude protein, acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), organic matter, hemicellulose and minerals. Thus, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance could be calculated. Forty dry, pregnant ewes in the last third of generation were assigned to four dietary treatments contained 0, 11.25, 22.08 and …

An Estimation Of Primary Benefits Realized On Three Bureau Of Reclamation Projects, Steven D. C. Mcqueen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three Bureau of Reclamation projects, which represent a broad cross-section of the eleven total in Utah, are studied in order to shed light on the value of the invested resources to U.S. taxpayers, the people of Utah, and the local farmers.

The bureau's nonmultiple-purpose projects in Utah are termed "supplemental" as opposed to "full-service" because some amount of irrigation was already in place.

Recent findings from field trials of yield vs. evapotranspiration for major crops grown in the Western states were employed to assess the annual productive value of existing river water rights had the three projects not been built. …

An Assessment Of Thematic Mapper Satellite Data For Classifying Conifer Types In Northern Utah, Madeline R. Mazurski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Land-cover identification and mapping are an integral part of natural resource planning and management. Satellite imagery provides a way to obtain land cover information, particularly for large tracts of land such as those administered by federal and state agencies.

This study assesses the usefulness of the Brightness/Greenness Transformation of Landsat Thematic Mapper data for differentiating conifer forest types in northern Utah. Satellite data for the Logan Ranger District of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest were classified into 27 vegetation classes. Of these, nine were determined to be conifer classes and were used in subsequent analyses. Ten sites of each conifer class …

The Feasibility Of Concurrent Enrollment Of High School Students In College-Level Introductory Plant Science, Gregory H. Egan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of allowing concurrent enrollment in the College of Agriculture to selected high schools in the state of Utah. "Introduction to Agricultural Plant Science" (Plant Science 100) was the course being tested. A purposive sampling technique was used to identify four vocational agriculture programs to participate. There were 86 high school students in the study and 38 college students who took the course on campus at Utah State University.

In this study, 47.7% of the high school students passed the course with a 70% average or above. Comparisons between high school …

Development Of A Management Plan For Grey Goral: Lessons From Blackbuck And Cheer Pheasant Reintroduction Attempts, Maqsood Anwar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A study of grey goral (Nemorhaedus goral) in the Margalla Hills National Park, Pakistan, was conducted to develop a management plan for this animal. Goral are listed as endangered in Pakistan and elsewhere. They are confined to the steep slopes and difficult terrain that cover 28 percent of the total park area. Another 21 percent of the park area has similar habitat, but currently no goral occur there. Forty to 60 animals are estimated to be living in the park. Groups of two to three animals are common. During observation, goral spent most of their time in feeding, …

Impact Of Root Competition On Survival And Growth Of Seedlings Of Important Great Basin Species, Günther Reichenberger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Belowground competition is pronounced in the arid Great Basin sagebrush ecosystem. Plant demographic and root exclusion approaches were used to examine the influence of roots of adult Artemisia tridentata, Agropyron desertorum, and Agropyron spicatum individuals on seedling survival of Ar. tridentata, Ag. desertorum, Ag. spicatum, and Bromus tectorum. Furthermore, growth rates of Ar. tridentata seedlings and seed production of B. tectorum were assessed.

The probability of a seedling being alive versus dead significantly depended on the seedling species, the neighboring adult species, and on the depth to which root competition was excluded. As seedlings, …

A Study Of Denitrosation Of N-Nitroso Compounds By Irradiation With Long-Wavelength Uv Light, Zhenyu J. Wang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

N-Nitrosamines and N-nitrosamides have been reported to be mutagenic. N-Nitrosamides are direct mutagens that need no activation to be mutagenic, whereas N-nitrosamines need to be enzymatically activated to exert their mutagenicity. Oxidative demethylation of nitrosamines is a commonly accepted activation mechanism. Another pathway of nitroso compounds, denitrosation, has recently been proposed. The mechanism of denitrosation, however, is still unknown.

The purpose of this study was to use a photo -reaction model to explore the possible denitrosation mechanism of N-nitroso compounds. An N-nitrosamine, N-nitrosomorpholi ne (NMOR), and an N-nitrosamide, N-methyl-N'-nitrosoguanidine (MMNG), were irradiated with long-wavelength UV light in the presence of …

Bluetongue Virus Evolution: Sequence Analyses Of The Gene Coding For The Major Serogroup Antigen, Timothy F. Kowalik

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A study was undertaken to better understand the genetic relationship of five United States prototype bluetongue virus serotypes. Genomic double-stranded RNA segment S1, which encodes the major core protein and serogroup antigen, VP7, was used as a marker gene for the sequence analyses. The S1 segments from BTV-2, 11, 13, and 17 were cloned and sequenced by methods developed during the course of this investigation. These results were compared with previously published sequence data from segment S1 of BTV-10. The Sl segments are 1156 base pairs long and contain a common open reading frame capable of coding for a protein …

Neuroanatomical Asymmetry, Handedness, And Family History Of Handedness: A Study Of The Markers Of Structural And Functional Lateralization, Steven A. Lifson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the associations between (1) handedness (demonstrated preference of one hand for the performance of most unimanual tasks) and neuroanatomical asymmetry (measurable differences in width between the cerebral hemispheres) and (2) familial history of handedness (the presence of a left-handed sibling or parent of a right-handed subject) as an intervening factor in the relation between handedness and neuroanatomical asymmetry. Width measurements of the brain were derived from computerized tomographic (CT) films and grouped in to categories by hand preference (measured by the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory) and family history. The measurements of right (n=68), right with left-handed relatives (n=24), …

Socio-Behavioral Correlates Of 6- To 11-Year-Old Offspring Of Alcohol Consuming Parents, Jan Garver Bacon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is a lack of simple random sample based research into whether there are social skill and behavior problem differences for six- to eleven-year-old boys and girls which correlate with rates of parental alcohol consumption, social sequelae of parental alcohol consumption, reported level of marital conflict, and extended family history of alcoholism.

This simple random sample study correlates the above variables with T scores on the behavior problem and social competence scales of the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist and Child Behavior Checklist - Teacher's Report Form for six- to eleven-year-old children (N=100). Behavior problem scales include disorders of affect, thought, …

An Examination Of Open- And Closed-Economic Conditions In Operant Research, Craig R. Loftin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effect of economic condition on the relation between responding and overall rate of reinforcement has been an area of recent interest in operant research. The present research was conducted to determine whether the manipulation of the economic condition, by the systematic manipulation of the provision of substitute food, has an effect on this relation and whether open- and closed-economies represent two opposing alternatives or two parametric extremes along a continuum. The results of two experiments conducted with pigeons using variable-interval and fixed-ratio schedules of reinforcement suggest that the manipulation of economic condition has a controlling effect on the relation …

The Involvement And Relationship Of Ferritin And Ceruloplasmin In Oxygen Radical Toxicities, David Wilson Reif

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The intent of this dissertation is to demonstrate that ferritin iron may be involved in alloxan, diquat, and radiation-dependent damage and that ceruloplasmin may afford protection by limiting the availability of ferritin iron. Initial studies demonstrated that the alloxan radical formed by glutathione-dependent reduction of alloxan reductively mobilized ferritin iron and the released iron catalyzed lipid peroxidation. SOD and catalase were without effect, whereas ceruloplasmin effectively inhibited both iron release and lipid peroxidation. Using ¹³⁷Cs gamma-radiation it was demonstrated that radiolytically generated superoxide released iron from ferritin with an efficiency of 67%. Lipid peroxidation strictly required both superoxide and …

Maternal, Obstetric, And Neonatal Correlates Of Short-Term Neurodevelopmental Outcome In Newborn Infants With Intraventricular Hemorrhage, Richard Elghammer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The attempt to identify risk factors or correlates of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) has been constrained by conflicting research findings, changing hypotheses about the etiology of IVH, and by the exceedingly complex nature of this neurological disorder. In addition, few studies have investigated the possibility that antenatal factors might predispose the infant to IVH. Thus, research aimed at identifying IVH correlates from all time periods in which stress could occur to the neonate needs to be undertaken. This study was conducted for the purpose of identifying and quantifying correlates of IVH by constructing an interactive statistical model to predict the occurrence, …

Inter-Seasonal Range Relationships Of Spanish Goats And Mule Deer In A Utah Oakbrush Community, Robert Alexander Riggs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three experiments were conducted to assess the potential for using Spanish goats to manage Gambel oakbrush winter range, dominated by Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). Summer-time food selection of goats, effects on plant community composition, and consequent effects on mule deer nutrition and foraging behavior were examined.

An apparent preference for juvenile oak browse, and low use of oak twigs was observed. Selection for juvenile browse may have been facilitated by the retarded phenology of oak as compared to that of associated flora. This differential was maintained by repeated browsing. Animal performance, …