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Honors Theses

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Family Planning, Pregnancy, And Birth In Guatemala: Maya Women And Modern Healthcare, Kelsay Payton Apr 2015

Family Planning, Pregnancy, And Birth In Guatemala: Maya Women And Modern Healthcare, Kelsay Payton

Honors Theses

Within Maya populations in rural Guatemala, childbearing is considered a sacred and spiritual experience, in addition to a physical one. This country is home to some of the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in Latin America, along with the largest disparities in health care, primarily between the indigenous Maya and ladino women (Schooley 2009). The use of biomedical reproductive services remains surprisingly low among the Maya, while it is continually rising in the ladino populations. To increase the overall reproductive health care in these indigenous communities, attention must be given to the understanding of Maya’s beliefs, therefore enabling …

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Outline Plan For A Student-Involved Fitness Assessment Program At Western Michigan University, Joanna Gangwisch Apr 2015

Outline Plan For A Student-Involved Fitness Assessment Program At Western Michigan University, Joanna Gangwisch

Honors Theses

This research was aimed at developing a fitness assessment program that would provide undergraduate exercise science students at Western Michigan University (WMU) with hands on experience that would successfully prepare them for their internships and future careers as well as benefiting the campus community at large. Data for this research was obtained by examining the student recreation center websites and sending out an email/phone questionnaire to WMU’s 10 peer institutions. Direct comparisons were made and evaluated. On the basis of the results of this research, it can be concluded that WMU’s exercise science department and student recreation center together could …

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Fueling Performance: Determining The Efficacy Of Low-Carbohydrate Diet Models For Athletic Populations, Chelsea Jackle Apr 2015

Fueling Performance: Determining The Efficacy Of Low-Carbohydrate Diet Models For Athletic Populations, Chelsea Jackle

Honors Theses

Advocates of low-carbohydrate (LC) diets assert that these diets help lessen dependence on sugar while aiding in the metabolism of fat tissue. Additionally, it is believed that lipolysis helps dieters feel more energetic, lose weight, and improve physical performance. For these reasons, many athletes and active people are drawn to diets such as the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Paleo Diet, and the Zone Diet. According to current evidence, excessive weight loss, ketosis, reduced glycogen availability, dehydration, and increased stress hormone levels make LC diets that severely limit carbohydrates disadvantageous for athletes. Although LC diets are widely followed, …

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The Elements Of Healing And Wellness Post Diagnosis Of Cancer: A Review Of The Literature And A Personal Account, Tiffany Bystra Apr 2015

The Elements Of Healing And Wellness Post Diagnosis Of Cancer: A Review Of The Literature And A Personal Account, Tiffany Bystra

Honors Theses

Being diagnosed with cancer is an earth-shaking experience that can break even the most strong and stable of individuals. Thoughts of uncertainty and anxiety are commonly experienced for those having been diagnosed, and when one’s health is compromised, nothing else seems to matter except becoming healthy and well again. This honors thesis deeply investigates my personal experiences being a recent cancer survivor in conjunction with reviewing the research and literature to investigate how one can promote their healing and wellness through holistic means despite going through medical treatments that are physically, emotionally, and spiritually taxing on every level. A thorough …

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Technology And Nutrition: Interactive Strategies For Children To Learn Nutrition, Nicole Bogden Apr 2015

Technology And Nutrition: Interactive Strategies For Children To Learn Nutrition, Nicole Bogden

Honors Theses

This manuscript aims to describe nutritional requirements and needs for children and how technology is being used to improve nutritional knowledge among them. Several technologies and applications are explored, and recommendations are given for ways to improve. Four interactive nutrition games for children are examined: two computer games and two mobile applications. Through revision of performance, nutrition content, attraction, design and attention capabilities, HealthyHeroes was chosen to be the best game for children to learn and have fun with the subject of nutrition.

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Integration Of Resistant Starch In Homemade Pasta, Anja Grommons Apr 2015

Integration Of Resistant Starch In Homemade Pasta, Anja Grommons

Honors Theses

In response to raised consumer awareness of health and well-being many manufacturers are transforming popular food items into functional foods with higher nutritional value. Typical pasta recipes consist of all purpose (AP) flour and/ or semolina flour which contain minimal nutritional value. Resistant Starch (RS) contains a high fiber profile accompanied by many physiological benefits. This study investigated the effect of partial substitution of RS for semolina and AP flours on functional, nutritional, and sensory properties of handmade pasta. RS was substituted for semolina and AP flours at levels of 20% and 30% substitution. As the amount of RS in …

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Removing Aflatoxin M1 From Milk Using Activated Carbon And Its Effects On Protein Concentration, Kaylin Chaney Apr 2015

Removing Aflatoxin M1 From Milk Using Activated Carbon And Its Effects On Protein Concentration, Kaylin Chaney

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

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Kinetic Characterization Of B-Carotene In N-Hexane At Various Oxygen Concentrations, Katelyn Mary Arnold Apr 2015

Kinetic Characterization Of B-Carotene In N-Hexane At Various Oxygen Concentrations, Katelyn Mary Arnold

Honors Theses

We have characterized the photo – degradation of ẞC in oxygenated and deoxygenated n–hexane solvent and in the solid phase using broadband (BB; λ ≥ 200 nm) and 313 nm filtered output of a 100 W Hg Arc lamp. Oxygen concentrations of 0, 10, 20, and 100% were used in the solution phase studies. ẞC(s) did not photo – degrade upon exposure to BB light under air atmospheres; the mass and appearance of the samples, TLC chromatograms, and the absorption spectra were all identical pre- and post-irradiation. In the solution phase, the order of the photo – degradation with respect …

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Horses: How Saddle Style Defines A Culture And The Skeletal System, Brandy Morgan Mar 2015

Horses: How Saddle Style Defines A Culture And The Skeletal System, Brandy Morgan

Honors Theses

This paper examines the way in which various parameters affect injury type and prevalence in horse eventing. The human-horse relationship has a long history that has continued to evolve, and their relationship is still strong today, especially in the role of sports and entertainment. In equestrian sports, horseback riding has been found to be extremely dangerous in terms of prevalence and severity of injury. This paper evaluates how saddle style, the sex of the rider, rider experience, and nature of event impacts injury patterns specifically within horse eventing which utilizes an English styled saddle.

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Investigations On The Involvement Of Dopamine In The Gustatory Responses Of The Fruit Fly, Drosophila Melanogaster, Emily Anne Ousterhout Mar 2015

Investigations On The Involvement Of Dopamine In The Gustatory Responses Of The Fruit Fly, Drosophila Melanogaster, Emily Anne Ousterhout

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

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School Gardens: Cultivating A Child’S Nutritional Habits, Environmental Knowledge, And Sustainability Practices, Jeffrey Meltzer Jan 2015

School Gardens: Cultivating A Child’S Nutritional Habits, Environmental Knowledge, And Sustainability Practices, Jeffrey Meltzer

Honors Theses

School gardens have existed since the late nineteenth century and today are becoming increasingly popular in many parts of the world, including where I studied in Maine and Australia (AUS). Multiple organizations support school gardens in Maine, including the Maine School Garden Network, which has over 125 registered school gardens. In AUS, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation primarily supports the school garden movement and has over 800 registered school gardens. While many researchers have studied school gardens, few have compared two countries, focused on environmental sustainability, or investigated Maine in particular. This thesis combines information from literature reviews, and …

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The Growing Crisis In Maine: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Olivia Avidan Jan 2015

The Growing Crisis In Maine: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Olivia Avidan

Honors Theses

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a Maine epidemic. In addition to having medical repercussions, NAS is intrinsically linked to social, political and economic factors. NAS is a conglomeration of symptoms, short-term and long-term, that affect a child that has been exposed to opioids in utero. These factors that impact NAS are interdependent. The past decade is characterized by a dramatic rise in NAS cases in Maine. This paper explores the social, political and economic landscape surrounding NAS in an effort to describe fully the syndrome’s effect on both individuals and the community as a whole.

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The Effects Of Political Culture On The Administrative Functions Of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants And Children, Catherine A. Pena Jan 2015

The Effects Of Political Culture On The Administrative Functions Of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants And Children, Catherine A. Pena

Honors Theses

This thesis examines The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in three different regions that have different political cultures to better understand the influence of political culture on the administrative functions and characteristics of the WIC Program. The WIC Program provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk. To explore the role of political cultures' effects on the administrative functions of the WIC Program, this thesis will use …

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Producer Perspectives: Local Food System Development In The Global South, Jillian Cowart Jan 2015

Producer Perspectives: Local Food System Development In The Global South, Jillian Cowart

Honors Theses

Local food systems can be used to promote more equitable and sustainable development in communities internationally, but farmers often face challenges in further developing and promoting the systems in which they participate. Through this comparative study of producers involved in two local food systems in the global south — Sokone, Senegal and Cleveland, Mississippi — farmers were interviewed to determine what challenges and opportunities they face in regard to this area of development. In addition to observations of the two communities' farmers markets, intensive interviews were conducted with ten farmers in Sokone and nine farmers in Cleveland. Qualitative data were …

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Exploration Of Cannabinoid And Opioid Agents From Plants Used In Traditional Medicine, John Fitzpatrick Jan 2015

Exploration Of Cannabinoid And Opioid Agents From Plants Used In Traditional Medicine, John Fitzpatrick

Honors Theses

Ten plants, with known medicinal uses, were gathered to study for their possible production of secondary metabolites that act as opioid and cannabinoid agents. All plants were subjected to in vitro bioassays testing for their affinity for the opioid and cannabinoid receptors. Banisteriopsis caapi extracts displayed the greatest affinity for both opioid and cannabinoid receptors. B. caapi extracts underwent column fractionation yielding fractions that were subjected to further in vitro studies. We discovered that the ethanolic extract of this plant (foliage) binds to all three opioid receptors (µ, κ and δ) and cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) with values ranging …

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Feasibility Of Incorporating Electrogastrography Into An Undergraduate Physiology Laboratory Curriculum, Lauren A. Foropoulos Jan 2015

Feasibility Of Incorporating Electrogastrography Into An Undergraduate Physiology Laboratory Curriculum, Lauren A. Foropoulos

Honors Theses

This study aimed to detect the effects of mental stress on gastric motility in college students through the use of cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG). Additionally, the study aimed to determine the feasibility of creating a laboratory curriculum for a cutaneous electrogastrography experiment that an undergraduate could perform, analyze, and interpret during a three hour physiology lab. Through this study and the laboratory procedures designed from the experiment, undergraduates will be able to interpret the physiological aspects of gastrointestinal function within the human body, including how it is effected by mental stress. According to previous studies by Yin et al. (2004) and …

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An Examination Of The Effects Of Psychological Stress And Anxiety On Physical Activity And Physical Fitness, Lydia Makepeace Jan 2015

An Examination Of The Effects Of Psychological Stress And Anxiety On Physical Activity And Physical Fitness, Lydia Makepeace

Honors Theses

In this study multiple measures of psychological stress, anxiety, physical fitness and physical activity were collected from 25 subjects in order to examine the relationships between stress, anxiety and fitness and between stress, anxiety and physical activity levels. It has long been hypothesized that levels of physical activity and physical fitness are moderators of psychological stress (Da Silva, et al., 2012). It has also been suggested that there is a bidirectional relationship between stress and physical activity and fitness levels (Da Silva, et al., 2012). This study intended to consider the ways that psychological stress may influence physical fitness and …

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An Examination Of Microbial Populations In Different Brands And Flavors Of Ice Cream, Madeline Campbell Jan 2015

An Examination Of Microbial Populations In Different Brands And Flavors Of Ice Cream, Madeline Campbell

Honors Theses

Outbreaks of foodborne illness are of concern to many Americans. While pasteurization of ingredients and freezing eliminates most microbiological hazards, ice cream can act as a vehicle for pathogen transmission and be a cause of foodborne disease. This study examined the bacterial content of seven nationally distributed brands of ice cream and one local farmer's market brand. The aims of the study were to (1) determine if there was a higher bacterial content in chocolate and strawberry ice cream compared to vanilla ice cream, potentially because of more ingredients and more opportunities for bacterial contamination in those flavors, and (2) …

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In Vino Veritas: A Comparison Of Organic Winemaking And Attitudes Towards Organic Wine In Four Global Regions, Mary Sloan Merkel Jan 2015

In Vino Veritas: A Comparison Of Organic Winemaking And Attitudes Towards Organic Wine In Four Global Regions, Mary Sloan Merkel

Honors Theses

Organic winemaking is a very high value adding activity for the economy, but the industry has seen different levels of growth throughout the world. It is unclear whether organic winemaking is a viable long-term activity in prominent winemaking regions. This thesis looks at the regulations dealing with organic winemaking and attitudes towards organic wine in four major wine producing areas in the world: the United States, Italy, Argentina, and New Zealand. This thesis uses an extensive literature review of existing studies and papers dealing with organic wine, as well as government regulations and private standards to determine the current practices …

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Muscle Fatigue Resistance Via Energy Drink Consumption — Assessment Of Pre- And Post- Experiment Participant Feedback, Mary Kathleen Robbins Jan 2015

Muscle Fatigue Resistance Via Energy Drink Consumption — Assessment Of Pre- And Post- Experiment Participant Feedback, Mary Kathleen Robbins

Honors Theses

Energy drink consumption poses a health risk among college students, and long-term health implications are unclear. Because energy drinks are classified as dietary supplements, the FDA is not responsible for proving consumption is safe for the consumer. This research project studies the consumption of an energy drink and an energy bean's effect on muscle fatigue using a grip force transducer, subjective perceptions of the participants after consumption across the two trials, and subjects' opinion of energy drinks after the conclusion of the experiment. All subjects, ages 18-24 and regular users of caffeine, were recruited through email at the University of …

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A Global Perspective On Ethical Consumerism: A Study Of Advertisements From Social Enterprises To Identify The Ethical Consumer, Murray Miller Jan 2015

A Global Perspective On Ethical Consumerism: A Study Of Advertisements From Social Enterprises To Identify The Ethical Consumer, Murray Miller

Honors Theses

This paper explores ethical consumerism in the United States and Latin America. I examined ethical consumerism in these two settings by identifying social enterprises from different countries in each setting to identify the ideal ethical consumer. After comparing and contrasting the ethical consumer in each context, I determined that ethical consumerism does exist in Latin America. According to scholarship, a country must be postmaterialist in order for ethical consumerism to exist. Through my research, I concluded that Latin America is postmaterialist, therefore ethical consumerism does exist.

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Soul Food: An Interpretation Of The History, Significance And Southern Roots Of The American Cuisine, Sarah Bracy Penn Jan 2015

Soul Food: An Interpretation Of The History, Significance And Southern Roots Of The American Cuisine, Sarah Bracy Penn

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of stories in which I explored several facets of soul food, the cuisine of the American South. It uses soul food as a prism to view the cuisine's connections to race, politics, economics, class, history and social consequences. Rather than write an academic paper, I presented my findings in a series of articles based on live interviews with food historians, culinary writers, entrepreneurs and chefs. I also examined various books, articles and blogs written by these culinary writers. This is not a comprehensive history of the cuisine, nor does it attempt to take sides with …

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Does This Have Gluten? Comparison Of Gluten-Free And Unrestricted Diets In Intestinal Bacterial Populations And Diversity, Bradshaw Hammond Jan 2015

Does This Have Gluten? Comparison Of Gluten-Free And Unrestricted Diets In Intestinal Bacterial Populations And Diversity, Bradshaw Hammond

Honors Theses

As different diets continue to grow in popularity within the United States, the effect of these diets upon bacteria in the intestines is only beginning to be understood. This study focused on the effect that a shift to a gluten-free diet has on the human gut microbiome. Three genetically close subjects were selected for observation over a six month time period. One subject observed a consistent gluten-free diet. A second subject started on an unrestrictive diet, switched to a gluten-free diet for three months, then returned to an unrestricted diet for an additional three months. The third subject left an …

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Paper-Based Biosensor For Colorimetric Detection Of Psa Biomarker, Alyson Drew Jan 2015

Paper-Based Biosensor For Colorimetric Detection Of Psa Biomarker, Alyson Drew

Honors Theses

Prostate cancer is commonly screened in the bloodstream by detection of excess PSA, prostate-specific antigen which is a protein in the prostate produces in large quantities when cancerous tumors are present. In order to facilitate inexpensive and disposable detection, diagnostic tools have begun to be created out of paper and wax which wick solutions through channels based on their hydrophobicity. George M. Whitesides, who pioneered the majority of this work, designed a paper-based LFD, lateral flow device, effective for detecting liver function which we are modifying to detect PSA. In this paper, we designed an oPAD, origami paper analytical device, …

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Ovulation Synchrony As An Adaptive Response To Egg Cannibalism In A Seabird Colony, Sumiko Weir Jan 2015

Ovulation Synchrony As An Adaptive Response To Egg Cannibalism In A Seabird Colony, Sumiko Weir

Honors Theses

The predominant cause of egg loss in a large Galucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) colony in Washington is cannibalism. Previous work demonstrated the occurrence of every-other-day clutch initiation synchrony in dense areas of the colony during years when cannibalism was most frequent, suggesting that synchrony is an adaptive response to cannibalism. Here we show that (1) the initial egg laid in a nest is more likely to be cannibalized than subsequent eggs, (2) an egg is most likely to be cannibalized within the first 24 hours after it is laid, and (3) the odds that an initial egg is cannibalized within …

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The Behavior Of Glaucous-Winged Gull Egg Cannibals, Ashley A. Reichert Jan 2015

The Behavior Of Glaucous-Winged Gull Egg Cannibals, Ashley A. Reichert

Honors Theses

Cannibalism leads to a variety of behavioral, demographic, and ecological consequences and is influenced by a range of environmental circumstances among numerous taxa. Although multiple studies have linked cannibalism to egg and chick failure in gull populations, few characterizations of gull cannibal behavior and reproductive success exist. During the 2014 breeding season, we observed the territories of 16 Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) and Glaucous-winged x Western Gull (L. glaucescens x occidentalis) egg cannibal specialists on Protection Island, Washington, USA. We also monitored cannibal foraging behavior, relative reproductive success, and colony-wide egg loss. Cannibal specialists employed a variety of foraging and …

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Parent And Administrator Perceptions Of A Parents As Teachers Program (Pat) In Petal, Mississippi, Victoria Roseanne Jones Jan 2015

Parent And Administrator Perceptions Of A Parents As Teachers Program (Pat) In Petal, Mississippi, Victoria Roseanne Jones

Honors Theses

This thesis is about the perceptions of the Parents as Teachers (PAT) Program in Petal, Mississippi. In order to gauge these perceptions, I developed a survey for the parents in the program and a survey for the parent educators (program administrators). The parent surveys were administered during home visits and the administrator surveys at a monthly staff meeting. I used thematic coding to analyze the qualitative data and SPSS for the quantitative data. I found that the administrators had accurate perceptions about the parents' income and marital status, but not their age. The parents and administrators were very satisfied with …

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From Lazarus To Theophilus: How Manuscript Digitization Led To The Historical, Chemical, And Technological Understanding Of Iron Gall Ink And Its Counterparts, Meredith Oliver Jan 2015

From Lazarus To Theophilus: How Manuscript Digitization Led To The Historical, Chemical, And Technological Understanding Of Iron Gall Ink And Its Counterparts, Meredith Oliver

Honors Theses

This paper examines the physical and chemical composition of iron gall ink, how such composition has changed throughout its use in history, and the current chemical, digital, and multi-spectral methods by which the digital humanities use to preserve ancient texts inscribed with such ink. By using spectral technology, I hypothesized it possible to date and locate the geographic origin of ink based on its chemical composition. Uv-vis, fluorescence, and micro-XRF spectrometry were used to analyze elemental composition. Ink samples were made to simulate the ink on ancient manuscripts for UV-vis and fluorescence spectral analysis. Micro-XRF was performed on the Vercelli …

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A Broken System? Prescription Drug Use And Abuse In Fraternity And Sorority Members., Morgan Pollard Jan 2015

A Broken System? Prescription Drug Use And Abuse In Fraternity And Sorority Members., Morgan Pollard

Honors Theses

Although a relationship between Greek affiliation and increased risktaking has been observed in previous research, the relationship between prescription drug abuse and Greek affiliation has not been thoroughly researched. Participants in the current study comprised a sample of 515 University of Mississippi undergraduate students (28.99% male, 71.01% female) recruited via a campus wide survey comprised of a stratified random sample of the university student population. The results of this examination reveal that there is a significant relationship between prescription drug use, all types of drugs as well as stimulants and opiates specifically, and abuse and Greek affiliation.Thissignificant relationship is examined …

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Not Got Milk? The Effect On The Gut Microbiome Of Removing Dairy From The Diet, Patrick Tyler Stovall Jan 2015

Not Got Milk? The Effect On The Gut Microbiome Of Removing Dairy From The Diet, Patrick Tyler Stovall

Honors Theses

The human gut contains a highly diverse set of bacteria that perform a wide range of duties that include much more than just nutrient acquisition. However, the composition of this community is subject to change, with diet, age and lifestyle playing roles in the development and maintenance of the gut microbiota. This study compared the bacterial composition of the human gut when consuming a normal diet versus a dairy-free diet. Samples were taken from a single subject during three periods: 1) control (normal) diet, 2) dairy-free diet, and 3) a return to normal diet. Gut bacterial communities were identified and …

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