Digital Commons Network^™

Development And Characterization Of A Peanut-Shell Based Activated Carbon And The Outcomes Of A Hands-On Approach To Chemical Education, Danielle Pitre

Theses and Dissertations

Heavy metals are a recognized toxic environmental contaminant, even at very low concentrations. There have been well-known events in the last decade within the US of high amounts of lead in the drinking water supplies of cities, leading to detrimental effects within its population. Ways have been found to remove this metal, and others, from water with expensive adsorbents. The aim of the first part of this research was to create an inexpensive adsorbent from a waste material and modify it in such a way that it would be adept at removing heavy metals from water.

In Chapter I, we …

Sustainable Sidedress Nitrogen Applications For Early Corn And Cotton Crops Using Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, James Nolan Parker

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen run-off from agriculture have been linked to human health problems on a global level. Large-scale conventional producers struggle to redefine themselves as sustainable because reducing nitrogen (N) inputs without justification or validation may lead to severe profit losses. Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) sensing may allow for decreased N runoff. Failure to address this problem will exacerbate already excessive N runoff into the Mississippi River and beyond. The purpose of this study was to reduce fertilizer N input using sUAS technology to assess crop canopy needs. In 2020 and 2021, variable rate nitrogen (VRN) side-dress N application maps were …

Determining The Effects Of Elevated Carbon Dioxide On Soil Acidification, Cation Depletion, And Soil Inorganic Carbon And Mapping Soil Carbons Using Artificial Intelligence, Jannatul Ferdush

Theses and Dissertations

Soil carbon is the largest sink and source of the global carbon cycle and is disturbed by several natural, anthropogenic, and environmental factors. The global increase of atmospheric CO₂ affects soil carbon cycling through varied biogeochemical processes. The first chapter is a compilation of current information on potential factors triggering soil acidification and weathering mechanisms under elevated CO₂ and their consequences on soil inorganic carbon (SIC) pool and quality. Soil water content and precipitation were critical factors influencing elevated CO₂ effects on the SIC pool. The second chapter examines a detailed column experiment in which six soils …

Improvement Value Of Forest Resources By Use Of Cottonseed Protein Meal As A Bio-Based Wood Adhesive For Hardwood Plywood Products, Edward David Entsminger

Theses and Dissertations

Literature shows that production of cottonseed adhesives is feasible to develop an environmentally friendly and competitive bio-based wood adhesive. Defatted cottonseed and water-washed cottonseed meals were prepared from glandless cottonseed and were used in adhesive formulations to produce three-ply yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) plywood panels as the first objective. These two cottonseed meals were compared with the properties of plywood panels made with an adhesive formulated from a commercial soybean meal, as a control. Adhesive resins were prepared from each protein meal with sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5) and one of two polyamido-amine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) wet strength agents, and the plywood panels were …

Examining The Impact Of Financial Stress On Affect And Eating Behaviors, Ellen Hunt Steele

Theses and Dissertations

Economic pressure and concomitant financial stress have been associated with mental and physical health problems, conflict, and poorer education and employment outcomes. Moreover, financial stress can be seen in specific hardships (e.g., food insecurity) and lead to maladaptive attempts to regulate emotions stemming from financial stressors. Women may be more vulnerable to consequences of food insecurity and attempts to regulate emotions with eating than men. Thus, the current study examined the impact of a randomized financial stress induction on affect and snack food choice while accounting for the influence of food insecurity and gender. Participants included 269 validly responding individuals. …

Effectiveness Of Food-Grade Coating Treated Nets After Various Drying Methods At Controlling Mite Growth On Dry-Cured Hams, Sadie White

Theses and Dissertations

Tyrophagus putrescentiae, known as the ham mite, is the most difficult pest to control in the dry-cured ham industry. Food-grade propylene glycol coated nets have been studied as an alternative to conventional mite infestation treatments but were heavy and costly to ship. This study aimed to increase the ease of use of the coated nets via drying. Three drying treatments: oven dried for 7 min (OD7m), oven dried for 20 min (OD20m), and counter dried for 24 h (CD24h), were tested to determine the efficacy at controlling mites as well as the mechanical properties of the nets and sensory characteristics …

Backyard Grower-Consumer Perceptions Of Rabbit Meat Consumption In Rural Mississippi, Mildred Elizabeth Murphree

Theses and Dissertations

Every country in the world is affected by one or more forms of malnutrition. Malnutrition includes three conditions: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies or excesses, or overnutrition. Obesity is a greater contributor to death than undernutrition. Age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education level affect obesity. The rates of obesity vary considerably between states and regions of the country. The state of Mississippi is ranked as the poorest state in the nation and Mississippi has the highest adult obesity rate at 40.8% (Farberman & Kelley, 2020).

Rabbit meat production and consumption is a possible solution to malnutrition worldwide (Petrescu & Petrescu-Mag, 2018). …

Maternal Nutrient Restriction And Melatonin Supplementation Alter Neurotransmitter Pathways In Bovine Fetal And Placental Tissues, Allison R. Harman

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient restriction is a relatively common production insult to pregnancy in cattle. Recently, melatonin supplementation has been investigated as a possible therapeutic to rescue the negative effects of nutrient restriction. Neurotransmitters have been implicated as having negative programming effects in mouse and human pregnancies, manifested as metabolic and neurologic disorders. The role of neurotransmitters in fetal development has only begun to be understood in mice and humans. Neurotransmitters have not been analyzed in cattle, much less within the context of a compromised pregnancy. Brangus heifers were allotted to one of four treatments (ADQ-CON, RES-CON, ADQ-MEL, RES-MEL) in either Fall 2019 …

Effects Of Mass Death On Community Structure And Ecosystem Function, Abby Kimpton Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Death and decomposition are natural processes that are generally well-understood. However, large events of death, such as mass mortality events (MMEs) are increasing in frequency and their impacts on the ecosystem are largely unknown. These events may have both bottom-up effects from increased nutrient input as well as top-down effects from loss of an ecological functional group by the affected population. Different functional MMEs may result in different top-down effects, creating cascading effects. In Chapter 1, I test the hypothesis that scavenger and herbivore simulated MMEs generate novel bottom-up and top-down effects. Results indicate that MMEs have a significant effect …

Soybean Potassium Utilization During Reproductive Growth Stages In Response To Potassium Timing, Potassium Rate, Herbicide Injury, And Desiccation, Tyler Lawrence Richmond

Theses and Dissertations

Potassium (K) deficiency of soybean [Glycine max (Merr.) L.] is common throughout the Mid-Southern region of the United States. Visual symptoms of K deficiency may be absent or subtle during early and mid-reproductive growth stages. Correcting K deficiency in-season is problematic due to limited research. Information regarding soybean yield response to in-season fertilizer K application time is limited to growth stages prior to the onset of R1. Research is also limited on new higher yielding soybean cultivars. The objective of this study was to evaluate influences of in-season K application timing during reproductive growth stages on soybean yield. Field experiments …

Towards A Model Of Support: Redefining The Focus Of Early Parenting, Keancelar E. Birge

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the meanings and perceptions of social support and analyzes support received during and after pregnancy among Black women early parents in Mississippi. Ten online and ten in person, in-depth interviews were conducted with Black early parents in Mississippi who either had support from outside organizations like Baby University or who had not. These interviews questioned the participants' understanding and ideas about support and how they perceived their own support to evaluate how having support impacts the livelihood of Black early mothers in Mississippi and their children. Findings demonstrated that there are not real differences in outcomes …

Understanding The Complexities Of Anemia In Chronic Inflammatory Diseases From Diagnosis To Treatment, Naomi Rae Flindt

Theses and Dissertations

Iron is an essential nutrient for energy and DNA replication. Its homeostasis is commonly perturbed by chronic inflammatory mechanisms. Chronic inflammation upregulates a cytokine, hepcidin, that degrades the iron export protein ferroportin. Without a way to export iron into the bloodstream iron availability in blood becomes depleted. Iron depletion in the blood stream hinders erythropoiesis and is termed anemia. Herein I investigate and inhibit the mechanism of hepcidin activation. Inhibition of hepcidin activation has released iron from tissues and alleviated anemic conditions in a cancer model. I have laid the foundation to investigate this pathway in a 3D spheroid model. …

Estimating Age In Mule Deer: Accuracy And Influence On Reproduction, Morgan S. Hinton

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate estimates of parameters and demographic rates of wildlife populations are crucial to management and conservation. One parameter of interest is age because it influences multiple demographic rates and behaviors including reproduction, dispersal, migration, and disease transmission. There are a number of methods used to estimate ages of wildlife. One of the most common methods used for mammals is evaluation of patterns in dental eruption and tooth wear. In the first chapter, we evaluate the accuracy associated with estimates of age from dental eruption and patterns of tooth wear for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). In the second chapter, we use …

Effects Of A High School Yoga Program On Student-Reported Stress, Resilience, And Academic Outcomes, Stephanie Martha Vance

Theses and Dissertations

High school yoga programs are gaining popularity throughout the United States. The many perceived benefits of such programs among adolescent groups have shown promising outcomes. This mixed-method evaluation of a high school yoga program aims to evaluate the effects of the program on student-reported stress, resilience, and academic outcomes. Program participants include high school students in yoga classes (n = 61) and comparison classes (n = 37), who completed pre- and post-measure surveys along with social validity measures. Overall findings showed a decrease in stress levels among yoga students compared to comparison students, which approached statistical significance, no significant differences …

How Federal Pollution Discharge Permits Affect U.S. Water Quality: A Study On Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, Cloe C. Mueller

Theses and Dissertations

This paper uses difference-in-difference regression models to examine how state-level pollution discharge permits on concentrated animal feeding operations affect U.S. water quality. I ultimately deem the permitting to be ineffective at improving water quality, calling attention to the need to re-evaluate the ``socially optimal level of pollution."

Effects Of Macronutrients Intake And Physical Activity On Childhood Obesity Of Hispanic Children, Prosanta Barai

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity has become more ubiquitous during the past few decades, and still, its prevalence is increasing. It is in every population in the world and all regions, including rural parts of low and middle-income countries. In the USA, regardless of age, the severity of obesity is no different from the global trend. Although numerous pieces of literature are available, that tried to find answers to some pressing issues like how obesity can be controlled, but there is little to no study focused on younger children, especially the 4-6-year-old Hispanic population. Our study aimed to determine the causal path among literature …

Body Composition, Muscular Strength, Arterial Stiffness, And Hemodynamics Responses To Various Training Protocols In Young Males, Jorge Bejar

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 8 weeks performing various resistance training protocols with and without blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscular strength, body composition, arterial elasticity, and hemodynamics responses in young males.

RESULTS: Significant time*condition interactions occurred in HR period (p <0.05), HDI SBP (p <0.05), HDI MAP (p <0.05), and SV (p <0.05). Trends for time*condition interactions were found in HDI DBP (p=0.054), HDI HR (p=0.051), and HDI SVR (p=0.085). Significant time main effects occurred in all strength measures (p <0.05). Significant condition main effects occurred in Aortic DBP (p <0.05), Brachial DBP (p <0.05), and LAE (p <0.05). Total lean mass significantly increased from baseline the HI condition only (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Significant improvements in lean mass were seen following the HI and BFR protocols. However, decreases in LAE were found following the HI protocol only. It appears that performing aerobic exercise after resistance training can negatively affect muscle growth. However, only 15 min of moderate-intensity aerobic training can improve hemodynamics in young, …

Financial Literacy And Consumer Well-Being: Examining The Role Of Gender Role Ideology, Lorena Garcia Ramon

Theses and Dissertations

Financial literacy, or the ability to process economic information and make informed decisions about financial planning, wealth accumulation, debt, and pensions, has been linked to beneficial financial behaviors that support financial well-being. Despite these benefits, consumers tend to underperform in financial literacy tests with women generally faring worse than men. This dissertation draws from gender roles literature and Expectancy-Value Theory to examine how, why, and when traditional attitudes regarding societal gender roles (i.e., gender role ideology) hinder women’s financial literacy and willingness to acquire financial knowledge. Moreover, it examines how financial literacy and willingness to …

Conspicuous Asceticism: Collapsing Consumers' Hungry Ghosts, Ash Zareian

Theses and Dissertations

The author investigates an emerging construct called conspicuous asceticism expositioned from a narcissism-centric view. The understanding of this construct is approached by drawing an idiomatic semantic parallel in opposition to conspicuous consumption and by utilizing its current theoretical framework of narcissism. Moreover, this paper seeks to extend conspicuous consumption’s theoretical framework as synonymous with the construct of compulsive consumption. Furthermore, I illustrate that consumers must transcend narcissism through engaging in treatment modalities requisite to operationalize a pioneering effort in which consumers can engage in marketing campaign efforts to advertise conspicuous ascetic contexts. This dissertation gleans from extant literature in sociology, …

Evaluating The Influence Of The Inclusion Of Liquid Brewers Yeast During Gestation On Ewe And Lamb Performance, Colostrum And Milk Quality, And Transfer Of Passive Immunity In Lambs, Julissa Navarrete

Theses and Dissertations

The microbrewery industry has experienced exponential growth since 2005. As a result, the by-products associated with this industry are becoming increasingly available. One of these by-products is liquid brewers yeast, which is produced in excess during the production of beer. For livestock producers that have access to microbreweries, a potentially economical way to feed their flock would to be repurpose the by-product that would otherwise be disposed. Similarly, microbreweries would benefit from repurposing the liquid brewers yeast as livestock feed, resulting in less waste and a more sustainable beer production system.Researchers have evaluated the effect of liquid brewers yeast supplementation …

Individual, Child, And Socioeconomic Factors: Effects On Custody Litigation, Natalie Elizabeth Fischer

Theses and Dissertations

Given that the United States has one of the highest divorce rates in the world, it is imperative to determine affects it may have on the population, as well as associated events linked to the divorce process (Kennedy & Ruggles, 2014; Kreider & Fields, 2002). One such event is that of custody decisions in the divorcing family, as children’s time and placements need to be secured amidst the change. Although there are many different custody arrangement types, one of the most discussed is that of physical custody and how it is determined by courts. There are many variables considered by …

Understanding Juvenile Correctional Officers' Perceptions About Safety And Care Of Youth In Their Facilities, Megan Patterson

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing need to understand the environment confined juveniles are exposed to in America. This study examines the conditions of confinement for juveniles in detention facilities, mainly focusing on the indices of control, care, quality of life, and programs for confined youths. The study further examines how these confinement conditions are associated with juvenile detention officers’ level of concern with the facility operation. Anonymous Likert scale surveys were administered to active juvenile detention officers. Results from this study provide better insight into understanding performance-based standards in juvenile detention facilities and specify what areas need to be improved for …

Physical Activity And Breast Cancer Prevention Among Asian American Women, Jingxi Sheng

Theses and Dissertations

Asian Americans (AsAm) comprise about 7% of the United States population and are the only racial group for whom cancer is the leading cause of death. Breast Cancer (BrCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in this population, with the highest incidence in the age of 45-49 years, which is 30 years younger than for non-Hispanic Whites. The incidence of BrCa has been increasing for over three decades in AsAm.

Physical activity (PA) is a modifiable protective factor for BrCa. Unfortunately, AsAm women have a low PA prevalence of meeting PA recommendations. The increased BrCa risk, younger age at diagnosis, …

The Apoe Ε4 Allele Association With Cholesterol Related Phenotypes In The Mexican American Population, Stephanie Lozano

Theses and Dissertations

Diseases linked to high cholesterol have been well studied and several diseases-associated candidate genes have been suggested. Among these, the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) gene associated with lipid metabolism and lipid-related traits was reported in the non-Hispanic population. There are three types of alleles APOE ε2, ε3, and ε4. The APOE ε4 allele has been identified as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In recent years, there have been limited studies regarding the association between the APOE gene and hypercholesterolemia in the Mexican American population. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate …

Targeting Mutated Kras And Galectin-1 In Pancreatic Cancer, Ana Izavelle Martinez Bulnes

Theses and Dissertations

The poor patient survival rate in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a challenge. KRAS activating point mutation on codon-12 is found in 70–95 percent of PDAC patients, and no progress in inhibiting KRAS has been obtained thus far. KRASG12D is a transcription factor that controls cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Recent preliminary and published research indicates that Galectin-1 (Gal-1) levels are high in both PDAC and stromal cells, which modulates tumor microenvironment and metastasis. As a result, we created a new combination treatment for PDAC that targets both proliferation and metastasis in PDAC by targeting mutant KRASG12D and Gal-1. This …

Effects Of Nutrient Enrichment On Mangrove And Saltmarsh Habitats, Elena A. Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient over-enrichment is a global threat to coastal and marine environments. Yet, system-specific attributes of estuarine and coastal ecosystems may result in large differences in their sensitivity and susceptibility to such threat. In tropical latitudes, plant species adapted to low-nutrient habitats generally have nutrient-conservation mechanisms that acquire, use, and internally recycle nutrients efficiently. Thus, a major challenge for managers and decision makers is to develop a predictive and holistic understanding of how nutrient loading alters ecosystem functions and therefore ecosystem services. The objective of the present research is to document short and long-term effects of persistent nutrient …

Sports Nutrition- And Strength And Conditioning-Based Interventions To Bolster Health And Human Performance In Male And Female Tactical Personnel, Harry Paul Cintineo

Theses and Dissertations

Military and law enforcement personnel are required to possess sufficient physical and cognitive fitness to perform their official duties. Tactical athletes must have fast reaction times (RT), high levels of various aspects of muscular performance, including power, strength, and endurance, as well as high anaerobic and aerobic capacities. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate acute sports nutrition and chronic strength and conditioning strategies to improve health and human performance in tactical athletes, including law enforcement officers, active-duty military service members, and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets and midshipmen.

The first study tested the effects of a combination …

Trajectories, Prevention Strategies, And Health Impacts Of Perinatal Depression, Sabrina Karim

Theses and Dissertations

Background

Perinatal depression is one of the most common and underdiagnosed obstetric complications. Extant research on perinatal depression is mostly focused on white women and women who are not at risk for depression. Little is known about the trajectories, prevention strategies and adverse outcomes of perinatal depression among high-risk populations, for example, women with overweight and obesity or women of color or low socioeconomic status.

Purpose

Our study examined the longitudinal trajectories of perinatal depression, effect of a behavioral lifestyle intervention on perinatal depression and association between prenatal physical activity and perinatal depression among women with overweight and obesity. We …

Sex Differences And Potential Non-Invasive Treatments For Calcific Aortic Valve Disease, Henry Pascal Helms

Theses and Dissertations

Calcific Aortic Valve Disease (CAVD) is a progressive heart disease that ranges from aortic valve sclerosis to aortic valve stenosis. It is characterized by intense calcification and compromised valve function. CAVD affects 25% of people older than 65 and 50% of people older than 85. These rates are expected to increase in the United States due to higher levels of obesity and diabetes, as well as an aging population. CAVD is the leading cause of valve replacement surgery. Annual healthcare costs for these valve replacements are currently estimated to be approximately 2 billion dollars. There are currently no medications approved …

Disproportionate Discipline: Race/Ethnic And Gender Disparities In Rates Of Lunch Detentions And Subjectivity In Teachers’ Reasons For Those Punishments, Paul Michael Fram

Theses and Dissertations

The intent of school discipline policies, practices, and procedures is to shape student behavior to create an optimal learning environment for all students. However, school discipline falls short of this goal because it is rife with race/ethnic and gender disparities. These disparities contribute to inequitable academic and life outcomes that plague, in particular, African American children. This dissertation addresses these disparities through a thematic literature review, a quantitative analysis of inequities in rates of lunch detention, and a mixed methods analysis of subjectivity in reasons for lunch detention.

The literature review explains the problematic aspects of school discipline, the racial …