Digital Commons Network^™

Dark Green Color Index As A Method Of Real-Time In-Season Corn Nitrogen Measurement And Fertilization, Upton Siddons

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Corn (Zea mays L.) requires higher rates of nitrogen fertilizer than any other major U.S. crop partly because N fertilizers are subject to loss through various mechanisms. Because of this, corn may suffer from inadequate nitrogen fertilization or producers may over-apply nitrogen to compensate for early-season nitrogen losses. A timely, accurate, and precise method for measuring in-season corn N status is needed to allow producers to keep nitrogen use efficiency high within a growing season.

Using appropriate software, hue, saturation, and brightness values of digital images can be combined in a dark green color index (DGCI) which is closely associated …

Production Of Bioethanol By Fermentation Of Sugars Released By Dilute-Acid And Enzymatic Hydrolysis Of Soybean Meal, Deivis E. Lujan-Rhenals

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soybean meal (SBM) is a co-product of soybean oil extraction mostly used as animal feed due to its protein content ranging from 40 to 49%. Additionally, SBM contains 35-42% of carbohydrates, half of which are structural, and the remaining consists of approximately 17% of mono- and disaccharides--especially sucrose--up to 8% oligosaccharides, and 1-2% starch. When used as animal feed, only sucrose and starch are digested and absorbed by monogastric animals. Although SBM contributes carbohydrates to their diet, its main function is to provide proteins. Therefore, the selective removal of carbohydrates would create a protein-enriched meal with a greater value, which …

Studies On The Structure And Pathogens Of The Small Hive Beetle (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), Natasha A. Wright

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida, SHB) is an invasive pest of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in the United States. The adult and larval beetles can ruin honey through fecal contamination and by vectoring a mutualistic yeast (Kodamaea ohmeri) that causes honey fermentation. These beetles also impact honey bee colonies by feeding on bee eggs, bee brood, and pollen. Severe beetle infestations can cause colonies to decline or abscond.

The SHB has been present in the United States since at least 1998. Since then, there have been several published papers on how to successfully rear these beetles. Laboratory rearing …

Measuring The Energy Required To Dry Rice In Commercial Rice Dryers, Maria Alejandra Billiris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to quantify and assess the energy use and efficiency of commercial cross-flow dryers when drying rice using a range of drying and ambient conditions. First, equations that predict the theoretical energy required to dry rice from any given initial moisture content to a desired final moisture content were developed for several rice cultivars using a semi-theoretical approach to obtain a basis for comparison to calculate energy efficiency. Theoretical energy requirements, expressed as the energy required per unit mass of water removed, increased exponentially as initial moisture content decreased. Additionally, medium-grains required more energy to …

A Cradle To Farm Gate Life Cycle Analysis Of Water Use In U.S. Pork Production, Eric Boles

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this study was to analyze water use across a range of regions, scales and practices of the U.S. pork industry. A Life Cycle Assessment of water use within the pork supply chain was performed. Cumulative water use was the environmental impact category used in the LCA to evaluate the impacts of pork production processes throughout the pork supply chain. The functional unit for the analysis was the volume of water required to produce one kilogram of swine (live weight) at the farm gate.

A comprehensive literature review was used to design and propagate algorithms for the National …

Risk Assessment Of Trace And Undeclared Allergens In Processed Foods, Benjamin C. Remington

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Minimal eliciting doses for objective allergic reactions were found for 13 priority allergens and over 1800 individuals from published clinical literature or unpublished clinical data. Allergic populations did not vary when analyzed by age or geographic region. Results of this study show there are sufficient clinical data from food allergic individuals to use for risk assessment purposes for several allergenic foods.

Of 186 food products bearing advisory statements regarding peanut or 16 products that had peanut listed as a minor ingredient, 8.6% and 37.5% contained detectable levels of peanut (>2.5 ppm whole peanut). An additional market survey of 215 …

Investigating The Function Of The Mold Specific Gene M46, In The Pathogenic Dimorphic Fungus Histoplasma Capsulatum, Davida Lashaundra Crossley

Dissertations

Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) is a dimorphic fungus that is the etiologic agent for the respiratory infection histoplasmosis. The fungus is found in the environment in contaminated soils of birds and bat excreta as a multi-cellular saprophytic mold. Once the soil is disturbed, spores are released and are inhaled into the lungs. In the lungs, the fungus converts to uni-cellular parasitic yeast (Maresca & Kobayashi, 1989). The conversion from mold to yeast is a requirement for pathogenesis. Previously, several mold specific genes have been isolated by our laboratory from a subtracted cDNA library. One such gene, is M46. M46 is a …

Teacher Perception Of School Culture And School Climate In The Leader In Me Schools And Non Leader In Me Schools, Brian Patrick Barkley

Dissertations

In 1989 Dr. Stephen Covey wrote The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People which revealed seven habits that people should integrate into their lives that would help them on the two levels of relationships. First, it would help people to establish a better relationship personally. Secondly, it would help people to improve their relationships with other people. The book was originally written for adults; later Sean Covey, son of Dr. Covey, wrote a version of The Seven Habits that was geared toward teenagers. But the question of whether these adult lessons can be taught to five year olds was taken …

The Effectiveness Of Internet And Instant Messaging Approaches In Promoting Intention To Breastfeed, Brigett Landry Scott

Dissertations

Breastfeeding rates for the southern portion of the United States are low compared to the rest of the country. This study sought to determine the effectiveness of electronic delivery of breastfeeding education compared to written education in regards to intention to breastfeed in a convenience sample of pregnant women in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi. The final sample included 147 women randomized into one of three groups to complete the six week education intervention study. Questionnaires measuring demographics, Need for Cognition Scale (NFC), the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), and the IFI Feeding Intentions Assessment were utilized. MANCOVA was used …

Workplace Health Promotion Programs: An Assessment Of Factors Influencing Participation, Tomeka Lashell Harbin

Dissertations

Increasing health care costs are indicators of a major threat to short and long term viability of American businesses. As leaders in American businesses and industries face rising health insurance and medical care costs, interest in disease prevention and health promotion increases. Decreasing health care costs coupled with a greater public interest for addressing health issues has led to the workplace health promotion movement. This study utilized quantitative research methods to examine employee perceptions of workplace health promotion in the Mississippi Delta, a rural area identified as one of the three unhealthiest places to live in the United States.

Electronic …

Illinois State, May 2013, Illinois State University, University Marketing And Communications

State: The Magazine of Illinois State University (1999-present)

Illinois State University alumni magazine

B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Versus Amino Terminal Pro-B Type Natriuretic Peptide: Selecting The Optimal Heart Failure Marker In Patients With Impaired Kidney Function, Lena Jafri, Waqar Kashif, Javed Tai, Imran Siddiqui, Iqbal Azam, Hira Shahzad, Farooq Ghani

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: The effect of impaired kidney function on B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) is vague. This study was performed to examine the effect of kidney dysfunction on the afore-mentioned markers and determine appropriate cutoffs for systolic heart failure (SHF).

Methods: In this cross sectional study adults with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)/min for ≥3 months were identified in consulting clinics from June 2009 to March 2010. SHF was defined as documented by a cardiologist with ejection fraction of < 40% and assessed by New York Heart Association classification (NYHA). Plasma was assayed for creatinine (Cr), BNP and NT-proBNP.

Results: A total of 190 subjects were enrolled in the study, 95 with and 95 without SHF. The mean …

The Impact Of The Built Environment And At-Home Calorie Consumption On Family-Based Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment Outcomes, Myra Altman

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

No abstract provided.

Weight Loss Methods And Eating Disorder Risk Factors In Collegiate Wrestlers, Jessica Rea

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate the weight loss of collegiate wrestlers and assess their risk for eating disorders (ED). Methods: Wrestlers were recruited by contacting the athletic trainer (AT) at the institution they wrestled. ATs who agreed to participate were sent an electronic link containing a survey, 143 wrestlers provided usable data. The survey was created from two surveys one allows the athlete to describe his eating behaviors and the ATHLETE questionnaire which measures risk for ED. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and frequencies. Results: 76.6% of wrestlers indicated binge eating; eating behaviors are …

Limiting “Sugary Drinks” To Reduce Obesity — Who Decides?, Wendy K. Mariner, George J. Annas

Faculty Scholarship

When a judge struck down the New York City Board of Health's partial ban on selling “sugary drinks” in containers of more than 16 fluid ounces, the reaction was swift. The Portion Cap Rule was widely viewed as a signature accomplishment of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's third term as the “public health mayor,” and he vowed to appeal, saying, “I've got to defend my children, and yours, and do what's right to save lives. Obesity kills.” But the question before the judge was not about the health risks posed by obesity or even the relationship between obesity and access to large …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The International Index Of Erectile Function (Iief-5) (Shim) Questionnaire On The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Erectile Dysfunction, Evelyn Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Thirty million or 52% of males between 40 and 70 years of age in the United States have some degree of erectile dysfunction (ED) (Feldman et al., 1994; Hakim, Subit, Kandzari, & ZasLau, 2002; Tsertsvadze et al., 2009). The American Urology Association (AUA) outlines measures to slow the rate of, control, and treat ED. To decrease the prevalence, ED must be diagnosed, identified, and the major risk factors aggressively controlled. Utilization of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) may improve identification and documentation of treatment, but questions remain about how to implement CPGs in practice. The purpose of this pilot project was …

An Evaluation Of The Idaho Plate Method For Adults With Type 2 Diabetes And Limited Health Literacy In Rural West Virginia, Pamela L. Edens

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This capstone project evaluated the Idaho Plate Method (IPM) as an effective nutrition self-management program for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with limited health literacy (LHL) in one rural clinic in West Virginia. A one-way pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate the effects of the program on food choices, confidence, and HbA1c. A convenience sample of 30 volunteers participated in the program with 3-month follow-up data collected on 22 volunteers. A Wilcoxon test was conducted to evaluate choices of fruits, vegetables, and fatty foods and participant confidence in making healthful food choices. Data analysis found significant differences in …

An Online Customer Service Survey To Determine Current Levels Of Customer Satisfaction At A Crossfit Gym, Sarah Lewis

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

A study was conducted by researchers from Utah State University at Northland Strength and Conditioning/Combat CrossFit to determine the customer satisfaction levels at a CrossFit gym in Liberty, Missouri. A survey was created and sent to current and previous members and responses were analyzed for trends and areas of strengths and weaknesses in the business. Of 194 surveys sent, 67 (35%) were returned. Data was analyzed using the survey administration platform provided by Constant Contact and also by Excel spreadsheet and statistical analyses.

Several areas of improvement were identified, including advertising opportunities with exterior signage, offering more classes or different …

Items To Be Included In A Food Safety Handbook For Artisan Cheese Makers, David A. Irish

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Current written resources for artisan cheese makers include topics concerning cheese history, cheese recipes, budget planning, culture selection, processing parameters, and only limited discussion of food safety associated with cheese manufacturing. Most often food safety discussions center on HACCP, which typically are not included in artisan cheese operation planning. Recent changes in the regulatory landscape, including the Food Safety Modernization Act, make this information timely and needed. This research is designed to identify and collect a majority of topical ideas that should be included in a Food Safety Handbook for Artisan Cheese Makers. Where possible, expansion of the ideas has …

Increasing Stringiness Of Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese Using Polysaccharides, Erik N. Oberg

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

We examined the ability of polysaccharides to function as fat mimetics in low-fat (LF) mozzarella string cheese to improve functionality by acting like fat globules to separate protein fibers during cheese extrusion. Low-fat mozzarella cheese curd made from 273 kg of 0.7% fat milk was salted at a rate of 10 g/kg then divided into 3.6-kg batches that were hand-stretched in 5% brine at 80° C and formed into a homogeneous mass. The hot cheese was hand mixed with a hot 80° polysaccharide slurry, placed into a small piston-driven extruder and then forced through a 16-mm die to form the …

Nutritional Habits & Knowledge In The Division I Collegiate Football Player, Mallory Hale

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Objectives: Athlete’s nutritional habits and knowledge can directly affect their performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the nutritional habits and knowledge of the Division I collegiate football player.

Methods: The participants of this study are male Division I college football players at Utah State University. The athletes included 45 players ranging from 18-26 and include freshman through seniors.

Results: Over eighty six percent of the athletes were unaware that a nutritionist was readily available to them. Sixty percent of the athletes were interested in meeting with the nutritionist. Forty percent of the athletes ate at a fast-food …

Validating Resonance Raman Spectroscopy: A Non-Invasive Assessment Of Skin Carotenoids As A Biomarker Of Fruit And Vegetable Intake In Children, Sheryl Swain Aguilar

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Background: Adult studies have found a strong correlation between serum carotenoids and skin carotenoids measured by resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS). No published studies have examined correlations between skin and serum carotenoids among children.

Objectives: (1) To validate skin RRS methodology against serum carotenoid measurements by high-performance liquid chromatography and (2) to determine if RRS skin carotenoids can be used as a valid biomarker of total fruit and vegetable (FV) intake among children.

Design: Participants were 45 healthy children age 5-17 who provided 3 blood samples used to assess serum carotenoid concentrations and 3 RRS skin measurements (using a Biophotonic ScannerTM) …

The Effect Of Implementing A Weight Loss Program On Participant Attendance, Club Usage, And Gym Membership Attrition, Stephanie Bonkemeyer Haymond

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the effect of a weight loss program on individual participant attendance, total club usage and membership attrition. This retrospective study involved a fitness gym located in Utah County, Utah with a total membership of 1,100. The number of clients participating in the weight loss program between December 2011 and May 2012 was 36 (32 females and 4 males). A total of 11 clients were analyzed for the individual attendance data as this analysis was limited to only those clients who were gym members one year prior to the implementation of the …

The Relationship Of Bulbous Bluegrass And Big Sagebrush In Utah, Jason D. Cox

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The increase in abundance and distribution of bulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa) has been a concern of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Very little research has been conducted to analyze the invasiveness of bulbous bluegrass in the Intermountain West. This study used data from 1982 to 2012 at range trend study sites across the state of Utah to investigate trends in bulbous bluegrass abundance, range expansion, and co-occurrence with big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). This study addressed the question of whether the increase of bulbous bluegrass correlates with changes in sagebrush …

Cinacalcet As Adjunctive Therapy For Hereditary 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D-Resistant Rickets., Tarak Srivastava, Uri S. Alon

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Secondary hyperparathyroidism from inadequate calcium absorption in the gut, is the underlying pathophysiology for rachitic changes in hereditary vitamin D-resistant rickets (HVDRR). We describe a novel use of Cinacalcet to treat a child with HVDRR in whom conventional modes of therapy had to be discontinued. Cinacalcet therapy with high-dose oral calcium effectively normalized the metabolic abnormalities and bone condition. The relative ease of administration of the calcimimetic as a once- or twice-daily oral preparation, compared with traditional intravenous calcium administration, should encourage its move to the frontline of treatment of the disorder.

Project Knowledge Of 4-H Members Who Participated In The Equine Skillathon At The West Virginia State Fair, Kolby Denae Wyant

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An Equine Skillathon is conducted annually at the West Virginia State Fair in Department F that is open to 4-H and FFA members. At the 2012 West Virginia State Fair, a descriptive research study was done utilizing the Equine Skillathon as the method of instrumentation. The study was conducted to assess the fundamental equine knowledge of junior and senior 4-H members who participated in the 2012 State Fair Equine Skillathon in the five categories of breed identification, conformation, body and hoof parts, as well as feed identification. The data was collected from the participating 4-H members' score sheets and used …

The Streptococcal Collagen-Like Protein-1 (Scl1) Is A Multifunctional Adhesin In Extracellular Matrix Interactions, Biofilm Formation, And Host Colonization By Group A Streptococcus, Heaven A. Oliver-Kozup

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is responsible for over 100 million skin infections annually that may lead to invasive episodes and autoimmune sequelaes. Wounds and unapparent skin infringements are susceptible to the introduction of GAS and serve as a portal of entry. The nutritional nature of a wound and the accessibility to exposed host cell surfaces and extracellular matrix components create a model milieu for successful host colonization and potential biofilm formation. The initiation of biofilm is often mediated by bacterial surface adhesins and has been shown to interfere with wound healing by blocking critical host cellular interactions. However, the underlying …

Differences In Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale Scores In Collaborative And Non-Collaborative West Virginia Pre-K Classrooms Located In Child Care Facilities, Jessica S. Day

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Quality of pre-k collaborative and non-collaborative classrooms was investigated for differences in environmental quality between the two types of classrooms. Data was collected through the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources grant titled, "Quality Rating and Improvement for West Virginia Child Care." Quality was measured using the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R), which has 43 items across seven subscales: Space and Furnishings, Personal Care Routines, Language-Reasoning, Activities, Interaction, Program Structure, and Parents and Staff. Thirty-six pre-k collaborative programs participated and 136 non-collaborative programs participated in the study. Non-collaborative pre-k classrooms had lower mean scores on all subscales …

Characterization Of Coconut Oil And Cla Induced Lipolysis, Siri Manasa Ippagunta

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Obesity is a main health concern and leads to many other health complications. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been shown to cause a reduction in obesity in several species. CLAinduced body fat loss is enhanced when mice are fed coconut oil (CO). The objectives were to determine if the CLA-induced lipolysis in different oil source-fed mice was time-dependent and to determine the effect of cell signaling inhibitors on CO+CLA-induced lipolysis. Study 1: Male mice (ICR; n=80; 3wk) were fed 7% soybean oil (SO) or CO diets for 6wk and then supplemented with 0 or 0.5% CLA for 3, 7, 10 …

Mechanisms Of Cadmium Tolerance In Populus, Brahma Reddy Induri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cadmium (Cd), a known carcinogen and one of the leading heavy metal pollutants on a global scale, is released to the atmosphere through various industrial processes such as smelting and mining and other applications including manufacture of batteries and phosphate fertilizers. It causes many deleterious effects in plants, and is harmful to humans through its entry into the food chain. Traditional methods of remediating Cd-contaminated soils, such as excavation and land-filling, are expensive and disturb the natural topography. The emerging method of phytoremediation in which plants are employed to remediate contaminated soils has become increasingly popular because of its cost …