Digital Commons Network^™

Decellularized Porcine Myocardium As A Scaffold For Cardiac Tissue Engineering, Bo Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure are leading causes of mortality globally. Recently, cardiac tissue engineering has become an attractive option for MI treatment due to the following advantages: it might provide optimal tissue performance maintained by viable transplanted cells, and might also stimulate the formation of vasculature supplying oxygen and nutrients in the patched region. However, fabrication of a thick viable cardiac patch with 3D scaffolds that are thoroughly recellularized with desired cells remains a challenge. We hypothesize that the decellularized porcine myocardium scaffold can preserve natural extracellular matrix (ECM) structure, cardiomyocyte lacunae, mechanical properties, and vasculature templates that …

Development Of An Innovative Detection Technology For Escherichia Coli O157:H7, Qian Gu

Theses and Dissertations

Escherichia coli O157:H7 detection in food is conducted mainly by DNA/PCR, immunoassay or conventional methods. However, all the methods require multiple incubation steps. Antibiotic and isolation agars were found as the main factors that lead to false-positive results. An improved rapid detection method was developed by decreasing detection time and enhancing easiness of detection without the need for any analytical instrumentation. A combination of selective ingredients and temperature was utilized to allow the growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the detection. The detection method minimized the effects of the main false positive bacteria, Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacter spp. The sensitivity, …

Control Of Salmonella Biofilms By Essential Oils And Reduction Of Salmonella In Ground Turkey By Lauric Arginate And Carvacrol, Ademola Oladunjoye

Theses and Dissertations

Salmonella is often associated with retail poultry products. Our research evaluated the effect of temperature on the biofilm formation by Salmonella spp. and the efficacy of essential oils in controlling these biofilms on stainless steel surfaces. The sublethal concentrations of thyme, oregano and carvacrol at 0.006-0.012% suppressed biofilm formation by Salmonella spp. while concentrations at 0.05-0.1% reduced the biofilms of a three-strain mixture of Salmonella spp. by 7 logs. Carvacrol was evaluated in combination with lauric arginate for controlling the three-strain mixture of Salmonella spp. in ground turkey containing 1%, 7% or 15% fat. Higher concentrations of carvacrol (1%) or …

Cow-Calf Operations In The Southeastern United States: An Analysis Of Farm Characteristics And Production Risks, Tracey Scott Adkins

Theses and Dissertations

Beef cattle production in the southeastern United States differs in size, practice, and production type from other U.S. regions. Smaller, cow-calf type operations dominate in this region because the climate, forage availability, and other land use practices of farmers make this type of cattle operation more ideal for the Southeast. This research summarizes the current practices and characteristics that define the Southeastern cow-calf operation of today’s market and operating environment; it also examines the factors that influence the variability of beef production in these operations. Results indicate the following major points: 1.) 53.0% of respondents with commercial cows have fewer …

Effects Of Salinity On Growth, Oxygen Consumption Rate And Ion Regulation In Two Ages Of Alligator Gar Atractosteus Spatula, Daniel Edwin Schwarz

Theses and Dissertations

The alligator gar Atractosteus spatula is a euryhaline fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding drainages. However, the extent of its hypo-osmotic abilities are not well understood. To determine effect of salinity on growth, metabolic rate, and osmoregulation abilities the following question was developed: when does the alligator gar have the osmoregulatory capabilities to survive in hyperosmotic environments? To answer this question, two different age groups (60 and 330 days after hatch [DAH]) of juvenile alligator gar were exposed to 4 different salinities (0, 8, 16, and 24 ppt) for a 30-day period. Specific growth rate, oxygen consumption …

Efficacy And Biodegradability Of Pentachlorophenol In Conventional And Biodiesel Amended Carriers, Saeed Keshani Langroodi

Theses and Dissertations

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is widely used as a wood preservative for wood products. It has been proposed that a modified PCP carrier system based on a diesel/biodiesel mixture should be used in place of the conventional diesel/KB3 carrier, but there is some question as to whether or not this modified carrier system can provide the same service life for wood products treated with PCP. The main objectives of this research were to evaluate: 1) the comparative biodegradability of PCP in soil containing either diesel/KB3 or diesel/biodiesel, and 2) the comparative decay resistance of wood treated with formulations containing either diesel/KB3 or …

Evaluation Of A Granulated Paper Waste Product As A Suitable Bedding Material For Horses, Amanda Arrington Youngblood

Theses and Dissertations

Three 14 day trials were used to compare granulated paper(GP) to pine pellets(PP) and wood shavings(WS) as bedding for horses. During days 1 through 5 stalls were cleaned daily of feces only, and stalls were cleaned of both feces and saturated areas from days 6 to 14. For stall cleanliness, PP was cleaner than both GP and WS. Initial pH was greater for both GP and WS compared to PP. The water holding capacity for WS was greater than PP and GP. On day 5 there was ammonia detected for WS during trial 1. GP and WS emitted more ammonia …

Validation Of Bioluminescent Escherichia Coli O157:H7 For Use As A Pre-Harvest Food Safety Model, Heather Ann Duoss

Theses and Dissertations

Cattle are naturally colonized by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli within the gastrointestinal tract. The most notorious of the enterohemorrhagic E. coli is E. coli O157:H7, which can cause serious illness to humans if ingested. To ensure that the United States has a safe food supply, research is ongoing in pre-harvest food safety and pathogen intervention strategies. While advances in pre-harvest intervention strategies are encouraging, no method has proven to completely eliminate and/or control O157:H7. A key limitation to successful pathogen intervention strategies is the inability to track and monitor pathogens in a real-time fashion. Through the use of bioluminescent plasmids harboring …

Stress Responses And Attachment Of Listeria Monocytogenes In Food, Dongryeoul Bae

Theses and Dissertations

The rates of the US hospitalization and mortality caused by Listeria monocytogenes was estimated to be the highest of 31 food-borne pathogens including Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, and Clostridium. This pathogen has an ability to survive under extreme conditions widely found in the natural environment and food. Among 13 serovars L. monocytogenes serovar 4b, 1/2a and 1/2b are mainly associated with human listeriosis outbreaks. The deadliest outbreaks of human listeriosis and massive product recalls in multi-states were associated with ready-to-eat (RTE) food products such as mexican-style cheese, turkey deli meat, cabbage, and cantaloupes contaminated with the bacterium. Thus, contamination of …

Lipid Accumulation In Synthetic Wastewater-Grown Oleaginous Microorganisms, Andrew Thompson Ford

Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater has been shown to contain the necessary nutritive requirements for the growth of microorganisms. The term, oleaginous, has been given to a classification of microorganisms know to produce up to twenty percent of the weight as oil. This study is designed to examine the potential accumulation of lipids within an oleaginous consortium grown on synthetic wastewater. Potential of the fluorescent stain, Nile red, as a lipid detector is also emphasized. Percentages of extractables greater than thirtyive percent were achieved within the oleaginous consortium using a nitrogen-limited medium. Low pH was found to increase the percentages of extractables. Xylose was …

Growth And Swimming Endurance Of Juvenile Channel Catfish In High Temperature Environments, Michael B. Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are important to aquaculture and natural ecosystems, however little is known regarding effects of high summer temperatures, which are predicted to increase with climate change. Therefore, two studies were conducted to examine physiological effects of high temperatures on juvenile channel catfish. The first examined effects of three cycling thermal regimes (23-27°C, 27-31°C, and 31-35°C) characteristic of culture environments in Mississippi on growth, food consumption, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate, and activity. The second study measured active and resting metabolic rates and swimming endurance at constant temperatures (27, 31, and 35°C). The best growth and feed …

Impact And Management Of Twospotted Spider Mite In Pre-Flowering Cotton, William Sidney Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Experiments were conducted to determine the impact of twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on cotton injury and yield. Artificial infestations were initiated at the three leaf stage of cotton growth and removed after specified durations of infestation. Yields were reduced for durations of infestation 21 days or greater. In a second experiment, the interactions between twospotted spider mite, thrips, at-planting insecticides, and foliar insecticides were studied to determine their impact on cotton yields. Twospotted spider mites and thrips reduced cotton yield. In a third experiment, twospotted spider mites were released from a central point in 0.024 hectare blocks of …

Evaluation Of Varying Digestible Lysine Levels On The Reproductive Parameters Of Cobb 500 Broiler Breeders And The Performance Of Their Progeny, Leonel Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of decreasing digestible lysine (dLys) intake by broiler breeder (BB) hens from 35 to 45 wk of age on their reproductive performance and performance of their progeny was evaluated. Two types of diets were fed: a diet from commercially available ingredients consisting of dLys intakes of 1,200 (IDL) and 1,010 mg/hen/day (ID) and a semi-purified diet with dLys intakes of 1,010 (SPL) and 600 mg/hen/day (SP). Hens fed the SPL and SP diets had lower hen-day egg production compared to BB hens fed the IDL and ID diets. Fertility and hatchability of eggs set were lowest (P <0.05) for hens fed the SPL diets. Chick weight at hatch was lower (P<0.05) for those that came from the SP and SPLed hens, but 42 and 56 day body weights (BW) were similar for all treatments. Marginal improvements (P<0.10) in FCR were seen at 42 and 56 days for chicks from IDed hens compared to IDL hens. A decrease in daily intake of dLys appeared to improve BB reproductive performance when hens were fed a semi-purified diet and the same response was not observed in hens fed a diet from commercially available ingredients. Furthermore, the progeny study revealed marginal improvements in some live performance parameters. In a second study, a diet based from corn-soybean meal and formulated to a dLys intake of 1,000 mg/hen/day (CS) and three diets composed primarily of corn, soybean meal, and DDGS with 1,000 (DDGS-1,000), 800 (DDGS-800), and 600 (DDGS-600) mg of dLys/hen/day were fed to evaluate the reproductive performance of BB hens from 24 to 42 wk of age. Feeding diets composed of commercially available ingredients with dLys intake levels below 1,000 mg/hen/day did not impact BB reproductive performance. Reduced BW, carcass and breast weight, and higher (P<0.05) back half weight at 42 days of age was observed from broilers that came from 26 wk old BB hens fed the DDGS-600 diet. Reducing dLys intake in later BB hen ages did not impact progeny performance or carcass characteristics. This suggests that Lys may be in dietary surplus concentrations for commercial breeders under current practical conditions.

Energy Productivity And Efficiency Of The ‘Gher’ (Prawn-Fish-Rice) Farming System In Bangladesh, S Rahman, Bk Barmon

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Gher' farming is a unique system that incorporates the joint operation of three enterprises: freshwater prawn, fish and HYV rice, and is expanding rapidly in the coastal regions of Bangladesh because of its proven high income earning potential. In this paper, the sustainability of this system is evaluated by analysing its performance in terms of energy use by applying a stochastic distance function approach which revealed interesting and unexpected results. The prawn enterprise which is the key income earning component is found to be technically inefficient while the rice enterprise is found to be efficient. The net energy balance and …

Longitudinal Analysis Of Calcium Supplementation Preventing Bone Mass Loss In Females, Piilani Nicola

Science and Social Sciences

Calcium is an important nutrient for metabolism of bones (Greer & Krebs, 2006). This study hypothesizes that consuming calcium supplements for twenty years decreases women’s risk of developing osteoporosis. A longitudinal study of 100 women in Portland, Oregon consists of five different conditions where all except the nutritional group takes 1000mg calcium supplements daily for 20 years. Conditions for the study (N=20 in each condition) will be: nutrition, weight-bearing exercise, smoking, overweight/obese, and hormonal effects. Journaling will follow each participant’s daily calcium intake. Journal data will be compared with bone mineral density results to see calcium effects. Bone mass density …

Use Of An After-School Healthy Food Choice Program To Decrease Obesity In Middle Childhood Participant, Krystal Lum

Science and Social Sciences

Portland, Oregon has high rates of obesity within children ages six through 12. Will children's food choice lower the rates of obesity within the target population? Any kindergartener attending Creston Elementary School can enroll. Participants will complete a pre-survey addressing their current food preferences and an assessment of their body mass index (BMI). An after-school program will showcase sustainable ways to grow and cook items that children may not have enjoyed before. After enrollment the children will be exposed to samples of test food and will be educated about preparation and nutritional properties. In May of their sixth grade, subjects …

Effects Of A Basic Climbing Education Program On Physical Fitness And Macronutrient Intake In Novice Mountaineers, Donald A. Defrang Ii, Kelsey J. Franklin

Humanities and Creative Projects

This study explored the effects of a Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) on the anthropometric measurements, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness (VO_2max), muscular endurance, muscular strength, and nutrient intake (water, protein, carbohydrate, fat, total kcal) in novice mountaineers.

36 male and 34 female (mean age = 35.5 years, range = 21-61yrs.) participants currently enrolled in a BCEP class were measured for anthropometrics (height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist, % body fat, % muscle, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and blood pressure), sit and reach, max handgrip strength, max push-ups, Canadian curl-ups, and Forestry step test (VO_2max) preceding and …

The Growing Concern Of Poverty In The United States: An Exploration Of Food Prices And Poverty On Obesity Rates For Low-Income Citizens, Catherine Gillespie, Kathy Gray, Ethan Bailey, John Zivalich

Undergraduate Economic Review

Studies demonstrate the link between income and obesity, determining factors to explain the strong correlation between high body mass index and low socioeconomic status. Many focus on uncovering predictors but few use a systems approach: identifying the interaction among predictors and their relative magnitude concerning obesity. This study asks: do poverty or food price indicators have a statistically stronger relationship with obesity?

By collecting data, evaluating trends, and analyzing statistics, this study extends research by revealing a stronger relationship between obesity and food prices as opposed to obesity and poverty.

2012 Commencement Program, Whittier College

Commencement Programs

Whittier College's One Hundred Ninth Commencement, May 11, 2012

Supplement files include Spring Honors Convocation, April 27, 2012 the One Hundred Ninth Baccalaureate, May 10, 2012.

Honors Day, May 11, 2012, Murray State University

Honors Day Programs

Honors Day Programs, Murray State University. (Digitization and metadata processed by Madison Erwin.)

Poverty And Development, By Castro And Crollius, S.J. Galdon

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Florida Sentinel Bulletin, May 11, 2012, Gwen Hayes

Florida Sentinel Bulletin Collection

The May 11, 2012, issue of the Florida Sentinel Bulletin.

Molecular And Functional Characterization Of Tick Salivary Vti Protein Family, Ashley Villarreal

Honors Theses

Tick salivary glands serves as the organ of osmoregulation in ticks and are critical to the biological success of ticks both during extended period off the host and also during the feeding periods on the host. The salivary glands are the sites of pathogen development and saliva is the route of transmission. The importance of multifunctional salivary glands to tick survival and vector competency makes the glands a potential target for intervention. The complex process by which tick salivary gland proteins exit the glands and enter the host has been extensively studied, in what is called the SNARE hypothesis, soluble …

A Phylogeny Of Samydaceae Based On Nuclear Gbssi And Emb2765 Dna Sequences, Chelsa Williams

Honors Theses

Samydaceae are a tropical family of woody flowering plants, poorly known because they were once included in the ‘dustbin’ family Flacourtiaceae and because there are few economically important species. The family has recently been studied using DNA sequence data, but most of the data were from plastid DNA and some relationships had low statistical support. For this study, two nuclear regions, EMB2765 and GBSSI, were sequenced in order to affirm or refute the relationships inferred from plastid DNA and in order to find stronger statistical support for relationships. The data collected mostly affirm previously collected data from plastid DNA.

The Effects Of Xanthigentm Supplementation On Body Composition, Serum Markers Of The Metabolic Syndrome, And Hepaptic Enzyme Levels In An Obese Population, Emily Buras

Honors Theses

XanthigenTM [100 mg brown seaweed extract (0.8 % fucoxanthin) and 100 mg pomegranate seed oil (70 % punicic acid)] has been shown to significantly reduce body fat, liver fat, and improve serum markers of liver function in obese females. Twenty-nine participants were matched for age, gender, and body fat percentage and randomized into either a XanthigenTM group or a placebo group. For 16-weeks, participants were asked to consume a reduced calorie diet while supplementing their diet with their respective pills three times per day. Data were analyzed using multivariate ANOVA with repeated measures and presented as mean ± standard deviation. …

Obesity Trends In Head Start Preschoolers, Anna Sanders

Honors Theses

The purpose of this natural comparative study is to see if changes in diet, education, and activity made in a South Mississippi Head Start (HS) preschool from Fall 2007 through Fall 2010 made any changes in the Body Mass Index (BMI) trends in two cohorts of low-income African American 3-year-olds. Cohort 1 BMI trends were measured in Fall 2006 and Spring 2007, before major HS changes in diet, education and activity were made (pre-treatment), and Cohort 2 was measured in Fall 2010 and Spring 2011, after major changes were made (post-treatment).

Barriers And Motivators For Influenza Vaccination Compliance Among Healthcare, Shelby Rogers

Honors Theses

The influenza vaccine is a topic of much debate and concern throughout the healthcare profession. This vaccination has been shown to drastically reduce the number of nosocomial infections of the flu among hospitalized patients. While many healthcare professionals are aware of the benefits of obtaining the influenza vaccination, many remain noncompliant to actually getting vaccinated. This research will use a form of evidence-based practice known as an integrative review of literature in order to determine the course of nursing action to implement regarding influenza vaccination that will best increase the rates of its compliance among health professionals. A number of …

Understanding And Addressing Unique Needs Of Diabetes In Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, And Pacific Islanders, George L. King, Marguerite J. Mcneely, Lorna E. Thorpe, Marjorie L.M. Mau, Jocelyn Ko, Lenna L. Liu, Angela Sun, William C. Hsu, Edward A. Chow

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Xanthigen Supplementation On Body Weight, Resting Energy Expenditure, And Body Composition In An Obese Population, Lisa Knecht

Honors Theses

Since obesity is a significant problem that is facing the American people, there has been great interest in trying to develop a successful health supplement to help counteract the effects of obesity. Xanthigen is a new supplement composed of brown seaweed extract and pomegranate seed oil and is theorized to increase resting energy expenditure and decrease BMI and body fat. This study involved a 16‐week supplementation protocol to examine the effects of Xanthigen supplementation on an obese population in the Mississippi area. Testing of resting energy expenditure, BMI, and body fat percentage took place every four weeks for 16 weeks. …

Testosterone Supplementation Effects On Low Bmd In Males Ages 19-62: A Six-Month Intervention, Kara Palmer

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a six-month testosterone supplementation on bone mineral density (BMD) in males ages 19-62. Recruiting potential subject through a local clinic, five subjects were eligible for participation in the study. A pre-supplementation DEXA scan was used to measure BMD of the lumbar spine and hip. A post-supplementation DEXA was done after six months of supplementation; the same sites were scanned. Of the initial five subjects, three subjects completed the study. All subjects showed an increase in serum testosterone levels (∆= +537 ng/dL). After the supplementation subject one showed an increase …