Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Drought-Resistant Plants For Beneficial Insect Attraction, Benjamin Gluck

Master's Theses

Beneficial insects, such as natural enemies and pollinators, provide billions of dollars of ecological services to agricultural operations. However, as the climate changes, Connecticut is projected to have longer periods of drought. This could negatively impact the availability of flowering plants, and the beneficial insects who rely on their floral resources.

This research focuses on the diversity of insect visitors to five species of drought-resistant plants at the Plant Science Research and Educational facility. Over the two-year study the visitation frequency of pollinators and beneficial insects on the plants was observed, insect samples were collected for further identification. Agastache foeniculum …

The Energetic Cost Of Anthropogenic Disturbance On The Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis), Heather Elizabeth Barrett

Master's Theses

With increased human populations and tourism in coastal areas, there is greater potential for disturbance of marine wildlife. Having high metabolic rates, sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) are at risk of increased energetic costs due to disturbance. To investigate these effects, sea otter activity in response to potential disturbance stimuli was recorded over three years, at three California locations: Monterey, Moss Landing, and Morro Bay. A hidden Markov Model was developed to examine how activity varies as a function of location, group size, pup to adult ratio, kelp canopy, and occurrence of and proximity to disturbance stimuli. Results were combined …

Children's Books As Cultural Products: A Qualitative Study Of Cultural Representation In Hmong And Non-Hmong American Books, Malina Her

Master's Theses

This study examined the type of cultural practices and values depicted within Hmong American children’s books in comparison to non-Hmong American children’s books from the United States. The purpose was to explore if prior Hmong traditional practices and values reflective of American individualism would extend to Hmong children’s books. Thirty best-seller children’s books were coded using two checklists, one focused on Hmong traditional practices and the other on American values. Results showed that Hmong traditional practices underscored by Hmong adolescents in prior research somewhat extended to Hmong children’s books. Moreover, in some respects Hmong children’s books displayed similar numbers of …

Does Place Matter? Food Insecurity, Perceptions Of Neighborhood Walkability, And Acculturation As Predictors Of Treatment Outcome In An Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Study, Nana Yaa Marfo

Master's Theses

BACKGROUND: Though cross-sectional studies have established a relationship between environmental factors and weight status, few have looked at how these environmental factors influence response to obesity intervention in adults or children. This study explored the impact food insecurity, neighborhood walkability, and acculturation may have had on the outcomes of an obesity prevention study for low-income, Black and Latinx preschool-aged children.

METHODS: Prior to the start of the primary care-based intervention program (Cloutier et al., 2015), caregivers (n=203) completed measures assessing their household’s food insecurity, their perceptions of their neighborhoods’ walkability, and for Latinx participants, levels of acculturation. Baseline responses were …

A Feasible And Tailored Nutrition Education Intervention For Middle-Schoolers: Coordination With School Nutrition Program And Preliminary Outcomes., Heidi Karner

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Relationships On Youth Developmental Outcomes In A Sport-Based Setting, Khalil Griffith

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of A Novel Mobile-Friendly Nutrition Education Intervention On Dietary Patterns Among Calfresh Applicants, Kelly Brookshire Condron

Master's Theses

Background: College students experience food insecurity at a rate 3.5 times higher than the U.S. general population, affecting 43% of students. Furthermore, college students consume high amounts of ultra-processed products. NOVA, a food classification system, takes into account food processing and is thought to better fit the modern food environment.

Purpose: The purpose of this research project was to examine the impact of CalFresh enrollment on food security status. This study also evaluated the impact of two different nutrition education interventions (MyPlate and MyPlate+NOVA) on participants’ dietary habits and nutrition knowledge.

Methods: Food security, dietary habits, and nutrition knowledge were …

Diet Quality And Micronutrient Intake In Long-Term Weight Loss Maintainers, Rebecca W. Pascual

Master's Theses

Objective: This study’s purpose was to examine dietary quality, macronutrient intake, and micronutrient adequacy among long term weight loss maintainers (WLM) in a commercial weight management program.

Methods: Participants were 1,207 WLM in WW (formerly Weight Watchers) who had maintained a 9.1 kg or greater weight loss (29.7 kg on average) for 3.4 years, and had an average BMI of 28.3 kg/m². A control group of weight stable adults with obesity (Controls; N=102) had a BMI of 41.1 kg/m² and 2.3 kg or less weight change over the previous five years.

Results: WLM vs. …

Evaluation Of Chilling Efficiency, Meat Tenderness, And Microbial Analysis Of Broiler Carcasses Using Sub-Zero Saline Solutions, Samira Viliani

Master's Theses

The poultry industry is seeking an advanced chilling system that can improve chilling efficiency, microbial safety, and water consumption without compromising meat quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sub-zero saline chilling methods on chilling efficiency, breast fillet tenderness and microbial reduction of broiler carcasses. Following evisceration and rinsing, broiler carcasses were randomly assigned to one of three chilling solutions: 1) 0% salt or ice water control (0% NaCl/0.5^oC), 2) 3% salt (3% NaCl/-1.8^oC), and 3) 4% salt (4% NaCl/-2.41^oC) solutions. Broiler carcasses in sub-zero saline solutions reached the …

Identification Of Factors That Influence The Cell Density Dependent Growth Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Archana Palakkal Meethil

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Community Attitudes Toward Complementary, Alternative And Integrative Medicine In North Hartford, Connecticut, Andria Matthews

Master's Theses

Background: This study explores the attitudes of residents of North Hartford, CT toward Complementary, Alternative and Integrative Medicine. Methods: Twenty-five semi-structured, 10-15 minute in-person interviews were conducted at five sites over a two-week period in March 2019. Results: Few respondents were familiar with the term “Integrative Medicine.” Familiarity with modalities such as massage was higher (92%). Massage therapy was most often tried in the past (56%). Meditation and relaxation and yoga were the most frequently requested offerings. Cost, transportation, time of day and day of week, all emerged as potential barriers to participation. Pain-related complaints were prevalent amongst respondents. Conclusions: …

An Examination Of Whether Perceived Stress Mediates The Effects Of Income On Engagement And Weight Loss Loss Outcomes In An Online Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention, Kristen Volz

Master's Theses

Individuals with lower income have higher rates of obesity and are underrepresented in weight loss treatment. Moreover, when individuals with lower income do enroll in face-to-face interventions, their adherence and weight loss outcomes are worse due to known treatment barriers, including unreliable transportation, lack of childcare, and scheduling constraints associated with multiple jobs and unconventional work hours. Because online interventions are asynchronous and can be accessed any time of day, they hold significant promise for reducing treatment barriers and improving adherence and weight loss outcomes in lower income populations. However, one drawback of online interventions is that they are self-directed, …

Comparison Of Gait Kinematic And Temporospatial Measures Between Lock And Pin And A New Vacuum Suspension System In Transtibial Amputees, Vanessa A. Kellems

Master's Theses

Walking in healthy populations has been characterized by symmetrical gait patterns and used to determine variability within pathological populations. Gait patterns of individuals with transtibial amputation are commonly asymmetrical due to the inability to completely replicate the physiological ankle with prosthetics; thus, contributing to inter-limb asymmetries. Currently, only a few studies have reported the effects of suspension systems on gait mechanics. In this study, functional differences between lock and pin (PIN) and a newly developed internal vacuum suspension system (Smart PUCKTM) (PUCK) during overground and treadmill walking were evaluated in five transtibial amputees. Statistically, no differences were found between groups …

Effects Of Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation On Cytochrome C And Caspase-9 Expression In Skeletal Muscles From Doxorubicin Treated Rats, Yeon Hee Kim

Master's Theses

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective chemotherapeutic drug for many types of cancer. However, the deleterious effect of DOX is also observed in heart and skeletal muscles. Doxorubicin-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria causes muscle dysfunction and atrophy leading to the release of cytochrome c (cyt c) and activation of caspase-9 (casp-9) which cause apoptosis, a programmed cell death in skeletal muscles. Previous studies have proposed that creatine (Cr) possesses antioxidant capacity by reducing ROS in oxidative environment. Creatine supplements have shown to reduce mitochondrial ROS production and decrease apoptotic enzyme activities in oxidative skeletal muscles; however, Cr’s effects on …

Effects Of Creatine Supplementation And Doxorubicin Treatment Of Myostatin And Muscle Ring-Finger Protein-1 Expression In The Rat Diaphragm, Addison M. Shepard

Master's Theses

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly potent chemotherapy drug that impacts the entire body rather than a targeted treatment area. While DOX treatment assists in the disruption and prevention of certain types of cancer growth, it damages many physiological processes in the body that were functioning normally and otherwise healthy prior to its administration. Damage induced by DOX on organ functioning can lead to other malignancies in the body, such as cachexia, cardiotoxicity, and myotoxicity, among others. Skeletal muscle relies on myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), transcription factors expressed by satellite cells, for positive regulation of phases of muscle development and response …

Influence Of Varying Inorganic Nutrients Supply On Ergosterol And Glucosamine Concentrations And Biomass Nutrient Stoichiometry In Ectomycorrhizal Fungi, Stephanie S. Koury

Master's Theses

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are critical for the health of forest ecosystems where they can sequester large amounts of carbon in the form of soil organic matter, a matter of growing interest due to anthropogenic climate change. A clear understanding of their growth dynamics and responses to environmental changes is imperative for future work in forest management and the possible mitigation of increased atmospheric CO₂. Six ECM fungal species were grown in liquid culture under varying nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and ratios to assess how exogenous nutrient supplies affect fungal biomass stoichiometry and the degree of elemental homeostasis. Additional …

The Effects Of Combined Curcumin Supplementation And High Intensity Interval Training On Time Trial Performance In Moderately Active Individuals, Nora Jacqueline Johnston

Master's Theses

Individuals who participate in intensified training programs such as high intensity interval training (HIIT), are at risk for an uncontrolled inflammatory response, which may hinder the body’s recovery process. Curcumin is the most recognized compound in turmeric and has a distinctive yellow color. Curcumin has many medicinal actions and is most well-known for its anti-inflammatory activities. More recently, curcumin has emerged as an agent that can potentially optimize performance during intense exercise and may also attenuate pain and muscle soreness. Additionally, curcumin has been linked to improvements in mental health status such as reductions in depression and anxiety. PURPOSE: The …

The Effects Of Fish Meal Supplementation On Gene Expression In The Bovine Corpus Luteum Following Low Dose Administration Of Prostaglandin F2a, Jessica Claire Cedillo

Master's Theses

The corpus luteum is a transient endocrine gland that develops from the remnants of the ovulatory follicle and secretes the steroid hormone progesterone. Progesterone is essential in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in all mammalian species. In the non-pregnant bovine, uterine prostaglandin F2α is secreted in a series of pulses between days 15 and 17 after ovulation, allowing the corpus luteum to undergo functional and structural regression and an opportunity for mating. During early pregnancy, trophoblastic cells of the developing embryonic placenta secrete interferon-tau, which attenuates uterine prostaglandin F2α secretion allowing for maintenance of the corpus luteum during the …

Children's Acceptability Of Vegetables: The Relationship Between Food Neophobia, Vegetable Neophobia, Picky Eating, Bitter Sensitivity, And Mouth Behavior, Tara Lynn Egigian

Master's Theses

Although vegetables provide many beneficial nutrients and have been shown to help reduce the risk of dietary related chronic diseases, children in the United States are not meeting the national recommendations of vegetable servings. The overall goal of this research was to study the relationship between children’s vegetable acceptance and the following children’s characteristics: food neophobia (FN), vegetable neophobia (VN), picky eating (PE), 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) sensitivity, Mouth Behavior (MB). The specific objectives were to: (1) develop a novel method for evaluating children’s MB, (2) assess the FN, VN, PE, PROP sensitivity, and MB levels in children in San Luis Obispo …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of 2-Arachidonoyl Glycerol, Shawn Alan Bydalek

Master's Theses

Cannabinoids are a structurally diverse class of compounds that act as ligands at the cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, through which the majority of the physiological effects of these compounds are mediated. Endocannabinoids (endogenous cannabinoids) are a subset of the cannabinoid family and include 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoyl ethanolamide, and like most cannabinoids, these compounds have been shown to have anti-neoplastic effects on various cancer lines. The synthesis of 2-AG from dihydroxyacetone was selected as a research goal to try to improve yield over older published synthetic methods, to keep 2-AG in a protected form to avoid isomerization and …

Comparison Of Socket Suspension Systems During Stair Ascent In Individuals With Transtibial Amputees, Gabrielle Marie Rentuma

Master's Theses

Socket suspension systems have an important role in an amputee’s ability to perform activities of daily living. There are three common modes of suspension used to attach the prosthetic foot to the residual limb including lock and pin (PIN), suction, and vacuum suspension systems. A new vacuum suspension system has been developed, the PUCK, which has a vacuum system internal to the socket and maintains pressure throughout the residual limb. Previous literature has focused on the role of suspension during over-ground walking but few have examined the effects during a more difficult task such as stair ascent. The purpose of …

Acute Cardiovascular Response To Low-Load Unilateral, Bilateral, And Alternating Resistance Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction In The Lower Body, Daphney Stanford

Master's Theses

Resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) has been suggested to exaggerate the exercise pressor response over traditional non-BFR exercise. While applying BFR relative to an individual’s arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) and exercising at low-loads seems to produce a comparable cardiovascular response to traditional moderate or high-load training, it is beneficial to identify modifications for reducing the cardiovascular response to BFR exercise. PURPOSE: To determine if unilateral (UNI), bilateral (BI), or alternating (ALT) exercise modalities elicit different cardiovascular responses during BFR exercise. METHODS: 18 participants (13 male and 5 female) performed four sets of UNI, BI, and ALT knee-extensions at …

What's Cookin'?: An Analysis Of Food As A Method Of Control In The Penal System, Zoe Livengood

Master's Theses

According to Garland (2001), the U.S. correctional system is a reflection of the culture of control that exists in American society. One way the correctional system exerts control is through food. This concept partnered with Foucault’s ideas about the evolution of punishment and the criminal justice system as an institution creates the theoretical foundation for food as a method of control in the correctional system.

Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, this study examined food as a method of control in three southern Mississippi jails in order to understand how food is a contested space for control between jail staff and …

Nutrition, Physical Activity, And Screen Time -Related Attitudes And Perceived Barriers Of Family Childcare Providers And Differences By Ethnicity, Qianxia Jiang

Master's Theses

Background:Childcare settings play an important role in shaping young children’s eating, physical activity (PA), and screen time (ST) behaviors. However, little research has focused on family childcare homes (FCCHs). This paper examines family child care provider (FCCP)-reported attitudes and perceived barriers related to nutrition, PA, and ST of preschool aged children in their FCCH, exploring differences by provider ethnicity.

Methods:We used baseline data from an ongoing cluster-randomized trial including surveys with FCCPs. We examined demographic characteristics and provider-reported nutrition, PA, and ST-related attitudes and barriers. Differences by ethnicity were assessed using chi square and multivariate loglinear analysis adjusting …

The Development Of An Online Survey And Screening Tool To Assess Toddler Feeding Behaviors In A Low-Income Connecticut Community, Lindsay Fenn

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Road Deicing Salt Effects On The Function And Structure Of Forested Wetlands In Southern New England, Samantha Walker

Master's Theses

Forested wetlands are ubiquitous throughout New England providing critical ecosystem services however; road deicing salt use (NaCl) threaten their ecosystem structure and function. To investigate impacts, we employed a seed bank study and a multi-site field survey of forested wetlands. We collected soils and conducted a full factorial seed bank experiment to test how road salt concentration (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 ppt), frequency of salt exposure (pulse, constant) and water level (surface, 2 cm below surface) affected seedling responses. We identified a salinity threshold of 1-4 ppt that reduced seed bank responses. We surveyed nine road-adjacent red maple …

Development Of A Pediatric Model Of Nafld In Neonatal Iberian Pigs, Gabriella Veronica Hernandez, Victoria Alice Smith, Morgan Coffin, Daniel Columbus, Matthew Burd, Kimberly Sprayberry, Mark Edwards, Daniel Peterson, Darin Bennett, Robert Fanter, Christopher Kitts, Michael La Frano, Margaret Rice, Douglas Burrin, Magdalena Maj, Rodrigo Manjarin

Master's Theses

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children has increased over the past decades, creating a need for animal models that recapitulate the features of the pediatric disease. Iberian pigs have a leptin-resistant phenotype characterized by hyperleptinemia, hyperphagia, and extreme adipogenesis. We hypothesized that neonatal Iberian pigs fed a high fat high-fructose (HFF) diet will develop a pattern of liver injury resembling pediatric NAFLD. In addition, we sought to determine if a mixture of probiotics would prevent the disease. Animals were fed 1 of 4 diets containing (g/kg body weight × d) 0 g fructose, 11 g fat …

The Effects Of Agricultural Waste-Based Compost Amendments In Organic Pest Management, Gregg T. Stephenson

Master's Theses

Soil-borne pests and pathogens, such as Verticillium dahliae, can devastate a wide range of annual and perennial crops. Current management options for organic production are limited and sustainable management of pathogens, weeds, and arthropods is important for staying profitable and reducing the use of harmful chemicals. Organic soil amendments play an important role in supplying some of the nutritional needs of vegetable crops and improving soil structure, while also contributing to pest control. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of grape and olive-based composts on soil pathogen load, arthropod communities, and weed biomass and diversity. …

Strawberries And Gut Health In Postmenopausal Women, Morgan T. Macneill

Master's Theses

The gut microbiota has been implicated in both health and disease. As such, diet is a significant determinant of gut health, whereby diet induced dysbiosis is associated with cardiometabolic risk. Interestingly, a higher proportion of Firmicutes and a lower proportion of Bacteroidetes are implicated in obesity. Strawberry polyphenols have been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in addition to exhibiting prebiotic activity by increasing probiotic bacteria in the gut. Polyphenols have also been shown to reduce the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. Therefore, dietary modifications such as strawberry consumption may help improve health outcomes through the gut. The objective of …

Saponin Removal From Quinoa By Abrasion Processing, Luke Lundberg

Master's Theses

Quinoa is coated with a thin layer of saponins, glycosylated triterpenoids, that produce a bitter flavor when consumed. The average saponin content in commercial varietals from Bolivia average around 2.7% saponins and organoleptic testing shows the threshold for noticing a bitter flavor is below 0.12% (Medina-Meza et al., 2016). Current industrial processing methods use a combination of abrasion and turbulent water flow to remove saponin. This study will address the following research question: How will grain-to-grain and grain-to-surface abrasion affect the processing time to remove saponin from quinoa? In particular, can effective saponin removal be achieved in less than 10 …