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Effects Of Brief Motivational Interviewing On Motivation For Weight Loss, Krystal Marie Waldo

LSU Master's Theses

Obesity rates have continued to increase over the past decade with a current estimate of 35.7% of adults who are obese in the United States. Several behavioral weight loss programs are available to individuals, which typically lead to a 10% decrease in body weight; however, most individuals begin gaining weight after six months. Long-term weight maintenance interventions may be needed to help individuals keep the weight off and more cost-effective, and tailored weight-loss treatments need to be available. Motivation may play an important role in long-term weight maintenance. Self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1995) states that it is important …

Does Reproductive Potential Of Red Snapper In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Differ Among Natural And Artificial Habitats?, Hilary Day Glenn

LSU Master's Theses

This study compares the reproductive potential of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) at artificial and natural habitats. Natural habitats are areas of vertical relief created from biogenic/geologic processes that are thought to be the historical centers of abundance for red snapper in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Red snapper were collected from 2011 to 2013 at three natural habitat sites and two artificial habitat oil and gas platform sites. The mean gonadosomatic indices (GSI), maturity at size and age, spawning indicators, batch fecundity, spawning frequency, and annual fecundity for red snapper at each habitat were analyzed to examine reproductive potential among …

Synthesis And Analysis Of Copper Beta-Diketonate Complexes, Jonathan Stephen Casey

LSU Master's Theses

This research addresses the synthesis and characterization of Cu(II) complexes of silicon-based multidentate β-diketonate ligands. The possible products of the synthesis include (where L represents the coordinated ligand) cube Cu12L8, decahedron Cu24L16, and dodecahedron Cu30L20. This study aims to determine the structure of these discrete molecules, which may have applications in drug delivery, fuel storage, and chemical retention. Different techniques were involved in the characterization of Cu(II) complexes: Electrospray Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (ESI-TOF MS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Analytical Ultracentrifugation (AUC). In ESI-TOF MS, the exact mass of the molecules was attempted to be determined by …

Is The Foliar Yellow Vein Of Some Ornamental Plants Caused By Plant Viruses?, Favio Eduardo Herrera

LSU Master's Theses

Plant viruses have shown to be the cause of the yellow vein symptoms on the foliage of several ornamental plants. In this study five ornamental plants: oxalis (Oxalis debilis var. corymbosa) cv. Golden Veined Oxalis, geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) cv. Crocodile, pseuderanthemum (Pseuderanthemum carruthersii) cv. Golden Net Bush (narrow leaf and broad leaf variants), honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) cv. Yellow Net Honeysuckle and coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) cv. Electric Lime, showing foliar yellow vein were used. Graft transmissions indicated that, except for coleus, the foliar yellow vein of all other plants was caused by infectious agents, likely plant viruses. With the exception of …

Relationship Of Total Phenolic Contents, Dpph Activities And Anti-Lipid-Oxidation Capabilities Of Different Bioactive Beverages And Phenolic Antioxidants, Yongchao Zhu

LSU Master's Theses

Polyphenol compounds are widely used as antioxidants in food processing. The conventional phenolic content, scavenging DPPH free radical assays have been widely used for antioxidant evaluation. This research aimed to study the correlation between scavenging DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical activity, total phenolic content and anti-lipid-oxidation capability of natural and synthetic antioxidants and four beverages drinks. Synthetic phenol antioxidants, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), PG (propyl gallate), TBHQ (tert-butylhydroquinone) and naturally occurring phenolics ƒÑ-T(£\-tocopherol), CA(Chlorogenic acid), GA(Gallic acid), QCT(Quercetin), RSV(Resveratrol), and SA(Syringic acid) were examined for their total phenolic content (TPC) and scavenging DPPH free radical activity. The anti-lipid-oxidation …

A Comparison Of Calcium And Magnesium Ratios In Soilless Media For Optimum Vegetable Production Irrigated With Alkaline Ph Water, Sarah E. Bertrand

LSU Master's Theses

Home gardeners in areas with alkaline water sources do not have means of acidifying water for vegetable production. A solution to achieving optimal yields with alkaline irrigation water is to use specialized media; however, current media available does not meet these needs. New media recipes with varied levels (0 to 8 lbs/yd3) and sources of Ca (dolomitic lime, calcium sulfate) and Mg (dolomitic lime, magnesium sulfate) were tested using alkaline irrigation on lettuce, cabbage, and cauliflower crops under high tunnel and on nursery yard sites. Media treatments with an 80:20 bark:peat and 7.1 kg/m3 slow release 15-9-11 base mix and …

Ecology And Physiology Of Antarctic Macrophytes Under The Influence Of Abiotic And Biotic Stressors., Kathryn M. Schoenrock

All ETDs from UAB

The physiology of many species of Antarctic marine algae was evaluated under a variety of biotic and abiotic factors found or predicted for the western Antarctic Peninsula. The potential biological stressors, filamentous algal endophytes, had few effects on their macrophyte host's physiology which may be the cause for their persistence in this marine community. Adversely impacted hosts include Pachymenia sp. and Iridaea cordata. In areas of high endophyte infection Pachymenia sp. was significantly less resistant to forces that could penetrate their thalli. Maximum quantum yield near endophyte infection was significantly lower in I. cordata. Endophyte abundance is significantly lower in …

Growing Up With Hiv In Kisumu, Kenya: Participatory Action Research With Young People Living With Hiv, Zoe Alexis Hobbs Marinkovich

Doctoral Dissertations

Forty-one percent of new HIV infections are in young people between the ages of 15-24 (Masquillier, et al., 2012). In addition to new infections, advances in medications are now making it possible for children born with HIV to survive into adolescence and adulthood (Bland, 2011; Gray, 2010). Due to the growing population of youth living with HIV, there is an increased need for adolescent-appropriate care and intervention. While many studies have examined the role of education in preventing HIV transmission for HIV-negative youth in the Sub-Saharan context, few have focused on the education and experiences of young people living with …

Unraveling The Mechanisms Of Skeletal Muscle Hyperplasia: Juxtaposing Divergent Growth Paradigms, Jacob Michael Froehlich

All ETDs from UAB

During the course of vertebrate evolution, two major growth paradigms have appeared: determinate, one in which an animal's final size is largely governed by predisposed genetic potential; and indeterminate, a paradigm involving life-long, largely environmentally governed somatic growth. Of the tissues constituting an adult vertebrate, skeletal muscle comprises ≥60% of that organism's mass, making it an important factor in overall body growth. To better understand the process by which many teleost fishes grow throughout their natural lifespans, the clade Danioninae and the model rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were utilized in a comparative manner. Contrary to current hypotheses, fish with indeterminate …

Urbanization And Land-Use Change In Puerto Maldonado, Peru: Categorizing The Landscape Using High-Resolution Satellite Imagery For Potential Use In Public Health Research, Laura Brianna Gast

All ETDs from UAB

Environmental change, especially rapid urbanization, has measurable effects on human health. Over 70 percent of the global population is expected to live in urban areas by 2025, and at least 1 in 3 of these individuals will live in extreme poverty. Living in a slum or shantytown exposes individuals to health and safety risks including inadequate sanitation, lack of access to clean water, air pollution, violence, over-crowding and risk of infectious disease. Remote sensing technologies are an effective tool for detection and prediction of areas with significant land use change, which enables identification of populations with the highest risk of …

The Effect Of Cooking Methods On The Quality Of Refrigerated And Frozen Whole Crawfish Procambarus Clarkii Girard And Procambarus Zonangulus, John Bradley Shackelford

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana is famous for its diverse food, culture, and festivals. Crawfish are synonymous with Louisiana cuisine. Approximately 90% of the crawfish harvested in the United States are harvested in Louisiana, but their availability is seasonal (NOAA 2014). Both in-state and out-of-state demand for whole cooked crawfish and for their availability outside the normal harvest season has increased. There is interest from crawfish processors on whether or not steaming of crawfish results in a higher yield than boiling, as traditionally done. This study measures yield, quality parameters, and shelf life of whole boiled and steamed crawfish held in either refrigerated or …

Memory Self-Efficacy And Beliefs About Memory Controllability In Late Life, Bethany A. Lyon

LSU Master's Theses

The Selective Optimization with Compensation (SOC) model for lifespan development (Baltes & Baltes, 1990) holds that as we age, our goals change from growth to maintenance. When people face difficulties, they work to minimize losses in order to maintain skills they already have physically, mentally, and socially. Thus, we compensate when possible in order to maintain the life we have established. In the case of memory people assume that there is little they can do when memory starts to fail and forgetfulness becomes more prominent. In the present research, we examine memory self-appraisals to provide new evidence on memory self-efficacy …

Assessment Of Habitat Quality For Red Snapper, Lutjanus Campechanus, In The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico: Natural Vs. Artificial Reefs, Brittany Dawn Schwartzkopf

LSU Master's Theses

Habitat quality of natural and artificial reefs for red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) is important as this area is home to the majority of the Gulf’s artificial reef system, in the form of oil and gas platforms, in addition to the largest extent of high vertical relief natural habitat. This study sought to assess habitat quality of natural reefs of varying habitat complexity and an artificial reef complex located on the LA continental shelf. Habitat quality was assessed by comparing red snapper diets and foraging patterns, and nutritional condition using the liver-somatic index (LSI) …

Growth And Mortality Of Spat, Seed, And Market-Sized Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica) In Low Salinities And High Temperatures, Molly Marie Rybovich

LSU Master's Theses

Changes in the timing and interaction of seasonal high temperatures and low salinity as predicted by climate change models could dramatically alter oyster population dynamics. Little is known explicitly about how low salinity and high temperature combinations affect spat (<25 mm), seed (26-75 mm), and market (>75 mm) oyster growth and mortality. Using lab and field studies, this project quantified the combined effects of extremely low salinities (< 5) and high temperatures (>30 oC) on growth and survival of spat, seed, and market-sized oysters. In 2012 and 2013, hatchery-produced oysters were placed in open and closed bags at three sites in Breton Sound, LA, along a salinity gradient which typically …

Antioxidant Activities And Phenolic Acids In Different Raw And Boiled Potatoes And Sweet Potatoes, Ya Gao

LSU Master's Theses

Antioxidants have attracted great interests from food industries and scientists in recent years, because they have the capacity to reduce the harmful oxidation reaction in human body. Phenolic compounds are the common antioxidants that are widely found in fruits and vegetables. In this study, three varieties of potatoes and four varieties of sweet potatoes were used to examine the profiles and contents of phenolics in the raw and boiled potatoes and sweet potatoes. The Red Garnet Sweet Potato (RGSP) was the richest in phenolic content and selected to study the changes of free phenolics, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity …

Identifying Local Transit Resources For Evacuation, Alaa Shams

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this thesis is to establish a GIS that can be used to identify local human-services and special-needs transit resources in Louisiana’s 20 coastal parishes. The intention is that the system be used to identify and then call upon local transit services to assist in the evacuation of an area during an emergency. ArcGIS Online was selected as the platform on which to establish the GIS for this purpose. Socio-economic and transit vehicle data were collected from a variety of official sources and loaded on to the ArcGIS Online portal at LSU. The development of the system is …

Inferences Of Subsistence Activities Using Musculoskeletal Stress Markers Of Humerii From Two Louisiana Archaeological Populations, Brian M. Thibodeaux

LSU Master's Theses

Wolff’s Law states that bone is laid down where it is needed; therefore, mechanical factors, including subsistence-based activity patterns, play a role in bone biology. One of bone’s responses to strain is the development of musculoskeletal stress markers (MSMs) at entheses, or the sites in which soft tissues, including tendons and ligaments, attach to bone. MSMs have been used by bioarchaeologists to make inferences about past population’s activity patterns and subsistence behaviors. The following study scores eight MSMs of the proximal humerii from the Tchefuncte (16ST1) and Greenhouse (16AV2) sites in Louisiana. The MSMs were segregated into muscle groups and …

Prevalence Of Blue Crab (Callinectes Sapidus) Diseases, Parasites, And Symbionts In Louisiana, Holly Rogers

LSU Master's Theses

Research on blue crab diseases, parasites, and symbionts has been sporadic in the Gulf of Mexico. Understanding the prevalence of diseases, parasites, and symbionts is important for managers to set informed regulations for the commercial industry and to understand the impacts of environmental disasters on aquatic animal health. The objective of this research was to determine the prevalence of Lagenophrys callinectes, Urosporidium crescens, Hematodinium perezi, Loxothylacus texanus, reo-like virus (RLV), shell rot, and Vibrio spp. in crabs collected from four coastal locations and four shedding facilities in 2013 and the beginning of 2014. Additionally, I determined the prevalence of white …

Detection Of Clostridium Difficile In Louisiana Oysters, Harvesting Water And Sewage, Da Liu

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was generally considered as a hospital-associated disease; however, recent studies indicated that foods might also play a role in its epidemical chain. From August-2013 to February-2014, oyster samples and harvesting water samples were collected monthly from 6 commercial oyster harvesting areas along Louisiana Gulf Coast and analyzed for total aerobic bacteria, fecal coliforms, coliphage and pathogenic C. difficile. In this study, C. difficile were isolated from 9 (47.37%) of 19 oyster samples and 3 (37.5%) of 8 harvesting water samples and all isolations were carrying the toxin B-encoding gene (tcdB). Toxin B positive C. difficle …

Application Of Tubular Crossflow Microfiltration In Harvesting Microalgae, Mostafa Khademi

LSU Master's Theses

Separation of microalgal cells from culture medium is a challenging phase of algal production. Application of microfiltration as Stage 1 harvesting technology to pre-concentrate algal suspension from 0.2 g-dry/L to 10 g-dry/L (1% solids) prior to the final dewatering stage by centrifugation (Stage 2) was studied in this research. A bench-scale filtration setup with three tubular crossflow membrane modules (pore sizes: 0.05 µm, 0.1 µm, 0.5µm) equipped with data acquisition systems was constructed. In phase-1 experiments, the influence of algal species and the size of particles in the culture media on the filterability of microalgae were studied. It was found …

Effects Of Salinity And Temperature On Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Of Gulf Killifish, Fundulus Grandis, Shea A. Miller

LSU Master's Theses

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) has been proposed as an easy and accurate technique for a non-lethal index of condition in fish; however, factors affecting its accuracy have yet to be properly identified. The technique uses the resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) of water and lipids in contiguous tissues to estimate lipid content. Studies have investigated the use of BIA on fish, but with mixed results, possibly caused by unrecognized sources of influences. Our study explored possible sources of variance for BIA measurements in gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, through laboratory feeding and fasting experiments, and experimental exposures to acute changes in …

Determination Of Predominant Species Of Oil-Degrading Bacteria In The Oiled Sediment In Barataria Bay, Louisiana, Lauren Nicole Navarre

LSU Master's Theses

The effects of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill on the bacterial communities in coastal sediments are relatively known but few studies have been published evaluating the impacts of the spill on oil-degrading bacterial populations in the salt marsh sediments of Barataria Bay, Louisiana. The aims of this study were to determine the effects of the oil spill on the microbial community in Barataria Bay, Louisiana through the determination of predominate species of oil-degrading bacteria in marsh sediments, and to determine how well certain bacterial isolates can degrade crude oil in the region by taking samples from three areas of …

Effects Of Feeding Milk Replacer Once, Twice Or Three Times Daily On Growth And Performance In Neonatal Holstein Calves, Michael Thomas

LSU Master's Theses

Sixty-three neonatal Holstein calves (45 female; 18 male) were assigned to one of 3 treatments at d 2 of age to study effects of milk replacer feeding frequency on growth, performance, and health. Treatments consisted of 1X, with total amount of reconstituted milk replacer fed 1X/day at 6:00 a.m.; 2X, with total amount of reconstituted milk replacer divided into 2 equal amounts and fed at 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; or 3X, with total amount of reconstituted milk replacer divided into 3 equal amounts and fed at 6:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 5:00 p.m. Calves were housed in individual hutches …

2013 Annual Town Report Lempster, New Hampshire., Lempster Town Representatives

Lempster, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Implementing A Multi-Component School-Based Obesity Prevention Intervention: A Qualitative Study, Mary L. Greaney, Cary K. Hardwick, Jennifer L. Spadano-Gasbarro, Solomon Mezgebu, Christine M. Horan, Sara Schlotterbeck, S. Bryn Austin, Karen E. Peterson

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Objective: To explore barriers and facilitators to implementing and sustaining Healthy Choices, a three-year multi-component obesity prevention intervention implemented in middle schools in Massachusetts.

Methods: Using purposive sampling, 56 in-depth interviews were conducted with middleschool employees representing different positions (administrators, teachers, food service personnel, and employees serving as intervention coordinators). Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Emergent themes were identified using thematic analyses.

Results: State-mandated testing, budget limitations, and time constraints were viewed as implementation barriers while staff buy-in and technical assistance were seen as facilitating implementation. Respondents felt that intervention sustainability was dependent on external funding and …

A Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Study Of Healthy Directions 2—A Multiple Risk Behavior Intervention For Primary Care, Karen M. Emmons, Elaine Puleo, Mary L. Greaney, Matthew W. Gillman, Gary G. Bennett, Jess Haines, Kim Sprunck-Harrild, K. Viswanath

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Healthy Directions 2 (HD2) intervention in the primary care setting.

Methods: HD2 was a cluster randomized trial (conducted 3/09–11/11). The primary sampling unit was provider (n = 33), with secondary sampling of patients within provider (n = 2440). Study arms included: 1) usual care (UC); 2) HD2—a patient self-guided intervention targeting 5 risk behaviors; and 3) HD2 plus 2 brief telephone coaching calls (HD2 + CC). The outcome measure was the proportion of participants with a lower multiple risk behavior (MRB) score by follow-up.

Results: At baseline, only 4% of the participants met …

Using Sensewear Armband And Diet Journal To Promote Adolescents' Energy Balance Knowledge And Motivation, Senlin Chen, Xihe Zhu, Gregory J. Welk, Youngwon Kim, Jungmin Lee, Nathan F. Meier

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: Educating adolescents about energy balance (EB) is essential for effective weight control. This study utilized the Sensewear (SWA) armband and a diet journal to promote adolescents' EB knowledge and motivation.

Methods: Ninety sixth graders were randomly assigned into the experimental group (n = 46) who utilized SWA and diet journal for 7 consecutive days or the control group (n = 44) who did not. Both groups were pre-and post-measured on EB knowledge, situational interest, and weight. The experimental group was tracked on motivation effort, energy expenditure (EE), and energy intake (EI).

Results: EB knowledge significantly increased and situational interest …

Appalachian And Pacific Crest Trail Hikers: A Comparison Of Benefits And Motivations, Eddie Hill, Edwin Gómez, Marni Goldenberg, Barbara Freidt, Stephanie Fellows, Laura Hill

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The Appalachian Trail (AT) and Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) are two scenic trails named in the National Trails System Act of 1968. Recently, trails and footpaths have been used to promote such benefits as healthy lifestyles, sense of community, and an increased quality of life. The purpose of this study was to compare the motivations and benefits from hikers of the AT and the PCT. Grounded in Driver’s benefits model and means-end theory, and using an Internet questionnaire, 766 usable questionnaires were collected. Significant differences were found between AT and PCT users who: hike to prevent a worse health condition; …

Before And After : An Exploratory Study Of The Positive And Negative Effects Of Significant Weight Loss, Jo Ann Valle

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed-methods exploratory study was undertaken to better understand both the positive and negative ways in which significant weight loss is experienced by people who have intentionally undertaken the process of weight loss. Ninety-two people completed an online survey which contained both quantitative and qualitative items. Four in-depth phone interviews were conducted with respondents who completed the online survey and contacted the researcher to offer further commentary. Survey respondents noted the amount of weight they had lost, the methods used and their reasons for deciding to lose weight. Other quantitative questions asked respondents to identify how dissatisfied with their bodies …

Best For Baby : What Factors Influence New Mothers When Choosing Between Breastfeeding And Bottle Feeding Babies Under The Age Of Two, Jacquelyn S. Andrews

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Mothers often find themselves under supported after the birth of a baby. This mixed method research study examines the factors that are considered influential to new mothers when making their initial infant feeding choice between breastfeeding and bottle feeding. This study presents the data from 1017 mothers who self identified as either primarily breast feeding mothers or bottle feeding mothers and indicated which biological, social, circumstantial, financial, psychological, and medical factors were the most influential in their choice. Both the breastfeeding and the bottle feeding samples consistently ranked health of the baby as the most influential factor. Bottle feeding mothers …