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Emergence Phenology And Nematode Associates Of The Woodwasp, Sirex Nigricornis F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), In Arkansas And Mississippi Forests, Jessica Ann Hartshorn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sirex nigricornis F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) is a native woodwasp in eastern North America that inhabits dead and dying pine trees during its univoltine development. Sirex noctilio is native to Eurasia and North Africa and was discovered in the northeastern United States in 2004 after a century of accidental introductions across the Southern Hemisphere. Since then, it has spread to seven states and southern Ontario. There is concern about its potential to negatively affect the multi-billion dollar pine timber industry of the southeastern United States. Effective monitoring tools are necessary to track the spread and establishment of S. noctilio. Deladenus siricidicola …

The Influences Of Texture And Mastication Pattern On Flavor Perception Across The Lifespan, Curtis Robert Luckett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Texture is an often-overlooked food attribute and is known to influence other food characteristics. More specifically, texture has been repeatedly to influence how we perceive flavor. Several studies have linked this change in flavor perception to the altered mastication patterns that accompany texture changes. This dissertation is composed of four studies that were designed to address how American food consumers view texture and other food attributes as well as characterize how texture and mastication can influence temporal flavor dynamics. The first study was a survey that outlined consumer attitudes towards a variety of different foods. This study solidified that texture …

Production And Application Of Trans, Trans Cla-Rich Eggs: Chemical And Physiological Properties And Prospects For Value-Added Foods, Sara Shinn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is an 18-carbon fatty acid with conjugated double bonds that is naturally present in beef and dairy products. Certain CLA isomers exhibit human bioactivity such as anti-obesity and muscle metabolism effects, as well as prevention of age-associated conditions, and improved immune and inflammatory responses. However, an individual needs to consume 3-4 g CLA/day to realize these potential health benefits, and a Western diet only provides a tenth of this recommendation. Chicken eggs have been used as a commercialized vehicle to deliver other bioactive lipids such as omega-3 fatty acids, because the lipid profile of the egg …

Growth And Productivity Of Irrigated Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) For A Tropical High Altitude Environment In Rwanda, Elie Rene Gasore

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Yield components, grain yield, biomass and plant N accumulation, and N fertilizer responses of irrigated rice (Oryza sativa, L.) were evaluated for a tropical inland valley environment in the high altitudes in Rwanda. Effects were measured for nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate (0, 60, 90,120,150,180 kg N ha-1), season, growth stage and cultivar of different subspecies and plant types during 2012 dry season (DS) and 2013 wet season (WS) at Cyili Rice Research Farm (1380 m above sea level). Variations in irradiance (17.2± 0.32 MJ m-2 day-1 in DS and 9.4 ± 0.66 MJ m-2 day-1in WS) were linked to seasonal …

The Effect Of Protein Quantity And Quality At Breakfast On Energy Metabolism, Appetite And Metabolic Health, Brianna Lynne Neumann

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a global health concern and, within the United States, the current obesity rate is 36% and projected to double within the next two decades. Obesity is linked to many chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In young females, weight gain (5-11 kg) between the ages of 20-30 years increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disorders later in life. The cause of obesity is multifactorial in nature, however fundamentally weight gain occurs when energy intake is greater than energy expended (i.e. calories in > calories out). Therefore, identifying and validating nutritional …

Autophagy Regulation After Diet And Exercise In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Megan Elizabeth Rosa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Along with the rise in obesity, rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have also increased. NAFLD may begin with fat accumulation in the liver, but can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and eventual cirrhosis. With no pharmacological treatment for NASH, lifestyle interventions appear vital to maintaining liver health. Previous work has shown aberrant mitochondrial content/quality and autophagy in models of NAFLD. Exercise is known to improve mitochondrial health and possibly autophagy, thus autophagy may be a key regulatory factor for treatment of obesity induced-NAFLD. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine how weight loss from diet …

A Molecular Approach To Understanding The Effects Of Original-Xpc On The Modulation Of The Cecal Microbiota And The Survival Of Salmonella In The Poultry Host, Stephanie Roto

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Salmonella is a foodborne pathogen commonly associated with poultry products; the economic burden to the U.S. is estimated to be approximately $693 million (without factoring in contaminated eggs). Recently, there has been pressure to withdraw sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics (also known as antibiotic growth promoters; AGP) from poultry due to concern over antibiotic-resistant bacteria spreading to the human population. Therefore, various feed additives have been researched for their ability in providing protection against harmful pathogens and their potential growth promoting effects, both of which were attributes of poultry treated with AGP. This thesis consists of a comprehensive literature review that …

Proteomic Characterization Of Eggshell Membranes And Their Effect On Poultry Physiology And Immunity, Sarbjeet Kaur Makkar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of antibiotics in poultry growth and disease control has led to antibiotics resistant problem in human beings, which is a big concern among consumers. With the necessity for judicious use of antibiotics in poultry production, alternative strategies to improve disease resistance in poultry production are necessary. The research is more inclined towards using the natural products available to grow healthier and antibiotic free meat animals. In the context of exploring natural and sustainable resource of alternative to antibiotics, the biochemical milieu of eggshell membranes (ESM) were analyzed by using mass spectrometry techniques including matrix assisted laser desorption ionization …

A Prediction Model For Acute Core And Lower Extremity Injuries In Division 1 Collegiate Football Players, Alexandra Aline Mcdonald

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Context: Various intrinsic factors such as high exposure, poor endurance of core muscles, previous injury, strength deficits, suboptimal neurocognitive function, and orthopedic abnormalities have been found as predictors for sprains and strains among collegiate football players. Objective: Assess the applicability of pre-participation assessments as predictors of core or lower extremity injury. Design: Cohort Study. Setting: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I football program. Patients or Other Participants: Athletes who underwent mandatory pre-participation examinations before preseason football training over two consecutive seasons (n=225). Main Outcome Measure(s): Associations between preseason protocols and injury incidence for core and lower extremity injuries were established …

The Effects Of Meloidogyne Incognita And Heterodera Glycines On The Yield And Quality Of Edamame In Arkansas, Juliet Fultz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Edamame (Glycine max), also known as vegetable soybean, was introduced to the United States from Japan in 1890 and has been growing in popularity as a nutrient-rich, low-sugar snack in recent years. In 2012, the American Vegetable Soybean and Edamame, Inc. established the first domestic commercial processing plant in Mulberry, Arkansas and contracted local growers for production. Since the crop is harvested when seed are immature, management practices are different from those for traditional soybean. Plant-parasitic nematodes, particularly Meloidogyne incognita (southern root-knot) and Heterodera glycines (soybean cyst), are common in Arkansas and are pests of concern for edamame growers. Edamame …

A Community-Based Participatory Approach To Understanding Health Beliefs, Policies, Barriers, And Solutions Related To The Health Disparities Of Marshallese Cofa Migrants In Arkansas., Pearl Anna Mcelfish

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Public policies have different effects on different populations groups and can perpetuate health disparities among some populations. My research utilizes community-based participatory approach to research in the examination of one unique population: the Marshallese. This dissertation research presents three papers that are part of a cohesive research agenda predicated on community-based participatory research (CBPR) to facilitate policy-oriented learning. My research can be used to inform health policy, health care services, and health education. Chapter Two presents the article titled: Health Beliefs of US Marshallese Regarding Type 2 Diabetes.

This article explores the research question: what health beliefs related to diabetes …

Defining The Potassium Nutritional Requirements And Distribution Among Plant Parts Of Representative Soybean Cultivars From Different Maturity Groups, Md. Rasel Parvej

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The potassium (K) requirement of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] was investigated to determine whether cultivar sensitivity to K deficiency was affected by growth habit (determinate or indeterminate) and how cultivars from each growth habit accumulate and distribute K among plant structures. We also diagnosed K deficiency across reproductive growth stages (R2-6) using trifoliolate leaf- and petiole-K concentrations and at harvest (R8) using seed-K concentration. Soybean responded similarly to K deficiency in terms of yield, selected yield components, and seed-K concentration, regardless of growth habit. The yield loss from K deficiency was greatest on the middle to upper nodes of …

Extraction, Purification And Characterization Of A Pure Peptide From Soybean To Demonstrate Anti-Proliferation Activity On Human Cancer Cells And Test The Ability Of Soy Peptide Fractions In Reducing The Activity Of Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme, Srinivas Jairam Rayaprolu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Proteins are of major interest for nutritional value, functionality and sensory characteristics in foods, and biological activity as health-promoting ingredients. A large number of potential biological activities are encrypted within the primary structures of animal and plant proteins. This research has been based on utilizing a legume by-product, soybean meal, to obtain value-added protein products. Forty four Arkansas grown soybean lines were subjected to analysis for protein and amino acid (profile) content to select lines that have high protein attributes. Three soybean lines, R95-1705 (high yielding, non-transgenic and high protein), N98-445A and S03-543CR (bred for high oleic acid - monounsaturated …

Systematics Of Testudacarine Torrent Mites (Parasitengona: Torrenticolidae), Joseph Charles O'Neill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Thirteen new species of Testudacarus (Torrenticolidae: Testudacarinae) are described, four species are redescribed, and the status of previously problematic species are addressed. For Testudacarinae this represents the first published: 1) descriptions from multiple specimens (therefore providing ranges); 2) colored photographs; 3) explicit illustrations and discussion of sexual dimorphism within the subfamily; 4) genetic data. A comprehensive literature review is also included.

Leptin Regulates The Expression Of Autophagy-Related Genes In Chickens, Peter Olawale Ishola

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Autophagy or cellular self-digestion, a lysosomal degradation pathway that is conserved from yeast to human, plays a key role in recycling cellular constituents, including damaged organelles. It also plays a pivotal role in the adaptation of cells to a plethora of distinct stressors including starvation. Autophagy has been extensively studied in mammals and yeast, but little is known in avian species. Thus, the major objective of the present study was to determine the effects of leptin on autophagy-related genes in chicken hypothalamus, muscle and liver. Leptin is an adipocytokine that is mostly produced by white adipose cells in mammals (as …

Stink Bugs: Spatial Distribution, Pecan Phenological Susceptibility And Sampling Program, Brian Cowell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An effective management program for stink bugs (SBs) in pecan groves requires knowledge of: stages of the pecans susceptible to SB damage; strata of the tree with SB damaged nuts; a practical SB monitoring method; and, effects of landscapes contributing SBs into pecan groves.

Stink bugs produced feeding punctures in pecan shucks at all phenological stages. Pecans punctured before the dough stage drop from the tree. Kernel damage occurs in the pecans’ dough stage, whereas mature pecans are not damaged.

The pecans collected from the whole tree using the tree shaker had significantly less punctures than the pecans collected from …

Impacts Of Feedstock And Parboiling Conditions On Quality Characteristics Of Parboiled Rice, Kanokporn Leethanapanich

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parboiling involves soaking, steaming, and drying, and is known to improve head rice yield (HRY), remove chalkiness, and retain nutrients. Because of an increasing number of rice cultivars developed, commingling of rice may happen during harvesting, distributing, or storage. Using commingled rice with a wide range of gelatinization temperatures (To) as a feedstock may cause inconsistent parboiled rice products. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the effect of soaking temperature and steaming duration on the quality of parboiled, commingled rice. Rough rice samples of individual or commingled rice cultivars with different To ranges were soaked at different temperatures (25, …

Validation Of Soil-Test-Based Phosphorus And Potassium Fertilizer Recommendations For Rice And Soybean, Matthew Scott Fryer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The science of soil-testing for nutrient management and fertilizer recommendations is widely accepted among scientists and agronomists. Although this science is unsurpassed in predicting soil nutrient availability, soil-test interpretations are seldom validated. Major research objectives for irrigated soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and direct-seeded, delayed-flood rice (Oryza sativa L.) were to: i) validate the accuracy of Mehlich-3 soil-test P (STP) and K (STK) interpretations and ii) published critical tissue-P and -K interpretations in predicting the yield response to fertilizer at different significance levels (p≤0.05 to 0.25), iii) examine how seed nutrient concentrations are influenced by fertilization and crop response to …

Composition Of Four Selected Arkansas-Grown Non-Gmo Soybean Cultivars And The Development Of High Protein Beverage Using A Selected Soybean Protein Hydrolysate, Quyen Tran Phuong Nguyen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Protein beverages made with non-genetically modified (non-GM) ingredients have been in demand due to the increasing consumers’ interest in healthy eating habit. Beverages formulated with non-GM soy protein are rare in the United States market since 93% soybeans planted in U.S (2013) are labeled as GM. This study aimed to develop protein hydrolysate beverages using one cultivar among the four Arkansas grown non-GM soybean cultivars including Osage, R95-1705, R08-4004 and R05-4969. R08-4004 was selected since it had the highest amounts of the three branched amino acids including Phenylalanine (51.4 mg/g), Leucine (74.9 mg/g), and Isoleucine (49.7 mg/g) with lowest amount …

A Descriptive Case Study Of Individuals With Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome Utilizing A Facebook Support Group, Lisa Aimee Thompson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the experiences of people diagnosed with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome as they participate in an online peer-support group on Facebook. This is a descriptive case study of factors related to adjustment, treatment, emotional distress, access to services, and online peer support. Participants were interviewed and observed, and documents were collected to describe this phenomenon.

Broiler Breeder Mating Behavior And The Effects Of Pre-Incubation Embryo Integrity Modifications On Broiler Performance, Emily Kathryn Lhamon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern broiler breeders have been observed displaying significantly less mating behaviors than their ancestral fowl. Effective mating behavior translates into fertile hatching eggs that ultimately become broilers processed for market. The poultry industry has made significant changes in genetics, environment, housing, and diets of commercial poultry. However, there are some concessions made in genetic selection and streamlined management to produce larger, fast-growing, efficient birds. Aggression in broiler breeder males is believed to be a sign of high fertility. However, highly aggressive males pose a threat to the welfare of their flock mates, and may also impede frequency of mating and …

Responses Of Two Strains Of Broilers To Diets Varying In Essential Amino Acid Density And Energy Levels, Tyler James Clark

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The responses of two different commercial strains of broilers to diets varying in overall amino acid levels and metabolizable energy levels were observed. Amino acid levels used were 80%, 90%, 100%, 110%, 120%, and 130% of Ross recommended minimum digestable levels of essential amino acids. Energy levels used were either below or above Ross recommended metabolizable energy levels. Diets were fed for 56 days. The two strains were a fast growing broiler strain and a slower growing broiler strain. A selection of birds from each pen was processed at 35, 43, and 56 days of age. Average body weights, cumulative …

The Validity Of Urine Color Self-Assessment As An Index Of Hydration In Males, Daniel Layne Nixon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While water intake is so important, there are few practical hydration assessment techniques for the general population to use on a daily basis. The present study examined the accuracy of self-assessed urine color (Ucol) as a potential hydration assessment tool. Male college aged subjects provided a urine sample into a custom built urinal (n=76; 1.79±0.76 m, 83.9±16.0 kg). The urinal contained a picture of the 1-8 color scale and a light and dark urine color scale. Subjects were asked to give their urine color estimation as a whole number integer and to estimate if their urine was light or dark. …

Portion Size Communication By Means Of Package Design, Tami J. Strickland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study assessed consumers’ current methods of determining portion sizing of chicken products and examined their perceptions of how effectively three package designs communicate portion size. Everett M. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations (DI) Theory analyzes the characteristics of the consumer of the innovation (adopter) and the impact these characteristics have on adopting new innovations. The innovation in this study will be the prototype packaging. Focusing on Rogers’ adopter characteristics and defined proprietary consumer segmentation characteristics, this study will be pivotal for future package design projects targeting nutrition education.

Focus group questions were scrutinized through a pilot study and revised …

A Regional Approach To Analysis Of Food Security Framework And Policies Of The Economic Community Of West African States (Ecowas), Hannah Elizabeth Shear

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food security is always a concern for consumers, but especially for those in West Africa, where the population of food insecure people has continued to grow over the past decade despite attempts by initiatives such as the World Food Program and the establishment of Millennium Development Goals. The people of West Africa are subject to repetitive natural disasters and are often in political upheaval. Many economic policies have been established to mitigate the impact that production disasters have on the consumers; one of these policies is the utilization of regional food reserves.

In 2010, the Economic Community of West African …

Analysis Of Ac/Ds Activation Tagged Mutants In Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum), Ipeleng Randome

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a crop of immense economic and nutritional importance worldwide and also a good model organism for genomic studies of other dicot species. The recent completion of the tomato genome sequence is a great milestone towards learning about the tomato genome. Elucidation of the function of the different genes using different functional genomic tools is therefore important in adding to this resource. To this end, we have developed an Ac-Ds transposon ‘activation tagging’ (ATag) system to be able to transpose transposon inserts, bearing a strong 35S-enhancer element, all around the genome. An Ac-Ds ATag construct was used …

Modifying A Cow-Calf Biophysical Simulation Model For Analyses Of Alternative Enterprises, Jennifer L. Lutes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cow-calf producers in the United States, tasked with providing beef calves for the beef industry, have had a multitude of difficulties to overcome in recent years. Producers in northwest Arkansas were negatively impacted by high hay prices coupled with low beef cattle market prices due to severe drought experienced in portions of 2010, 2011, and 2012. During this time they also faced high grain prices, due to a record low harvest, combined with portions of the corn harvest diverted from human and animal feed to ethanol production. Tight lending policies of this time, reminiscent of the housing market crash in …

Optimizing A Luciferase-Based Tool For Studying The Effects Of Fatty Acid Desaturase 7 On Singlet Oxygen Accumulation In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Abeer Muhammedali Alnasrawi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In plants, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated as a byproduct of normal metabolism, as well as in response to adverse conditions such as light stress, extreme temperatures, and exposure to pests and pathogens. Singlet oxygen (1O2) is a ROS that is formed during photosynthesis in photosystem II (PSII) of the chloroplasts. Levels of 1O2 and other ROS are tightly controlled in healthy plants, but some studies suggest that levels of fatty acid desaturase (FAD) activity in Arabidopsis thaliana can influence constitutive and/or stress-responsive ROS accumulation. In this study, a luciferase-based reporter gene that is selectively stimulated by 1O2 (AAA-ATPase: …

Investigations Into The Cross-Infectivity Of Nematode Parasites Of Cattle And Sheep, Eva Marie Wray

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The existence of anthelmintic resistance is not singular in parasite species, host species or geographic region. It has become a problem of worldly stature, especially when considering sheep nematodes. Recommendations have been modified from chemical-based control to multipart, managerial intervention. Compared with nematodes of cattle, the worldwide resistance of sheep nematodes to anthelmintic remedies is much more pronounced and urgent. As the resistance to essentially all anthelmintic classes approaches a cautionary level, the implementation of non-chemical controls has grown increasingly essential. Six-6 to 8 month old Holstein steer calves, six-5 month old Katahdin ram lambs and eight-5 month old Suffolk …

Calorimetry And Body Composition Research In Broilers And Broiler Breeders, Justina Victoria Caldas Cueva

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Indirect calorimetry to study heat production (HP) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) for body composition (BC) are powerful techniques to study the dynamics of energy and protein utilization in poultry. The first two chapters present the BC (dry matter, lean, protein, and fat, bone mineral, calcium and phosphorus) of modern broilers from 1 – 60 d of age analyzed by chemical analysis and DEXA. DEXA has been validated for precision, standardized for position, and equations and validations developed for chickens under two different feeding levels. These equations are unique to the machine and software in use. Research in broilers …