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Three Essays On Land Ownership, Gender, And Agricultural Productivity In The Case Of Developing Countries, Krishna H. Koirala

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation set out to evaluate the impact of land ownership and role of gender to the Filipino farmers and to investigate gender difference in agricultural productivity and technical efficiency of Malawian rural households. The first essay investigates the impact of land ownership on the productivity and technical efficiency of rice farmers in the Philippines. We use a 2007-2012 Loop Survey from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and analyzed it by using a stochastic frontier function method. Results show that land ownership has a significant impact on technical efficiency. In particular, counter to the theory, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform …

Calibration And Categorization Of Plant Available Silicon In Louisiana Soils, Tapasya Babu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A survey was conducted to document the silicon (Si) content of soils from 27 (selected) agrarian parishes of Louisiana using different extraction procedures. For 0.01 M calcium chloride (CaCl©ü) extraction procedure, all surveyed soils (n=212) fell below 56 mg Si kg⁻©ö. For five of the procedures, about 50% of surveyed soils in Louisiana had Si level below the critical Si level that thus far established in other regions. Calcium silicate slag and wollastonite were compared through chemical extractions after laboratory incubation with six different soil types, and then an assessment of quantity of monosilicic acid (H©þSiO©þ) sorbed and the quantity …

Fermentable Non-Digestible Dietary Fiber And Bioactive Compounds Affect Aging And Fat Deposition In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Chenfei Gao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Overweight and obesity have been imposing $147 billion a year to the health care system in the United States. Limited medications are available in the market with side effects. Surgical treatments are second-line obesity treatments. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced from the fermentable resistant starch improves the secretion of satiety hormones peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) from L-endocrine cells of cecum and colon. We hypothesized that consumption of fermentable non-digestible dietary fiber and bioactive compounds will increase insulin sensitivity, reduce body fat, and improve healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), and hyperglycemia (2% glucose) that may …

Three Essays On Economic Analysis Of Production Systems Of U.S. Grass-Fed Beef Industry, Basu Deb Bhandari

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation research consists of three essays. The first two studies analyze experimental research data based on three pasture systems for grass-fed beef (GFB) production in the Gulf Coast Region. System 1 included bermudagrass and ryegrass; System 2 included bermudagrass, ryegrass, rye, dallisgrass, and clover mixtures (red, white, and berseem clovers); and System 3 included bermudagrass, soybean, sorghum sudan hybrid, ryegrass, rye, dallisgrass, and clover mixtures (red, white, and berseem clovers). Fifty-four Fall-born steers were weaned in May and grouped into nine groups and randomly blocked into treatments and replicates. Inputs and output data were recorded on a daily basis. …

Examining Male Infertility; The Association Between Age, Environment, And Reproductive Success In Male Patients That Have Participated In Assisted Reproductive Technology, Jeanne Lee Glaser

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As the number and age of human couples turning to assisted reproductive technology (ART) continues to increase, it is essential for clinicians to understand infertility threats related to both female and male patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between age, environment, and reproductive success in male patients having participated in assisted reproductive technology. In corresponding experiments, male infertility variables such as; age, lifestyle exposures, body mass index (BMI), and infertility length with current partner (ILCP) were investigated. A retrospective collection of clinical male patient data from 2011 to 2014 was evaluated. Thirty-five variables were collected …

The Bioactive Compounds In Agricultural Products And Their Roles In Health Promoting Functions, Yixiao Shen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Bioactive compounds from different agricultural food products have attracted great interest from food industries and researchers for their health promoting functions such as antioxidant, antiaging, anti-inflammatory and anticancer performance. In this study, hydrophilic and lipophilic fraction of two economical agricultural products sweet sorghum millet and sweet potato, as well as two herbs, butterfly pea and basil were extracted. The profiles and contents of phenolics, fatty acids, tocopherols, carotenoids and phytosterols in these selected agricultural products were determined by chromatography and mass spectrum methods. Additionally, the anti-lipid-oxidation capability of sweet sorghum millet and basil, and anti-cancer potential of butterfly pea seed …

Dietary Strategies To Influence Appetite: Effects Of Oat Beta-Glucan And Thylakoids From Spinach On Satiety And Reward-Induced Eating Behavior, Candida Joan Rebello

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of these studies was to examine the effects of oat-based cereals and a spinach extract, on eating behavior. The cereals compared included instant oatmeal (IO), old fashioned oatmeal (SO), and a ready to eat cereal (RTEC), each containing the soluble fiber beta-glucan. The spinach extract containing thylakoids, the internal photosynthetic membrane of plants, was compared with a placebo. The first study, a randomized crossover trial compared the effect of IO and SO on subjective ratings of satiety, with the RTEC. Subjects consumed isocaloric 150kcal servings of the cereals in random order. Visual analogue scale ratings evaluating satiety were …

Expertise And Disbelief: Post-1945 American Attitudes Toward The Authority Of Knowledge, Terry Wagner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

“You can’t beat brains,” said President John Kennedy of the intellectuals and technicians he assembled in his cabinet. Kennedy was perhaps the greatest political champion for the virtues of expertise. However, all over America during the 1960s and ‘70s, diverse groups voiced doubts about how much experts, such as social scientists, policy specialists, and others, actually improved life. This dissertation examines how movements on the political left and right, and spiritual ruptures such as the rise of ‘60s counterculture and of evangelicalism, spoke in different language to express a similar point: human mastery over the world is profoundly limited. Many …

The Agronomic Use And Application Of Canopy Reflectance Within The Visible And Near-Infrared Wavebands And Its Relation With Nitrogen Fertilization In Energy Cane Production In Louisiana, Saoli Chanda

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spectral vegetation index-based models that are used to estimate yield potential are commonly developed from the relationship between early-season crop canopy reflectance readings and actual yield obtained at harvest. Plant population stand can influence cane yield potential and nutrient requirement. This study was conducted at LSU AgCenter Sugar Research Station in St. Gabriel, LA to evaluate (1) the relation between estimated early season biomass yield and the spectral vegetation indices acquired at the same time, (2) nitrogen (N) response pattern between early-season biomass production and yield at harvest, and (3) the relationship between coefficient of variation (CV) among normalized difference …

The Effects Of Post-Exercise Consumption Of A Kefir Beverage On Performance And Recovery During Intensive Endurance Training, Keely Virginia O'Brien

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to determine whether kefir accentuates the positive health benefits assessed by measures in fitness and/or body composition, as a measure of cardiovascular disease risk as well as the biomarker c-reactive protein. Sixty-seven adult males and females aged 18-35 years were assigned to one of four groups: 1) endurance training + control beverage, 2) endurance training + kefir beverage, 3) active control + control beverage or 4) active control + kefir beverage. The exercise groups completed 15 weeks of structured endurance training while the active control groups maintained their usual exercise routine. Baseline physiological and exercise measurements …

Planktonic Influence On The Toxicity Of Hewafs (High-Energy Water Attenuated Fractions), Erin Elizabeth Saal

LSU Master's Theses

The Deep Water Horizon oilrig explosion led to the release of 6.8 ± 1.7 x 108 kg or 4.9 million barrels of petroleum hydrocarbons into the Gulf of Mexico. The spill persisted from the end of April to mid July 2010 affecting a significant portion of the Gulf coast. The effects of this spill are being studied in labs across the country, and this thesis investigated high-energy water accommodated fractions (HEWAFs) as a potential tool for use in this effort. Water accommodated fractions (WAFs) are mediums containing only the fraction of petroleum that remains in aqueous phase after a mixing …

"The Lonely Romantic": Nature, Education, And Cultural Pessimism In The Early Works Of Hermann Hesse, Erik Paul Wagner

LSU Master's Theses

This study examines the early works of Hermann Hesse in the historical context of early twentieth-century Germany. While Hesse’s literary career spans over six decades, most scholarship focuses only on a brief period. Historians study his Weimar novels, as psychologically penetrating pieces that offer insights into this fascinating and chaotic era of German history. Yet, Hesse’s early works have not received due attention in historical scholarship. This situation is unfortunate because Hesse’s prewar writings provide interesting and relevant commentary on life in fin de siècle Germany. Hesse’s early writings offer unique insights into aspects of German culture and society, specifically …

Three Essays On Food Demand, Land Use Intensity, And Food Crop Portfolio Choice Under Weather Risk, Aditya Raj Khanal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Food security and adaptation to climate change has been an important research and development agenda in most of the development organizations and in the national policy of developing countries. The most vulnerable population from climate change and food security problems are rural and agricultural households in the developing and low income countries. Weather and climatic factors and food security has a direct link with poverty because a large majority of poor live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. The primary focus of this dissertation is to analyze consumption and production aspects of the rural agricultural households. …

Juice Processing Effects On Small Scale Not From Concentrate Rabbiteye Blueberry Juice Production: The Evaluation Of Juice Recovery And Identification Of Anthocyanins And Anthocyanidins Through Processing Steps, Rebecca Elaine Stein-Chisholm

LSU Master's Theses

The order and combination of juicing steps can change a blueberry’s bioactive phytochemicals and effect juice recovery. In addition to physical treatments such as pressing, recovery is also affected by heat and enzymes steps. Not optimizing juicing methods affect juice quality and leave many bioactive components in the press cake. To evaluate pre-press treatments, southern highbush and rabbiteye blueberries were individually pressed in a bench top press at varying temperatures. The temperature treatments included fresh, thawed, frozen and heating to 95 °C. Two pectinase enzymes, Rohapect 10L and Pectinex BEXXL, were individually used to assess impact on juice extraction. Juice …

Study Of Factors Affecting Growth And Development Of Narrow Brown Leaf Spot Of Rice Caused By Cercospora Janseana (Racib.) O. Const., Kirandeep Kaur Mani

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Studies evaluated the effects of planting date, cultivar susceptibility, fungicide application timing, nitrogen management, and tillage practices on the severity of narrow brown leaf spot of rice (NBLS) caused by Cercospora janseana. All factors evaluated affected NBLS severity. The mid-April planted rice had less NBLS as compared to mid-May, late planted rice. Propiconazole fungicide (Tilt) application at panicle initiation or early boot stage was found equally effective in terms of disease reduction in mid-April planting while panicle initiation stage was the best time to apply fungicide in the late planting (mid-May). Early onset and higher severity of NBLS was observed …

Effects Of The Exotic Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis Invicta) On The Growth And Survival Of The Threatened Hooded Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia Minor), Edward Marques

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plants and insects are some of the most biodiverse groups in the world and are constantly interacting. One unique interaction that has been observed occurs between carnivorous plants and insects; some plant species are capable of capturing and digesting insects for nutrients. Despite preying on these insects, there are cases where such interactions can been viewed as mutualistic. For instance, a nectar reward is produced by the plant to attract insects, and during visitation insects may fall prey to these plants. Additionally, carnivorous myrmecophytic plants may receive an added indirect benefit in the form of reduced herbivory, since ants have …

Gender Differences In Low Back Pain And Self-Reported Muscle Strengthening Activity Among U.S. Adults, Albatool H. Alnojeidi

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: We sought to examine the gender differences between low back pain (LBP) and muscle strengthening activity (MSA) in U.S. adults (≥20 years of age).

Background: Low back pain is a well-known medical condition that has been shown to impact quality of life and professional productivity. It also adds to the financial burden of our healthcare system by augmenting medical treatment costs. Muscle strengthening activity is a recognized method to prevent and treat LBP. Studies analyzing the relationship between MSA and LBP by gender have produced mixed results.

Methods: The sample (n=12,721) included participants in the 1999-2004 National …

Constructing Autonomy, Bailey Kuklin

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Multicultural Education Course On Therapist Cultural Competence, Gemma Cosky Saxon

Occupational Therapy Capstones

"The need for culturally skilled occupational therapists (OTs) has been documented for years" (Wittman & Velde, 2002). In 2009, Cherry, Kitchens, Nicholson, Soden, Tomkiewicz, Kedia & Shah found that 32.8% of their respondents did not know about the demand for culturally competent occupational therapy (OT) services and cultural factors that could influence a client's occupational performance. Of this group 55-85% rated themselves as having limited awareness.

The purpose of this proposed study was to assess the effectiveness of the University of North Dakota (UND) OT multicultural course in preparing graduates toward cultural competence. The assessment was then compared to the …

Occupational Therapists In Primary Care: Perceptions Of Incorporating New Interventions Into Practice, Roberta Reid, Allen Simpson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Due to an increased focus on prevention in current United States health care policy, an increasing number of occupational therapists have been integrating into primary care teams. There is little to no research available demonstrating the perceptions of practicing occupational therapists regarding primary care; specifically what barriers and opportunities are hindering and helping, and if current practitioners are considering transitioning to primary care. The purpose of this independent study was to conduct a focus group with practicing therapists to explore OT perceptions regarding the potential role they might play in primary care and how/if they might begin this process in …

Congress Addresses Federally-Funded Animal Research Lab, Angela Sukurs

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

Striking The Soda Ban: The Judicial Paralysis On The Department Of Health, Alana Sivin

Journal of Law and Health

Media coverage surrounding the New York City Department of Health’s recent portion-cap on sugary beverages sold in food service establishments tends to focus on public opinions regarding the role of government. Within this dialogue, there are two camps. On one hand lies the opposition; these individuals criticize the Department of Health as a “nanny state” involving itself with individual consumption choices. On the other side lay the supporters who recognize the gravity of the obesity epidemic and applaud government efforts to ameliorate its effects.

The Not So "Sweet Surprise": Lawsuits Blaming Big Sugar For Obesity-Related Health Conditions Face An Uphill Battle, Catherine Srithong Wicker

Journal of Law and Health

Because obesity and its associated health problems have been largely attributed to poor self-control, laziness, and various other personal failings, society has been unwilling to assign blame to food manufacturers for their role in contributing to this problem. But, as consumers are becoming more aware of the significantly harmful effect that poor diets can have on a person’s heath, the scales may be tipping in favor of bringing “Big Food” to court. Food manufacturers, however, are not exactly vulnerable. Armed with precedent disputing the causal link between consumption of fast food and adverse health effects, judicially-created barriers to admitting epidemiologic …

Employment, Unemployment, And Underemployment In Africa, Stephen S. Golub, Faraz Hayat , '14

Economics Faculty Works

This chapter documents and analyzes the predominance of informal employment in Africa and shows that lack of demand for labor rather than worker characteristics is the main reason for pervasive underemployment. Integration into the global economy and exports of labor-intensive products are vital to boosting the demand for labor in Africa. Africa has some potential to become competitive in light manufacturing, but the most promising avenue for export-led growth of employment in many African countries is agriculture, including traditional cash crops such as cotton, coffee, cocoa, and groundnuts. Traditional cash crops, which are the source of livelihood for millions of …

Preface, Richard Thomas Eldridge

Philosophy Faculty Works

Art and its Objects ends abruptly with the claim – surprising in an age obsessed with distinguishing between facts and values and with worrying about the logical status of value judgments – that, deliberately, next to nothing has been said in this book about the evaluation of art. Instead, Wollheim's central aim is to understand what we are doing when we are either making or attending to art – an enterprise, as it were, of descriptive phenomenology. Two related, central ideas running through his account are that we demand a certain sort of experience from the things that we undertake …

The Tri-Ag Academics Research Extension College Of Agriculture Sciences - Vol. 1 No. 5 - 2015, Prairie View A&M University

Prairie View Magazine Collection

No abstract provided.

The Tri-Ag Academics Research Extension College Of Agriculture Sciences - Vol.1 Vol.5 - 2015, Prairie View A&M University

Prairie View Magazine Collection

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Factors That Contribute To Binge Eating Among Bariatric Patients, Erin Neuman-Boone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Binge eating is the most common eating disorder among individuals presenting for bariatric surgery. The majority of patients with pre-surgical binge eating experience a short-term reduction in binge eating symptoms following surgery. However, binge eating symptoms can re-emerge. This quantitative study examined variables related to and predictive of binge eating within the bariatric patient population. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to determine whether daily hassles, uplifts, depression, pre-surgical binge eating, time since surgery, and weight regain were predictors of binge eating within the bariatric patient population. One hundred and twenty-six participants completed either an electronic or paper version …

Techniques For Estimating The Variance Of Specific Estimators Within Complex Surveys, Laura Marie Galiardi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis is to present the various procedures for estimating the variance of specific statistics obtained from different types of survey designs, leading up to more advanced designs such complex surveys. The thesis starts with defining the various sampling designs that are to be used for illustrations (Ch 2). Chapter two gives further descriptions of how various sampling designs are performed (from simple designs to not so simple) and shows the sophistication in calculating the estimates and variances. Chapter three cites the actual equations necessary for estimating the variances of the statistics for each design and demonstrates …

An After-School Wellness Program For Children In Low Socioeconomic Neighborhoods, Sarah Faehnrich, Kalee Mccann

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an interdisciplinary after-school program for fifth graders living in low socioeconomic neighborhoods. This program entitled Let’s Move, Cook, and Learn With Friends! is intended to reduce obesity through promoting healthy habits in children by increasing physical activity, consumption of healthy food, and positive interactions with peers. Childhood obesity is a worldwide epidemic that can result in lifelong health problems if not treated proactively (Vizcaino et al., 2008). Therefore, the goal of this scholarly project is to raise their knowledge about obesity and decrease the risk factors for childhood obesity.

A literature …