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The Adverse Health Effects Of Trans Fatty Acids, And Implications For Public Policy, Jonathan D. Atkin

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Subject: Trans fatty acids (TFAs) are produced either by the process of bacterial hydrogenation in the stomachs of ruminant animals, or the commercial method called industrial hydrogenation. The latter began early in the 20^th century based on purported health benefits and lowered costs. Alarming results from scientific studies in the early 1990's began to raise questions about whether TFAs should be regulated in our food supply.

Findings/Statistics: Scientific research initially discovered that TFAs raise the LDL/HDL ratio, thereby increasing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Recent large, prospective, population-based studies have indicated a 25% increased risk of ischemic …

Cardiac Protein Rgs2: Structural And Functional Determinants, Stephanie Jan Chambers

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In this study, I explored the structure-function relationships of a cardiac RGS (regulator of G-protein signaling) protein, RGS2.

Contractions of the heart are triggered by calcium ions (Ca) entering heart cells through L-type Ca channels (1a). The activity of L-type channels (and thereby Ca influx) is modulated by cell surface receptors that couple to intracellular G proteins. G proteins in turn, are regulated by a newly-discovered family of proteins called RGS. RGS proteins speed the hydrolysis of GTP by G proteins, and thereby control the strength and duration of G protein-mediated signals. Stimulation of G proteins, which are coupled to …

The Macrobiotic Diet May Have Benefits In Cancer Prevention, Brittany Lewis

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Macrobiotics is one of the most popular alternative or complementary approaches to fighting cancer. The diet is primarily plant-based, is centered on the idea of an all encompassing "yin-yang" concept in life, mind, environment and food. The dietary components of the macrobiotic diet, along with the many lifestyle implications are shown to have beneficial effects in cancer prevention and therapy. The diet has many anti-carcinogenic compounds, as well as a decrease in foods thought to promote cancer. A cause for concern is the vitamin deficiencies that may ensue in following a strict macrobiotic diet, which typically results from an all …

Investigation Of The Toxic Affect Of Manganese On Ruminal Microbial Digestion And Growth, Erin Dearing

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This research investigated the toxic effect of manganese, in a reduced chemical state, on rumen microbial metabolism and growth. The reduced form of manganese is the soluble state found in subsurface waters and has a high red-ox potential. In the study, we investigated the effects of reduced manganese at varying concentrations, on rumen microbial ability to replicate and metabolize carbohydrates. The hypotheses that we tested were as follows: (1) reduced manganese decreases the rate of pH drop associated with rumen culture fermentation of a com based diet and (2) reduced manganese decreases the bacterial growth in rumen culture, as measured …

The Composition And Comparison Of Essential Oils And Their Nutritional Benefits To Enhance And Decrease Risk For Chronic Disease, Heather Wollschleger

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper reviews the current status of our knowledge of essential oils and their nutritional contribution to our diet. The effects of dietary fats on our health differ markedly from the type and form of the fat. Special emphasis is placed on omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and their dietary involvement. Specific oils increase our levels of vital vitamin E and the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fats humans need for mental and physical health. Chronic diseases remain a major cause of death and disability, and risk factors include diets high in saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids. This risk …

More Than Meets The Ear: The Culture Behind The Music, Anita Sant

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

More than Meets the Ear: The Culture behind the Music is a traveling exhibit that was designed and created over more than a year's time at Utah State University's museum of anthropology. As one member of a team of interns, I helped decide on an exhibit focus, its audience, content, and design. We started from the ground up as inexperienced undergraduates under the tutelage of the museum's curator, Lara Petersen, and the museum's director, Dr. Bonnie Pitblado.

As the project gradually progressed and was honed to the subject of ethnomusicology, I took on the responsibility of the educational aspect of …

A Day At "Operation Good Neighbor", Caroline Randall

Verbum

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph.

"As I tour the facility, I feel a sense of guilt for all that I have in my life. My clothes are fresh, in style for the most part, and when I have had enough of them, I give to the “unknown” and “unseen” people for whom I feel distance. After my tour is over it is time to go to work. We open the doors and place the sign carefully out in front of the old church that was donated to this venue, which was so foreign to …

Full Issue, No Author

Verbum

This is the full issue of Volume 2, Issue 2 of Verbum, published in Spring 2005 by the REST Club at St. John Fisher College. Articles from this issue are available as separate PDFs at http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol2/iss2/

A Model For Pastoral Care And Shepherding Of A Large And Growing Church, Aaron J. Rummage

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addresses the challenges related to the care giving ministry of New Lire Church located in LaPlata, Maryland. This revitalized church has grown from 60 attendees in 1999 to over 1,100 by 2004. The growth has led to many challenges, including the development of a shepherding strategy that will meet the needs of the congregation. The leadership team sought to answer the question of an appropriate shepherding strategy through examining scriptures, reviewing the history of shepherding and evaluating current models of care giving used in large Wesleyan churches. Additionally, a survey of pastoral care methodology employed in large Wesleyan …

Catabolism Of Amino Acids To Volatile Fatty Acids By Lactococcus Lactis, Balasubramanian Ganesan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Lactic acid bacteria are essential as flavor producers of cheese and fermented products. They are capable of catabolizing aromatic, branched chain, and sulfur amino acids to flavor compounds. During cheese ripening the numbers of lactococcal colonies decrease, but lactococci survive without replication in culture. This prompted an investigation into possible mechanisms of catabolism of branched chain amino acids into branched chain fatty acids and the physiological relevance of amino acid catabolism to the bacteria. We hypothesized that lactococci catabolize branched chain amino acids to branched chain fatty acids during nonculturability.

Lactococci, lactobacilli, and brevibacteria catabolized both branched chain amino acids …

Evaluation Of Antioxidant Effectiveness And Sensory Attributes Of Chinese 5-Spice Ingredients In Cooked Ground Beef, Saumya Dwivedi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study determined antioxidant and sensory effects of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, pepper, and star anise (Chinese 5-spice ingredients) in cooked ground beef. In experiment 1, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values of cooked samples were measured during refrigerated storage. In experiment 2, trained panelists evaluated cooked samples for rancid, beef, and spice flavor intensity. Total aerobic plate counts were also measured.

Mean TBA values were high (3.4) for control samples. In previous studies, TBA values >1.0 were associated with unacceptably rancid cooked meats. At the lowest spice level of 0.1% of meat weight, all spices except pepper had lower TBA values than …

Diabetes, Cognitive Decline, And Alzheimer's Disease: The Cache County Study On Memory, Health, And Aging, Gene Charoonruk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Studies have reported mixed results for people with or without diabetes with cognitive decline or Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cognitive decline and AD among people with diabetes will be the focus of much discussion since results have been controversial.

The study examined whether diabetes is associated with cognitive decline and whether it is an independent risk factor for the development of AD among elderly residents of Cache County, Utah.

Results revealed an association between diabetes and a lower average Modified Mini Mental State Examination (3MS) score of nearly a point lower at baseline. Results also showed an association between diabetes and …

Conceptualization And Development Of A Dam Break Life-Loss Estimation Model, Maged A. Aboelata

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Catastrophic events such as dam failures or severe floods are considered to be of low probability, although their consequences can be extremely high and might include loss of life. Earlier studies have linked circumstances surrounding historical darn failure events to actual loss of life and produced formulations using statistical analysis of these events. Shortcomings of these methods include the inability to adjust life-loss estimates based on the type of dam failure, global averaging of population at risk, and ignoring the dynamics of the evacuation process.

The main objective of this research is to develop a practical and improved life-loss estimation …

Cattle Utilization Of Forage Kochia (Kochia Prostrata) And Its Relation To Forage Quality And Plant Morphological Characteristics, Burke W. Davenport

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several experimental lines of forage kochia [Kochia prostrata (L. Shrad.)] have potential to provide taller forage on fall and winter rangelands than the only released variety of forage kochia, Immigrant. This study was conducted to determine differences in cattle utilization among experimental lines of forage kochia and relate them to forage quality and morphological attributes. The utilization of forage kochia was also compared to 'Ladak ' alfalfa [Medicago saliva (L.)] and two entries of winterfat [Krashnennikovia species (Guldenstaedt)]. Cattle utilization was determined by calculating a biomass consumed value and a percent biomass consumed value. Dry weights for …

Characteristics Of Ungulate Behavior And Mortality Associated With Wire Fences, Justin L. Harrington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I studied the characteristics of fence mortality in pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and elk (Cervus elaphus) along roads in Colorado and Utah from June 2004 to June 2005. I defined a direct-fence mortality as a carcass caught directly in a fence and an indirect-fence mortality as a carcass on the ground within 10 m of a fence. I estimated an average annual direct mortality occurrence of 0.25 mortalities/km (0.078 mule deer mortalities/km, 0.113 pronghorn mortalities/km, and 0.061 elk mortalities/km). The highest fence-mortality rates for ungulates occurred during August, which coincided with …

Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions In Utah: An Analysis Of Wildlife Road Mortality Hotspots, Economic Impacts And Implications For Mitigation And Management, Christine A. Kassar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the US, the roaded landscape has had serious ecological effects. We studied wildlife-vehicle collisions occurring on the 248 state routes in Utah from 1992 to 2002. We tracked trends and patterns in deer-vehicle collisions, evaluated all routes for frequency of deer kills, and identified "hotspots" (segments of road with high concentrations of collisions per mile). We found pronounced patterns: e.g., 61.15% of all collisions occurred on only 10 routes. We studied the effects of posted speed limit and annual average daily traffic flow and found that no relationship existed between traffic volume and/or posted speed limit and the number …

Bird And Small Mammal Communities Of Sagebrush-Dominated Mountain Meadows: An Examination Of Meadow Characteristics As Part Of A Hierarchical, Multi-Level Study Of The Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Elizabeth Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sagebrush shrubsteppe ecosystems have increasingly garnered attention as an endangered ecosystem. Ninety nine percent of all sagebrush ecosystems are thought to have been impacted by humans, and over 50% of grassland and shrubsteppe species are believed to be in decline. Most of the research on sagebrush ecosystems has been conducted at lower elevations and in large expanses of sagebrush. A considerable amount of sagebrush is found at higher elevations, often in meadows found within a forest matrix. The role of this high-elevation habitat is poorly understood. We conducted bird, small mammal, vegetation, and soil surveys in sagebrush-dominated mountain meadows within …

Resistance To Change Of Ethanol Self-Administration: Effects Of Naltrexone And Extinction, Corina Jimenez-Gomez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Drug self-administration has proven to be an adequate model for assessing variables that contribute to the maintenance of drug taking. The present experiment was concerned with the persistence of drug self-administration, a defining characteristic of drug dependence and abuse. Findings from studies of the resistance to change of food-maintained responding may contribute to a better understanding of the persistence of drug abuse and dependence. Using an animal model of alcohol self-administration, this study evaluated the effects of rate of reinforcement on the persistence of ethanol self-administration in rats in the face of behavioral (i.e., extinction) and pharmacological (i.e., naltrexone) disruptors. …

Characterizing Deformation, Damage Parameters, And Clay Composition In Fault Zones: Insights From The Chelungpu Thrust, Taiwan, And Mozumi Right Lateral Fault, Japan, Angela J. Isaacs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Chelungpu thrust fault, Taiwan, and the Mozumi right-lateral fault, Japan, provide an opportunity to characterize active faults in clastic sedimentary rocks and provide constraints to seismologic models. The northern Chelungpu fault has a 10-30 m wide primary damage zone characterized by dense fractures and chemical alteration. The southern Chelungpu fault has a 25-70 m wide primary damage zone characterized by dense fractures, alteration, intensely sheared rock, and secondary faults. The complexity of the damage zone, geochemistry, and clay mineralogy of the southern fault zone reflects its greater maturity (~1 Ma) relative to the northern fault zone (~46-100 Ka). A …

Simulated Browsing Impacts On Aspen Sucker's Survival And Growth, Koketso Tshireletso

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Western forests dominated by aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) are highly regarded by most resource managers for their ability to provide a variety of benefits (Bartos and Mueggler 1982, Mueggler 1988). They noted aspen to be beneficial for production of livestock forage, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty, and they are a potentially valuable source of wood products. However, in the West, communities are concerned about the dwindling acreage of aspen. The decline of aspen has been partly attributed to excessive ungulate browsing (Smith et al. 1972, Collins and Urness 1983, Bartos and Campbell 1998). Long-term grazing exclosures have also revealed …

Humic And Fulvic Acids: Effects On Plant Nutrition And Growth, Jason Tew

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Humic substances are reported to improve plant growth and nutrient uptake, with iron the most studied nutrient. The most common forms of iron in soils are iron oxides, which are stable under aerobic conditions and unavailable for plant uptake. Iron deficient plants become chlorotic, which reduces growth and yield. To determine if humic substances can reduce iron chlorosis, five commercially available organic acids were tested on maize grown in sand columns at high pH. The dry granular humic acid from Aldrich Chemical Company applied at 84.4 g/liter of sand by volume (5% by mass) and 1 g/liter added with irrigation …

Relationship Between Infant Reactivity And Maternal Emotional Well-Being During The Early Postpartum Period At Two Points In Time, Karen Udy Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationship between infants' reactivity and mothers' emotionality during the early postpartum period, specifically during the first days of life and again by three months of age. The Clinical Neonatal Behavioral Scale (CLNBAS) was used to evaluate the infants. The mothers were evaluated at the same time by responding to questions on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

Forty-six mother-infant dyads were recruited from the Logan Regional Hospital childbirth classes for first-time parents. Minimum criteria for participation were that the mother must be married, be at least 18 years of age, have at least a high school …

Effects Of Fire Disturbance On Terrestrial Salamanders In Mixed-Coniferous Forests Of The Klamath/Siskiyou Region Of The Pacific Northwest, Donald J. Major

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An effective examination of fire disturbance on floral and faunal components requires research that integrates knowledge from multiple disciplines to understand the pattern and process controls affecting organisms in a complex system. However, current fire effects research typically focuses on the pattern response of organisms or their habitats with little integration of the dynamic fire process that created the pattern. This dissertation integrates an analysis of the processes of fire disturbance with terrestrial salamander ecology in a fire-dependent forest ecosystem, Klamath Province, California, USA.

In Chapter 1, I begin with a comprehensive review of disturbance ecology, focusing primarily on fire …

Information Sources, Willingness To Volunteer, And Attitudes Towards Invasive Plants In The Southwestern United States, Leith Seeley Tidwell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examines results of a survey conducted in the Southwestern United States focusing on attitudes towards invasive plants, public preferences for information sources and willingness to volunteer in invasive plant management. This research demonstrates that the public is interested in the problem and control of invasive plants. In a broad context there is agreement among respondents that invasive plants pose a threat to the environment and control efforts, including the use of herbicides, should be allowed to occur. Given the differences between general and specific attitudes towards invasive plants, it is suggested education and awareness programs be designed to …

Learning And Application Of Range Management Innovations Among Ranchers In West-Central Colorado, Caroline A. Kennedy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Like many ranchers in the West, ranchers in West-Central Colorado are reevaluating their management strategies in the face of forces like drought, rising land prices, and encroaching development. While ranchers seek answers on alternative management strategies, research and Extension personnel search for adequate means of diffusing needed information. Relative to many rural western communities, ranchers in West-Central Colorado show high interest in alternative range management ideas, and many implement changes to their ranch management based on these ideas. This can partially be attributed to a unique support system of Extension and agency personnel with effective, untraditional outreach and land-management approaches. …

"The Darkness Is The Whole Thing": Environment, Belief, And Community In The Wampus Legend Of The Retsof Salt Mine, Ashley Gorrell Purser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

"The Darkness is the Whole Thing" is an examination of a legendary animal known as the wampus that makes its home in the Retsof salt mine. Various forms of wampus creatures found in other settings are introduced, followed by discussion of the ways in which environment influences the adaptation of occupational legend. The article considers how belief in the wampus facilitates the expression of fear, an increased sense of awareness, and the development of community in a unique and dangerous work environment. The telling of the wampus legend is considered a narrative tool for solidifying and preserving occupational identity.

The Effects Of Morphine On The Discrimination Of Subject-Produced And Experimenter-Imposed Durations, Ryan D. Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Experiments on the effects of drugs on behavior maintained by temporal-discrimination procedures have led to discrepant results. Recent experiments suggest that the effects of drugs may differ depending on whether the subject is timing some aspect of its own behavior or some other stimulus. The present experiment used a multiple-schedule procedure composed of a subject-produced and experimenter-imposed component. In the subject-produced component, pigeons categorized the duration of their most recently emitted interresponse time. In the experimenter-imposed component, pigeons categorized the duration of a key light. Morphine generally produced underestimation of time during the subject-produced component, a result in agreement with …

The Effects Of Added Reinforcers On Resistance To Change, Christopher A. Podlesnik

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The fundamental unit of behavior, defined by the discriminated operant, can be reduced to the three-term contingency, which includes an antecedent stimulus, a response, and a reinforcing consequence. Behavioral momentum theory suggests that resistance to disruption (i.e., resistance to change) of operant behavior is governed by the relation between the antecedent stimulus context and the rate of reinforcement within that context (i.e., Pavlovian stimulus-reinforcer relation). Further, behavior momentum theory suggests that resistance to change is independent of the contingency between the response and the reinforcer (i.e., operant response-reinforcer relation). Thus, although additional response-independent food decreases response rates by greatly degrading …

Interplanetary Contamination: The Ultimate Challenge For Environmental And Constitutional Lawyers?, George S. Robinson

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Diaspora, A Large Family Of Ty3-Gypsy Retrotransposons In Glycine Max, Is An Envelope-Less Member Of An Endogenous Plant Retrovirus Lineage, Sho T. Yano, Bahman Panbehi, Arpita Das, Howard M. Laten

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background

The chromosomes of higher plants are littered with retrotransposons that, in many cases, constitute as much as 80% of plant genomes. Long terminal repeat retrotransposons have been especially successful colonizers of the chromosomes of higher plants and examinations of their function, evolution, and dispersal are essential to understanding the evolution of eukaryotic genomes. In soybean, several families of retrotransposons have been identified, including at least two that, by virtue of the presence of an envelope-like gene, may constitute endogenous retroviruses. However, most elements are highly degenerate and are often sequestered in regions of the genome that sequencing projects initially …