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Effect Of Harvest Endpoint On Carcass Composition, Muscle Profiling, And Sensory Characteristics Of Male Boer And Kiko Goats, Christine Marie Leick Apr 2011

Effect Of Harvest Endpoint On Carcass Composition, Muscle Profiling, And Sensory Characteristics Of Male Boer And Kiko Goats, Christine Marie Leick

Theses and Dissertations

With increasing meat goat production in the United States, it is necessary to examine carcass composition and quality parameters of goats at various stages of growth. In this study, intact male Boer and Kiko Goats (n = 48) were harvested after 0, 4, 8, or 12 wk on feed. Increased feeding duration led to increased final live and carcass weight, and increased dressing percent. Leg and shoulder circumferences and body wall thickness increased, but 12th rib fat and Longissimus muscle area did not change across all feeding durations. Percent carcass fat increased and percent bone decreased, but percent muscle did …


Effects Of Porcine Relaxin Hormone On Motility Characteristics Of Boar Spermatozoa During Storage, Juan Camilo Rodríguez Muñoz Apr 2011

Effects Of Porcine Relaxin Hormone On Motility Characteristics Of Boar Spermatozoa During Storage, Juan Camilo Rodríguez Muñoz

Theses and Dissertations

First, a preliminary study was conducted looking for the optimum sperm concentration to be used for analysis with the Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA). Results showed that 75x106 sperm cells/mL is the optimum one. Then, the actions of relaxin on sperm motility were evaluated by determining the effect of relaxin on full motility characteristics of spermatozoa during storage, using CASA; then identifying the relaxin receptors on spermatozoa, and finally establishing actions of relaxin in intraspermatic cAMP content. Motile spermatozoa were selected through percoll gradient and incubated for 1 hour with 4 relaxin concentrations at 37°C, during four days. Relaxin affected sperm …


A Village-Level Economic Evaluation Of The Southwest Poverty Reduction Project, Xiugen Mo Apr 2011

A Village-Level Economic Evaluation Of The Southwest Poverty Reduction Project, Xiugen Mo

Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluates the post-program treatment effects of the Southwest Poverty Reduction Project (SWPRP), a large-scale ($463.55 million) rural development project jointly funded by the World Bank and the Chinese Government from 1995 to 2001. The SWPRP aimed at reducing poverty and increasing living standards for the absolute poor in southwest China. The treatment effects are measured by the changes in 21 indicators at the village level. The dataset for this research includes 327 project villages and 3887 non-project villages in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Rigorous econometric methods are employed to remove selection bias. A probit model is established to …


An Examination Of Family Nutrition Programs Implemented By Mississippi State University Extension Service In Jackson Public Schools, Gabrielle La'dale Bryant Apr 2011

An Examination Of Family Nutrition Programs Implemented By Mississippi State University Extension Service In Jackson Public Schools, Gabrielle La'dale Bryant

Theses and Dissertations

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) includes programs and educational curricula that promote healthy behaviors for people receiving nutrition assistance benefits, or eligible for benefits. This study investigated whether information given to children through SNAP-Ed nutrition education programs implemented in schools was taken home to educate parents. After programs were delivered to students by Mississippi State University Extension Service Nutrition Educators, parents (N=302, response rate=43.1%) of elementary students in eight public schools in Jackson, Mississippi, reported changes they made in their households. These changes included eating more fruits and vegetables or trying different fruits and vegetables, and being more physically …


Welfare-To-Work Transition In The Tanf Era: Evidence From Mississippi, Xuhui Zeng Apr 2011

Welfare-To-Work Transition In The Tanf Era: Evidence From Mississippi, Xuhui Zeng

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines welfare dynamics in Mississippi under the newly created TANF program. Specifically, it examines welfare-to-work transition between 2001 and 2009 and tests several hypotheses regarding individual and contextual characteristics. The data come from multiple sources that include administrative records and publicly available data. Data on TANF transitions come from the Mississippi Department of Human Services. Data on TANF employment come from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. Data on training come from the Mississippi workforce investment system. Information on both neighborhood and labor market characteristics come from the 2000 Census. The findings clearly support the hypothesis that individual …


Influence Of Agronomic Practices In Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) And Soybean (Glycine Max L.) Production In Midsouthern Usa, Kevin Alan Dillon Apr 2011

Influence Of Agronomic Practices In Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) And Soybean (Glycine Max L.) Production In Midsouthern Usa, Kevin Alan Dillon

Theses and Dissertations

Within Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas, rice acreage is rotated with soybean due to both crops’ adaptability to the clay soils of the midsouthern USA. Two row patterns, two maturity groups, and six seeding rates were examined at Stoneville, MS, in 2009-2010, with respect to soybean growth and yield produced on silt loam soil. Optimal yield for MG IV was 333,000 seed ha-1 (297,000 plants ha-1). Twin-row soybean increased seed yield 7 to 10% more than single-row due to greater LAI, NDVI, and node and pod production. Rice field experiments quantified N loss via ammonia volatilization and determined grain …


Evaluation Of L-Carnitine In Ovo Injection Followed By L-Carnitine Feed Supplementation On Broiler Hatching And Growing Characteristics, Michael Ray Dooley Apr 2011

Evaluation Of L-Carnitine In Ovo Injection Followed By L-Carnitine Feed Supplementation On Broiler Hatching And Growing Characteristics, Michael Ray Dooley

Theses and Dissertations

Ross × Ross 708 eggs were injected with commercial diluent containing supplemental L-carnitine at 8, 16, or 32 mg/100 μL concentrations using an automated multi-egg injector. After hatching, 1,080 male and female broiler chicks were distributed into 90 pens with chicks at each of the injected concentrations receiving feed that was or was not supplemented with 50 ppm of L-carnitine. Treatments did not affect incubation time or hatchability of fertilized eggs. Birds fed supplemental L-carnitine and injected in ovo with L-carnitine had lower body weight and ate less feed. The same birds exhibited a reduction in feed conversion compared to …


A Proteomic Approach To Profiling The Pipping Muscle Of The Broiler Embryo, Adebayo Oluwaseun Sokale Apr 2011

A Proteomic Approach To Profiling The Pipping Muscle Of The Broiler Embryo, Adebayo Oluwaseun Sokale

Theses and Dissertations

The Musculus complexus (pipping muscle) plays a primary role in the hatching of the chick from the eggshell at the end of its embryonic life. Various metabolic and cellular changes have been associated with the pipping muscle during development. These studies profiled the pipping muscle at the molecular level by identifying proteins which are associated with the developmental changes. In the first phase of the study, protein expression profile of the Day 13 chicken embryo pipping muscle was obtained using DDF with nano HPLC mass spectrometric analyzer. Identified proteins were categorized based on Gene Ontology. In the second phase, pipping …


The Influence Of Family Structure And Transitions On Parenting, Income, Residential Mobility, And Substance Initiation In Early Adolescence: A Comparison Of Caucasian And African American Youth, Sally Mays Apr 2011

The Influence Of Family Structure And Transitions On Parenting, Income, Residential Mobility, And Substance Initiation In Early Adolescence: A Comparison Of Caucasian And African American Youth, Sally Mays

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of family structure on youth adjustment has received increasing attention as historical trends in single parenting, divorce, remarriage, and cohabitation with partners and extended family members have produced a diverse constellation of structures. African American youth are less likely than Caucasian youth to live in an “intact” family. Links between family structure and a variety of indices of youth adjustment have been established, although a relatively understudied outcome is that of substance initiation, despite its association with dependence and other negative sequelae. The dynamic effect of transitions has additionally been less studied than the static effect of structure. …


Can Interior Design Erase Architecture? The Integration Of A Pet Care Facility Into The Fan, Erin Brunner Apr 2011

Can Interior Design Erase Architecture? The Integration Of A Pet Care Facility Into The Fan, Erin Brunner

Theses and Dissertations

Many urban pet care and boarding facilities tend to rest on the outskirts of the community, in quasi-industrial and commercial areas. Far from the homes of the people who would use their services, the locations of these facilities are inconvenient for most. Students and the employed have trouble making time in their hectic schedules to give their pets the attention and activity they need to be healthy, and often, pets are left alone, sedentary, for a substantial portion of the day. But what if there was a pet care facility that was within walking distance from home that could provide …


Trends In Dental Care For Individuals With Ectodermal Dysplasia, Justin Edwards Apr 2011

Trends In Dental Care For Individuals With Ectodermal Dysplasia, Justin Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The specific aim of this study is to evaluate the trends in dental health care for individuals with ectodermal dysplasia. Methods: This was a cross sectional analysis of subjects recruited through the National Foundation of Ectodermal Dysplasia (NFED). From 1997 to 2000, individuals with ectodermal dysplasia or their caregiver (if the individuals were too young to selfreport) voluntarily completed questionnaires. The questionnaire consisted of 37 items consisting of demographics, ectodermal dysplasia diagnosis, access to dental care, level of dental utilization, and type of dental services received. Descriptive statistics were used in addition to ANOVA analyses to evaluate the changing …


Suc Khoe La Quan Trong Hon Sac Dep! Health Is Better Than Beauty! Improving Breast And Cervical Cancer Screening Outcomes Among Vietnamese Women, Anh Nguyen Apr 2011

Suc Khoe La Quan Trong Hon Sac Dep! Health Is Better Than Beauty! Improving Breast And Cervical Cancer Screening Outcomes Among Vietnamese Women, Anh Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Vietnamese women experience cancer screening disparities and inconsistent adherence to screening guidelines. The goal of this study was to implement and evaluate a breast and cervical cancer screening intervention to promote cancer screening knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, intention, and behavior for Vietnamese women. Secondary objectives of the study included examining the relationships between cultural variables (e.g., acculturation, ethnic identity, religiosity, and collectivism) and cancer screening variables. The study enrolled 102 women from the greater Richmond metropolitan area. Participants were assigned to an intervention group or a print material control group. In the intervention session, participants were exposed to information on female …


Assessment Of Diabetes Regimen Disease Care In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes Via The Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale And The 24-Hour Diabetes Interview, Kathryn Maher Apr 2011

Assessment Of Diabetes Regimen Disease Care In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes Via The Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale And The 24-Hour Diabetes Interview, Kathryn Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The psychometric properties of two measures of diabetes disease care, the Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale (DBRS) and the 24-hr Diabetes Interview (24-hr) were evaluated. The 24-hr is a widely used, structured interview while the DBRS is a self-administered, fixed-choice questionnaire. Both measures were administered to 250 youth with Type 1 Diabetes (aged 11–14 years) and their parents. Overall, both measures demonstrate adequate psychometric properties. The DBRS and the 24-hr demonstrated good incremental validity and low convergent validity with each adding significant additive value. Both measures demonstrated good concurrent validity with HbA1c. As expected, scores on the 24-hr demonstrated less than …


The Role Of The Propeptide And Its Residues In Activation And Secretion Of Elastase, An M4 Metalloprotease Secreted By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Emily Boice Apr 2011

The Role Of The Propeptide And Its Residues In Activation And Secretion Of Elastase, An M4 Metalloprotease Secreted By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Emily Boice

Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes several proteases associated with pathogenesis, but the most abundant and active is elastase (M4 metalloendopeptidase). Elastase (lasB), is first synthesized as a preproenzyme, with a signal peptide, an 18-kDa N-terminal propeptide, and a 33-kDa mature domain. The propeptide functions as an intramolecular chaperone that is required for the folding and secretion of elastase, but ultimately is proteolytically removed and degraded. Previous research has identified the conserved residues in the propeptide of elastase as compared to other M4 protease precursors and showed some among them to be important for the production of active elastase. In this project, the …


Environmental Implications Of Polymer Coated Urea, Joshua James Lemonte Apr 2011

Environmental Implications Of Polymer Coated Urea, Joshua James Lemonte

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient in the biosphere. Although N is necessary and beneficial for life, it is also a common pollutant in the atmosphere and hydrosphere as it may be lost to the atmosphere as ammonia (NH3) or nitrous oxide (N2O) gases or to groundwater as nitrate (NO3-) following fertilization. Polymer coated urea (PCU) is one type of N fertilizer which uses temperature-controlled diffusion to control N release to better match plant demand and mitigate environmental losses of N. The objectives of this project were to simultaneously compare the effects of PCU on gaseous (as N2O and NH3) …


Impact Of Outcome Severity And Perceiver Similarity On Judgments Of Blame And Responsibility, Bridget L. Hanson Apr 2011

Impact Of Outcome Severity And Perceiver Similarity On Judgments Of Blame And Responsibility, Bridget L. Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

As the severity of an outcome increases, the responsibility assigned to the actor increases. This relationship interacts with actor-observer similarity such that similar others are typically assigned less responsibility in severe instances. These defensive attributions protect the perceiver from the conclusion that a similarly severe outcome could befall him/her. This study investigated the defensive attribution hypothesis as it relates to attributions of controllability, responsibility, and blame as well as punishment outcomes. Outcome severity and actor-perceiver similarity were manipulated using a child neglect paradigm in which a child is left unattended in a vehicle on a hot day. Within this context, …


Translocation Effects Of Lcrv Extracellular Surface Residues And Regulation Of Lcrg Binding To The T3ss Of Yersinia Pestis, Thomas A. Henderson Apr 2011

Translocation Effects Of Lcrv Extracellular Surface Residues And Regulation Of Lcrg Binding To The T3ss Of Yersinia Pestis, Thomas A. Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

Yersinia pestis, the etiological agent of the plague, immobilizes the host's innate immune response by translocating proteins called Yops (Yersinia outer proteins) into the eukaryotic cytoplasm using a type III secretion system (T3SS) injectisome known as the Yersinia secretion complex (Ysc). The T3SS injectisome, in many ways, resembles a hypodermic needle, composed of oligomeric rings with distinct areas responsible for different functions and many of these areas share homology to the flagellar T3SS basal body inner and outer membrane rings. Starting with the cytoplasmic region of the inner membrane known as the C-ring, this is an area where secretion is …


Autokinetics: A Group Intervention To Mitigate At-Risk Behaviors In Adolescents, Christine Abrahams Apr 2011

Autokinetics: A Group Intervention To Mitigate At-Risk Behaviors In Adolescents, Christine Abrahams

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores whether introducing autokinetics (self-movement) to at-risk sophomore and junior high school students would increase their self-concept, school connectedness, perception of their academic performance, and GPA. In this study, at-risk' students are defined as students who have possible drug and alcohol problems, come from single parent households, have social issues at school, and/or come from difficult family situations. The research was conducted in small groups of eight to ten students over a six-month period. The two experimental and two control groups were randomly selected. All four groups attended a forty-minute weekly group session while autokinesis was used only …


Honey In Healing: New Look At An Old Treatment, Tracy Jo Enger Apr 2011

Honey In Healing: New Look At An Old Treatment, Tracy Jo Enger

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic wounds such as pressure ulcers continue to be a difficult problem to manage, especially in the elderly populations. They are costly in terms of pain, as well as medical resources. The initiative Healthy People 2010 has set a goal at reducing the number of chronic wounds, more specifically pressure ulcers, by 50% in nursing home residents. (Porth & Matfin, 2009). Researchers are diligently attempting to find new, innovative, and cost-effective ways to manage chronic wounds. One solution may actually be an old remedy; honey. The purpose of this work is to provide healthcare workers with a review of the …


Evidence For The Need Of A Screening Tool To Recognize Perinatal Substance Abuse, Joeanna L. Larson Apr 2011

Evidence For The Need Of A Screening Tool To Recognize Perinatal Substance Abuse, Joeanna L. Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal substance abuse is a dangerous and detrimental problem faced by providers. Many questions arise when suspecting perinatal substance use. When is the appropriate time to screen? Are there clinical signs that providers can use to guide their decision? Is there the need for a tool that providers can use to guide their decisions? Screening for perinatal substance use is a difficult choice for providers. If a tool existed that would allow providers to screen for perinatal substance abuse based on clinical signs and symptoms, the judgment would lie in the evidence, and not with the provider. A screening tool …


Microfinance And Poverty Alleviation: A Case Study Of Al-Darb Al-Ahmar District In Cairo, Egypt, Noran Mohammed Farag Apr 2011

Microfinance And Poverty Alleviation: A Case Study Of Al-Darb Al-Ahmar District In Cairo, Egypt, Noran Mohammed Farag

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis tests whether microcredit offered by MFIs succeeded, from the perspectives of beneficiaries, in reducing the poverty of borrowers in poor areas in Cairo using the example of First Microfinance as a case study. The data was gathered using a tailored questionnaire on a sample of 151 beneficiaries. A linear regression model is used with the dependent variable as the difference in wealth indices before and after acquiring the loan and a set of independent variables. Microfinance showed a positive effect on poverty reduction but with a small magnitude. The results show that the lack of training provided to …


The Discrepancy Between Subjective And Objective Measures Of Sleep In Older Adults Receiving Cbt For Comorbid Insomnia, Hannah Lund Mar 2011

The Discrepancy Between Subjective And Objective Measures Of Sleep In Older Adults Receiving Cbt For Comorbid Insomnia, Hannah Lund

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical research on insomnia has observed that many individuals with this sleep disorder exhibit a significant discrepancy between their subjective reports of symptom severity and objective measures of the same parameters. This study sought to more closely examine this discrepancy by comparing sleep diary estimates with polysomnography data in a population of 60 older adults with comorbid insomnia. Consistent with previous research, results show that participants significantly underestimated sleep efficiency and total sleep time and significantly overestimated sleep onset latency. Participants receiving CBT-I exhibited significantly reduced discrepancy at post-treatment, particularly with regard to sleep latency, compared to those in a …


The Relationship Of Physical Activity, Eating Behaviors, And Hunger Control To Weight Loss And Quality Of Life In Gastric Banding Patients, Nancy Baugh Mar 2011

The Relationship Of Physical Activity, Eating Behaviors, And Hunger Control To Weight Loss And Quality Of Life In Gastric Banding Patients, Nancy Baugh

Theses and Dissertations

Gastric banding as a weight loss surgery has increased in popularity in the United States since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001. Successful weight loss after weight loss surgery is most frequently defined as greater than 50 percent of excess weight loss (EWL). Systematic reviews show that the band is widely effective in achieving successful weight loss in most patients, however individual studies show more inconsistent outcomes. Although previous research supports gastric bypass surgery as having a positive effect on quality of life after gastric bypass, there is very little data to support this relationship in …


Characterization And In Vitro Toxicity Of Copper Nanoparticles (Cu-Nps) In Murine Neuroblastoma (N2a) Cells, Sitao Veronica Brownheim Mar 2011

Characterization And In Vitro Toxicity Of Copper Nanoparticles (Cu-Nps) In Murine Neuroblastoma (N2a) Cells, Sitao Veronica Brownheim

Theses and Dissertations

Nanomaterials, classified as materials within the 1 - 100 nanometer range, have seemingly endless applications. It is very important to the Air Force to increase the understanding of Cu-NPs and the possible health impacts from nanomaterial exposure prior to wide-spread industry and military use. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to thoroughly characterize the properties of three different copper samples upon suspension into aqueous solutions over time: Cu-NPs (Cu 25 nm), CuO-NPs (CuO 40 nm), and Cu-MSP (Cu 500nm). Additionally, this research seeks to observe in vitro effects upon murine neuroblastoma cells (N2A) by these three types of particles …


A Quantitative Analysis Of An Eating Disorder Prevention Program, Jennalee Murray Mar 2011

A Quantitative Analysis Of An Eating Disorder Prevention Program, Jennalee Murray

Theses and Dissertations

Eating disorders affect millions of people in the United States alone. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a preventative curriculum for eating disorders called Eating Disorders: Physical, Social, and Emotional Consequences, A High School Curriculum about Anorexia, Bulimia, and Compulsive Eating (EDPSEC). Participants included an experimental group of 27 students in their ninth grade health class and a control group of 21 students. The research examined the integrity of the curriculum administration and changes in participating students' attitudes and behaviors. The outcome measures used were students' scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and the Eating Survey (ES). …


Relations Among Media, Eating Pathology And Body Dissatisfaction In College Women, Carrie Bair Mar 2011

Relations Among Media, Eating Pathology And Body Dissatisfaction In College Women, Carrie Bair

Theses and Dissertations

Research has identified a relation between exposure to thin-ideal magazine and television media images and eating disorder pathology. However, few studies have examined the potential influence of Internet media on eating disorder behaviors and attitudes. This study investigated the associations among appearance-orientated media exposure, body dissatisfaction, eating pathology and thin-ideal internalization in a sample of 421 female undergraduate students. Results indicate that undergraduate women spend significantly more time viewing appearance-oriented sources online, rather than reading appearance-orientated magazines. Appearance-oriented Internet consumption was also more strongly associated with eating disorder pathology than was use of other media (television and magazines). Relations between …


Impact Of Physical Activity Post Bariatric Surgery: A 5k Walk/Run, Kelly Stauss Mar 2011

Impact Of Physical Activity Post Bariatric Surgery: A 5k Walk/Run, Kelly Stauss

Theses and Dissertations

Physical activity has long been a major contributor in the management of obesity and could be important for weight loss following surgery. A literature search was completed and identified studies that reported increased physical activity results in increased weight loss post bariatric surgery; however, many studies suggested that patients responded positively to participation in physical activities post bariatric surgery as a means of increasing or maintaining their weight loss. The purpose of this project was to encourage physical activity among post bariatric surgery patients by developing a training group for a SK run/walk. Individuals \Vere recruited from the Merit Care …


Riemann Stieltjes Integration, Colleen Mcfadden Feb 2011

Riemann Stieltjes Integration, Colleen Mcfadden

Theses and Dissertations

Provided in this thesis is the definition of Riemann Stieltjes Integration and properties of this integral. The Riemann Stieltjes Integral is compared with the Riemann Integral. Also, applications and limitations of the Riemann Stieltjes Integral are given.


Dealing With Urban Poverty: The Case Of Ezbet Bekhit, Manshiet Nasser, Nazly Amr Abdel Azim Feb 2011

Dealing With Urban Poverty: The Case Of Ezbet Bekhit, Manshiet Nasser, Nazly Amr Abdel Azim

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to examine the effectiveness or lack thereof of community-based organizations (CBOs) in alleviating poverty in Ezbet Bekhit, Manshiet Nasser, with a special focus on employment creation. This is achieved by studying the organizational structure of these CBOs; their links with larger organizations and their role in wider development plans; their definitions of poverty and their visions and strategies for poverty alleviation in addition to initiatives targeting employment creation; the sustainability of these CBOs and their initiatives, and finally the employment prospects for the inhabitants of Ezbet Bekhit.


Women's Expectations And Experiences Of Childbirth In An Egyptian Public Hospital, Zeinab Ahmed Mohamed Farahat Feb 2011

Women's Expectations And Experiences Of Childbirth In An Egyptian Public Hospital, Zeinab Ahmed Mohamed Farahat

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to understand women's reasons for giving birth at a busy teaching hospital in Greater Cairo, and what their experiences of it have been. It asks whether women's parity and the money paid upon admission to the hospital had an impact on their expectations and experiences. The thesis uses secondary data from interviews conducted in 2001 with mothers who had normal births, before they left the hospital. It is part of a larger project that investigated practices surrounding normal childbirth. The results are analyzed using the perspectives of critical medical anthropology, biomedicine and public health. Fear of the …