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Dying Of Pestilence: Gender, Stature, And Mortality From The Black Death In 14th Century Kyrgyzstan, David Wayne Hansen Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Bioarchaeological studies have provided important information about mortality patterns during the Second Pandemic of Plague, including the Black Death, but to date have focused exclusively on European contexts. This study represents a temporal and spatial expansion of plague bioarchaeology, focusing on Central Asia, the origin of the Second Pandemic. I examine the relationship between stature, gender, and plague mortality during an outbreak of plague at two fortified settlements in northern Kyrgyzstan in 1338-39, the earliest archaeological sites known to contain victims of the Black Death in Eurasia.

Stature is frequently used in bioarchaeology as a proxy for exposures to developmental …

Food Insecurity Resilience Of Refugee Families In The United States: A Qualitative Study, Maryam Suliman Alhabas

Theses and Dissertations

Refugee families living in the United States often encounter a number of challenges while trying to build a new home and maintain their household food security. Refugee families at high risk of experiencing food insecurity in the resettlement country. Food insecurity among US refugee families is a major public health concern as it adversely impacts their health and wellbeing, since it affects dietary intake and mental health and associated with illness, poor nutrition, and obesity. Little is known about what happens when refugee families face food insecurity experience, and the role of their social contexts in that experience. The objective …

Living With Ulcerative Colitis: Exploring Dietary Inflammatory Intake, Physical Activity, And Methods To Manage The Burden Of Illness, Kelli E. Dubois

Theses and Dissertations

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic illness under the umbrella of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). IBD is becoming a global health issue as incidence rates are rising throughout the world. UC is characterized by chronic inflammation and ulcerations in the colon’s mucosal lining due to abnormal inflammatory and immune system responses. Patients with UC experience a range of gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms as well as psychosocial challenges throughout the course of illness that generate a significant burden on daily life. Periods of active disease, or flares, present exacerbations of disease symptoms and the greatest burden on daily functioning, yet disease …

Association Between Postpartum Weight Retention And The Dietary Inflammatory Index, Nyrobi Tyson

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The objective of this thesis is to examine the relationship between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), measured during the postpartum period, and postpartum weight retention.

Setting and Participants: We used the Infant Feeding Practices Study (IFPS) II (n=5000), a longitudinal study of women from late pregnancy through their infant’s first year of life conducted between 2005 and 2007. Survey topics included feeding practices, infant health, food allergies, sleeping arrangements, mother’s employment, childcare, and mother’s dietary intake.

Main Outcomes: Postpartum weight retention (PPWR) was calculated in kilograms by subtracting self-reported body weight at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postpartum …

Impact Of A Novel Marine Algae Supplement On Inflammatory And Immune Response After High-Intensity Exercise, Caroline Sara Vincenty

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: High-intensity exercise (HIE) can damage the musculotendon complex and impact the immune response, which may result in post-exercise inflammation and reductions in strength and performance. Sufficient rest and recovery will improve muscular resilience against future damaging bouts, however HIE with minimal durations of rest are common in athletic competitions that facilitate persistent inflammation and immune dysregulation. Marine algae-derived fucoidans (MA) have previously shown promise to mitigate pro-inflammatory and immune dysregulation responses, however it has not been investigated in the context of HIE. The purpose of this research is to investigate the safety and efficacy of MA on markers of …

Relationships Among Sleep, Physical Activity, And Weight Status In Children And Adolescents, Agnes Bucko

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep and physical activity are both associated with multiple behavioral and metabolic health outcomes, and both behaviors have been linked to the development of weight status. Recent estimates suggest that many children are not meeting sleep recommendations or participating in adequate levels of physical activity, which may be related to the high prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity. Much of the research assessing these relationships has focused on adults and older children, and has relied on parent- or child-reported, cross-sectional research in predominantly White samples. Little work has focused on these relationships in very young children. Although more research has …

An Evaluation Of A School Mental Health Program For Underserved Youth In Rural South Carolina, Tristan Collier

Theses and Dissertations

School, community, and youth-serving system partnerships can support implementing comprehensive school mental health (SMH) systems including services beyond direct therapy for students (i.e., multiple tiers of support). Utilizing a comprehensive approach to SMH allows clinicians to form stronger relationships with administrators, school staff, and most importantly, students who may need services. This comprehensive approach to SMH includes incorporating the SMH clinician into the culture and daily activities of the schools (e.g., helping direct students in the bus line), to increase the visibility of the clinician and services available as well as provide opportunities for direct outreach to students. One such …

Methyltransferase Mystery: Epigenetic Mechanisms Induced By Food Limitation In Daphnia Pule, Trenton C. Agrelius

Theses and Dissertations

Daphnia are ecologically important organisms that have been well studied in the context of evolution, ecology, ecotoxicity, and genomics. Daphnia have strong maternal effects in which the environment experienced by the mother can alter offspring disease resistance, life history traits, and morphology, as well as gene expression and methylation for multiple generations. Coupled with their ability to reduce genetic differences via parthenogenesis, Daphnia are an ideal system for epigenetic studies involving the transmission of maternal effects. Using two clones of Daphnia pulex, we investigated the plasticity of life history and DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) gene expression with respect to food …

Development Of Enhanced Food Packaging Systems Based On Blends Of Bio-Based And Biodegradable Polymers Exhibiting Antimicrobial Properties, Aishat Agboluaje

Theses and Dissertations

Food packaging is one of the important aspects of food processing, which contributes greatly to decreasing post-harvest food losses. While ensuring that foods are adequately packaged, it is also important to consider the impact of these food packaging materials on the environment. Accordingly, this research work was aimed at investigating the potential of bio-based and biodegradable blends of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan loaded with antimicrobial agents such as turmeric, clove, and cinnamon for use in food packaging applications. The methodology involved creating PVA/chitosan films with varying compositions via solvent casting method and selecting the best composition exhibiting the highest …

Consequences Of Microsporidian Prior Exposure For Virus Infection Outcomes And Bumble Bee Host Health, Elyse Christine Mccormick

Theses and Dissertations

Host-parasite interactions do not occur in a vacuum, but in connected multi-parasite networks. Resulting co-exposures and coinfections during an individual host’s lifetime can affect host health and infectious disease ecology, including disease outbreaks. However, many host-parasite studies examine pairwise interactions, meaning we still lack a general understanding of the influence of co-exposures and coinfections. Using the bumble bee Bombus impatiens, we study the effects of larval exposure to a microsporidian Nosema bombi, implicated in bumble bee declines, and adult exposure to Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), an emerging infectious disease from honey bee parasite spillover. We hypothesize that infection outcomes …

The Effectiveness Of Governmental Policy Measures On Controlling The Spread Of Covid-19: Empirical Evidence From Around The World, Lobna Abdallah Yassin

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid spread of COVID-19 in China and the world dramatically affected the development in China and many countries worldwide. Different governments applied various policy measures to control the virus and prevent its spreading inside their countries. These policy measures combined with this global health crisis have serious consequences on the health system in different countries and the world economy. This thesis aims to quantitatively measure the effectiveness of the governmental policy measures that are taken during the risk management of the coronavirus across different countries on controlling the spread of the virus. Also, this thesis highlights the different policies …

Intolerance Of Uncertainty, Sensory Processing, And Related Correlates In Autistic Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mollie Bradley

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic increased uncertainty and anxiety for most and was especially disruptive to autistic people and their families. Autistic children were particularly vulnerable due to their intolerance for increased uncertainty and disruption to their school and therapy support. This study aimed to investigate the effect that increased uncertainty had on autistic children, specifically their sensory behaviors and stress levels and on the stress levels of their primary caregivers. Parents and guardians of 47 autistic children completed an online survey consisting of questions investigating background and demographic information, their experiences during the first six months of the pandemic, information about …

Sleep And Eating Behavior Among Adolescent Females With Overweight Or Obesity: The Role Of Appetite-Related Cognitive Processes, Kirandeep Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

Insufficient sleep duration and poor sleep quality can potentiate weight gain and obesity in adolescents. Furthermore, overweight and obese females are at unique risk for insufficient sleep and associated health complications. We examined self-reported sleep duration and self-reported adequacy of sleep duration as potential moderators of the relationship between eating behavior and several cognitive processes including hedonic hunger, executive dysfunction, and self-control. We used a multisystemic conceptual framework to highlight the pathways that may explain the relationship between sleep behaviors and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). The study employed a cross-sectional design. Participants completed baseline measures of height and weight, …

Amino Acids As Alternatives To Emulsifying Salts In Processed Cheese Analogues, Jeremy Thomas Pack

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Manufacturers have used emulsifying salts universally in the processed cheese industry since James L. Kraft patented the first processed cheese in 1916. My objective was to find alternative ingredients to replace emulsifying salts in processed cheese formulations; the product would follow "clean-labeling" trends and lower the final formulation's sodium content. Materials and Methods: My experiments followed conventional processed cheese formulations to create experimental batches, which were compared to positive and negative controls for significance. Textural, rheological, and melting tests evaluated objective cheese parameters. We observed subjective sensory properties through qualitative descriptive analysis, consumer acceptance panels, and focus groups. Results: …

Isothermal Inactivation Studies Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Salmonella, And Enterococcus Faecium Nrrl B-2354 In Almond, Peanut, And Sunflower Butters, Ruo Fen Liao

Theses and Dissertations

Vegetative, non-sporeforming foodborne pathogens show notable survival and uncanny thermotolerance in low water activity (aw) foods. Controlled studies on Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 (a Salmonella surrogate) in a variety of food matrices support thermal process validation studies required to achieve global food safety objectives. In this study, we determined and compared thermal inactivation rates using independent six-strain cocktails of pathogens in three plant-based butters. Direct determinations of decimal reduction times (D-values) for L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, and E. faecium, in corresponding butters were inoculated using peanut oil, almond oil, or sunflower oil. Thermal Death Time (TDT) …

A Digital Application For Assessment Of Neurocognitive Disabilities, Thomas H. Auriemma

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Neuropsychological assessment is designed to identify neurocognitive impairment and has traditionally relied on pen-and-paper tests. The behavior collected from these tests is usually expressed as a total summary score or a score that reflects a restricted number of features that assess errors. There is now interest in coupling traditional paper and pencil tests with digital assessment technology. In this context traditional metrics such as summary scores are still available. However, using digital technology, a host of time-based parameters can now be obtained. These time-based parameters include the total time to complete the task or total time to completion, as …

Relationships Among Aa-Genome Chenopodium Diploids And A Whole-Genome Assembly Of The North American Species, C. Watsonii, Lauren Amillicent Young

Theses and Dissertations

Chenopodium quinoa Willd., an ancient Andean pseudocereal almost exclusively consumed in South America, jumped onto the global stage when Western cultures noted quinoa's advantageous nutritional profile. Quinoa seed's high protein content, nutritionally balanced amino acid profile, low glycemic index, and high fiber, vitamin, and mineral content, make it a highly sought-after 'superfood'. Pitseed goosefoot (C. berlandieri Moq.), a closely related North American species sharing quinoa's genome composition (AABB), grows across the North American continent, inhabiting diverse environments including the saline coastal soils of the Gulf of Texas and the drought-prone regions of the Southwest. Quinoa and pitseed goosefoot, along with …

Phosphorus Enriched Modified-Douglas Fir Biochar As A Soil Amendment, Beatrice Arwenyo

Theses and Dissertations

Biochar application as a soil additive is gaining global acceptance. In this era of climate change, biochar use for improved soil productivity is not just a sustainable eco-friendly substitute to synthetic fertilizer, but a noble contributor to the fight against climate change. Although biochar has been accredited with some environmental and agricultural benefits, most studies concentrated on agricultural and biowaste products as feedstocks. This research was designed to explore P-enriched modified-Douglas fir biochar potential as a soil additive. Using corn as a test crop, greenhouse studies were performed on acidic sandy soil, comparing phosphorus enriched modified-Douglas fir biochar efficacy to …

Procedures For Genetic Modification Of Miscanthus X Giganteus, A Biomass Crop, Anjali Arpan

Theses and Dissertations

Development of genetic improvement procedures for the bioenergy crop, Miscanthus × giganteus (M×g; triploid), are desired for trait improvement. Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been used in other Miscanthus spp. for genetic improvement, but not in M×g, nor have more than a few genes been introduced at a given time. Transformation procedures for M×g were developed; studies included use of A.tumefaciens (strain LBA4404) and A. rhizogenes (strain A4) for introduction of seven genes isolated (by other researchers) from Sorghum bicolor involved in sorgoleone biosynthesis (an allelopathic compound), and selectable marker gene neomycin phosphotransferase II. Procedural development included generation of …

Growing Tea In Mississippi, Qianwen Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Tea is the most popular beverage worldwide, second only to water. The United States is the third largest importer of tea in the world, importing a total of about 260 million pounds tea annually. With increased demand for locally sourced food products, questions are raised regarding whether domestic production of tea is feasible. Compared to major tea producing countries with centuries of growing history, tea production in the U.S. is limited and requires research support in many aspects of tea production. The objectives of this study were to investigate plant growth, leaf morphology, and seasonal chemical compositions in tea leaves …

Analysis And Characterization Of The Volatile Compounds Associated With The Wooden Breast Condition, Hunter Hessler

Theses and Dissertations

In 2013, the wooden breast defect in broiler breast meat was characterized by hardened and pale areas at both the caudal and cranial regions of the breast. The objective of this study was to determine the flavor differences between severe woody and normal breast meat in both breast and patties using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-olfactometry, and sensory descriptive analysis. Forty-eight individual volatile flavor compounds were identified in both the ground and whole breast chicken samples including aldehydes, ketones, and other functional groups. Minimal differences existed in the volatile fraction of normal and severe woody breast meat. In contrast, woody …

Effects Of Pruning Timing, Leaf Removal, And Shoot Thinning On 'Midsouth' Winegrape Quality In South Mississippi, Haley Nicole Williams

Theses and Dissertations

‘MidSouth’, a relatively low maintenance interspecific hybrid bunch grape currently grown in South Mississippi, has low sugar and high acid levels for red wine use. Two studies, conducted at the Mississippi State University McNeill Research Unit in 2020 and 2021, determined the effects of pruning timing, leaf removal, and shoot thinning on ‘MidSouth’ development and fruit and wine quality. Treatments in the first study included early versus normal pruning timing, both with and without leaf removal, and treatments in the second study included leaf removal, shoot thinning, and control vines. Cluster temperatures, leaf chlorophyll, berries per cluster, berry and cluster …

Quantifying The Economic Impact Of Conservation Policy Changes Utilizing Precision Agriculture Tools, Kyle Stanley Watkins

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Farm Bill is a multi-billion-dollar federal legislation reenacted every five years to provide funding towards crop protection, nutrition, environmental protection, and other important focuses. The largest conservation program within the Farm Bill is the Conservation Reserve Program, which encompasses many conservation practices such as CP-33: habitat buffers for upland birds. Conservation implementation through the Farm Bill relies on voluntary producer enrollment in exchange for a rental fee to not farm enrolled land for a set time. I used yield data collected across six years from 36 agricultural fields in Humphreys and Holmes counties, Mississippi, USA, and a …

Health-Related Caretaking In An Institutionalized Setting: Applying The Index Of Care To Burial 1 From The Mid-19th To Early-20th Century Mississippi State Asylum, Jackson, Ms., Darcie Badon

Theses and Dissertations

This project employs a modified version of the Bioarchaeology of Care (BoC) in an analysis of Burial 1 from the Mississippi State Asylum, Jackson, MS. Burial 1 is a skeletal individual recovered from the historic MSA cemetery. Notably, Burial 1 exhibits recidivistic cranial trauma in the form of cranial depression fractures (CDFs) and significant entheseal changes in the upper extremities. However, because there is no identifying information associated with Burial 1, interpretations of the caretaking they may have received, both prior to and after institutionalization, include short- and long-term outcomes from their community and the MSA. Additionally, Burial 1’s CDFs …

Optimized Selenium Status, Gut Microbiota, And Type 2 Diabetes, Ying-Chen Huang

Theses and Dissertations

We have previously demonstrated that long-term dietary Se deficiency in old Terc^-/- mice with humanized telomeres induces type-2 diabetes and exacerbates age-dependent increases in the abundance of A. muciniphila and Lachnospiraceae, which are related to obesity and metabolic syndromes. The objectives of this dissertation are: 1) to determine the minimum intake of Se required for type 2 diabetes prevention in middle-aged mice; 2) to evaluate the efficacy of A. muciniphila and R. torques (a Lachnospiraceae family member) to intervene dietary Se deficiency-induced type 2 diabetes and the underlying mechanisms; 3) to assess sex differences in the responses to …

Novel Strategies In Near Infrared Spectroscopy (Nirs) And Multivariate Analysis (Mva) For Detecting And Profiling Pathogens And Diseases Of Agricultural Importance., Johjan Mariana Santos Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

The time required for the identification of pathogens is an important determinant of infection-related mortality rates and disease spread for species of relevance in agriculture. Conventional identification methods require a processing time of at least one to twenty days. Therefore, inaccurate empirical treatments are often provided while awaiting further identification, such that most cases progress with further aggravation of symptoms, contamination of other animals or plants, generating economic loss from decreased yield, and increased mitigation costs. Thus, there is a need for innovative, non-destructive, and rapid analytical techniques that provide reagent-free, portable, reliable, and holistic approaches to detect diseases in …

Is Agriculture Being Implemented In Private School Classrooms? The Impact Of Teacher Willingness And Availability Of Resources., Casey Moss

Theses and Dissertations

Agricultural literacy has been a topic of concern as most of the population have little to no understanding of agriculture, and the impact it has on society. Agricultural literacy can be defined as “having knowledge and understanding of agriculturally related scientific and technologically based concepts and processes required for personal decision making” (Meischen & Trexler, 2003, p.44). Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the significance of agricultural literacy beginning with elementary aged children and continuing through high school. The majority of studies conducted focus on public school students and teachers. This has led to a gap in the knowledge …

Determining Residual Control And Systemic Activity Of Commonly Used Insecticides In Soybean And Cotton, Jacob H. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Chemical control is a critical component of integrated pest management in cotton and soybean production. Residual efficacy of foliar insecticides can be highly variable and difficult to quantify due to several factors. The purpose of this research was to determine residual control and concentrations in flowering structures of commonly used insecticides. This research focused on the concentrations of active ingredient within the plant as well as efficacy over time. Previous research suggested chlorantraniliprole had a long residual and was highly lethal on corn earworm up to 28 days after treatment (DAT) in soybean; however, the results found in cotton were …

Assessing The Microbiological Profile Of Raw Goat Milk And Understanding Producer Practices And Perceptions, Jacinda Skye Leopard

Theses and Dissertations

Raw milk sales are legal in 30 states, including Mississippi, where regulations are largely management-based and not food-safety related. The research objectives were to analyze the microbial profile of raw goat milk from Mississippi farms and assess food safety practices and perceptions of dairy goat farmers. Deficiencies and opportunities for improvement in raw goat milk safety were identified. Staphylococcus spp. was present in most (70%) milk samples but aligned with drying-off. E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, and coliforms were observed in 4, 10, and 12 samples, respectively; no Salmonella spp. or Listeria monocytogenes were detected. The survey highlighted farmers' need for …

Improving Nutrition And Food Safety Knowledge Of Small-Scale Fish Processors In Delta State, Nigeria, Grace Adeola Adegoye

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Fish is an affordable animal source food that provides nutrition and serves as a source of income for many people especially women in Nigeria. Smoking and sun drying are the processing methods in practice that expose the fish products to possible contaminants which may consequentially negate their nutritive value.

Aim: To improve the knowledge of fish processors on nutrition and safe fish handling.

Methodology: A 3-day participatory training was organized to train 122 fish processors, 95 women, and 25 men. The training was conducted in the three senatorial districts in Delta State, Nigeria. Knowledge was assessed using the pre …