Digital Commons Network^™

Diatoms At >5000 Meters In The Quelccaya Summit Dome Glacier, Peru, Sherilyn C. Fritz, Bruce E. Brinson, W. E. Billups, Lonnie G. Thompson

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Diatoms were found in late Holocene age ice-core samples recovered from the Quelccaya Summit Dome in the tropical Andes of Peru and were imaged by environmental scanning electron microscopy and identified. Freshwater diatoms in the genera Hantzschia, Pinnularia, and Aulacoseira were the most common taxa in the samples and indicate a freshwater source for the material, which also is suggested by the presence of the freshwater alga Volvox. The overall species composition of the diatoms suggests that the majority of taxa originated from a high-elevation lake or wetland in the cordillera surrounding the ice cap. The abundant …

Diagenetic Incorporation Of Sr Into Aragonitic Bivalve Shells: Implications For Chronostratigraphic And Palaeoenvironmental Interpretations, Maria C. Marcano, Tracy D. Frank, Samuel B. Mukasa, Kyger C. Lohmann, Marco Taviani

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Aragonite is easily altered during diagenesis, therefore presumed pristine when present. In effect, beyond polymorphic transformation to calcite, alteration paths of aragonite remain poorly understood despite heavy reliance on such material to produce palaeoenvironmental and chronostratigraphic interpretations. Previous work on core material from Southern McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, showed that unlike their calcitic counterparts, seemingly unaltered aragonite shell fragments invariably produced older than expected ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ages. In this study, we pursued additional analyses of these aragonite shells and of the porewater of the core to understand this discrepancy. Aragonite mineralogy was reconfirmed and elemental mapping of shell fragments …

Polarimetric Tornadic Debris Signature Variability And Debris Fallout Signatures, Matthew S. Van Den Broeke

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Values of polarimetric radar variables may vary substantially between and through tornadic debris signature (TDS) events. Tornadoes with higher intensity ratings are associated with higher average and extreme values of reflectivity factor at horizontal polarization ZHH and lower values of copolar cross-correlation coefficient rhv. Although values of these variables often fluctuate through reported tornado life cycles, ZHH repeatably decreases and rhv repeatably increases across the volume scan immediately following reported tornado demise. Land cover has a relatively small effect on values of the polarimetric variables within TDSs, although near-radar urban TDSs may exhibit relatively high ZHH values. TDS areal extent …

A Communication-Based Approach To Adoptive Identity: Theoretical And Empirical Support, Colleen Warner Colaner, Jordan Soliz

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

The current study uses structural equation modeling to examine adoptive parent communication as it relates to adoptee adjustment directly and indirectly through adoptive identity. Using retrospective accounts of 179 adult adoptees, findings indicate that both adoption- (adoption communication openness) and non-adoption-related (parental confirmation and affectionate communication) parental communication are related to adoptive identity work and positive affect about adoption and birth parents. Preoccupation mediates the relationship between parental communication and adoptee adjustment. The current study integrates research and theorizing from identity, adoption, and communication literatures to develop a communication-centered conceptual model of adoptive identity development to inform future adoption research …

Dancing Around Infertility: The Use Of Metaphors In A Complex Medical Situation, Angela L. Palmer-Wackerly, Janice L. Krieger

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

People use metaphors to cognitively frame their experiences as well as to explain those experiences to others, especially in complex medical situations. However, previous research has not fully explored the extent to which metaphors may be helpful or harmful to achieving well-being. This investigation fills this gap by identifying and explaining metaphor use in the context of infertility. Guided by self-determination theory, in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 women and men who had experienced an inability to conceive a child. Analysis of participant narratives yielded 10 prominent metaphors that reflect how participants’ need for competence, autonomy, and relatedness were (and …

The Impact Of Criminalization Of Stalking On Italian Students: Adherence To Stalking Myths, Laura De Fazio, Chiara Sgarbi, Julia Moore, Brian H. Spitzberg

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Although behaviors that we today identify as stalking have occurred throughout history, the recognition and systematic investigation of stalking are quite recent. Italy’s antistalking law is fairly new, and factors such as cultural myths, stereotypical beliefs, and definitional ambiguities continue to cause problems in the interpretation and recognition of stalking among the general public. This study examined perceptions and attitudes of 2 groups of Italian criminology students at 2 different times, before and after the implementation of Italy’s 2009 antistalking law. The Stalking Attitudes Questionnaire (McKeon, Ogloff, & Mullen, 2009) was administered to samples in 2007 and 2010. Results revealed …

Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium-Infected Pigs With Different Shedding Levels Exhibit Distinct Clinical, Peripheral Cytokine And Transcriptomic Immune Response Phenotypes, Susan M. Knetter, Shawn M. D. Bearson, Ting-Hua Huang, Dason Kurkiewicz, Martine Schroyen, Dan Nettleton, Daniel Berman, Valerie Cohen, Joan K. Lunney, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Michael J. Wannemuehler, Christopher K. Tuggle

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Foodborne salmonellosis costs the US $2.7 billion/year, including $100.0 million in annual losses to pork producers. Pigs colonized with Salmonella are usually asymptomatic with varied severity and duration of fecal shedding. Thus, understanding the responses that result in less shedding may provide a mechanism for control. Fifty-four pigs were inoculated with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) and clinical signs, fecal ST shedding, growth performance, peripheral cytokines and whole blood gene expression were measured. Persistently shedding (PS) pigs had longer pyrexia and elevated serum IL-1b, TNF-a and IFN-g compared with low shedding (LS) pigs, while LS pigs had brief pyrexia, less …

Food Fish Identification From Dna Extraction Through Sequence Analysis, Heather E. Hallen-Adams

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

This experiment exposed third and fourth year undergraduates and graduate students taking a course in advanced food analysis to DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA sequence analysis. Students provided their own fish sample, purchased from local grocery stores, and the class as a whole extracted DNA, which was then subjected to PCR, gel electrophoresis and Sanger sequencing. Students retrieved their sequences and identified their fish using the NCBI BLAST nucleotide database. Slightly more than half of the samples yielded sequences identical or close to expected (based on the identification of the fish on the packaging); some other samples …

Sourdough Lactic Acid Bacteria As Antifungal And Mycotoxin-Controlling Agents, Yousef I. Hassan, Ting Zhou, Lloyd B. Bullerman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Sourdough starter cultures are rich sources of endogenous lactic acid bacteria. The extended shelf lives of sourdough breads are attributed to a large array of organic acids and low-molecular-weight metabolites produced during the fermentation process. Different species belonging to the lactic acid bacteria group of microorganisms, mainly Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc, are increasingly gaining the attention as possible means for inhibiting mold growth in animal feed and human food chains. In addition, certain lactic acid bacteria strains isolated from sourdough starters were also shown to reduce mycotoxins concentrations in contaminated products either by binding or degradation. This short review will …

Processing Effects On Four Prebiotic Carbohydrates Supplemented In An Extruded Cereal And A Low Ph Drink, Rebbeca M. Duar, Pei Tze Ang, Michelle Hoffman, Randy Wehling, Robert W. Hutkins, Vicki Schlegel

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Prebiotic carbohydrates are added as functional ingredients to a variety of processed foods. Data on the stability of prebiotics during food processing in complex matrices remain limited. The objective of this project was to determine the stability of fructooligosaccharides (FOS), inulin, galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and resistant starch (RS₂), when added as ingredients (1% w/w) to an extruded cereal and a low pH drink. The cereal was prepared using different screw speeds and barrel temperatures. GOS was not affected by any of the extrusion conditions, whereas inulin decreased significantly at 140 and 170°C. FOS levels decreased in all extrusion conditions, …

Alignment Behaviors Of Short Peptides Provide A Roadmap For Functional Profiling Of Metagenomic Data, Rohita Sinha, Jennifer L. Clarke, Andrew K. Benson

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Functional assignments for short-read metagenomic data pose a significant computational challenge due to perceived unpredictability of alignment behavior and the inability to infer useful functional information from translated protein-fragments/peptides. To address this problem, we have examined the predictability of short peptide alignments by systematically studying alignment behavior of large sets of short peptides generated from well-characterized proteins as well as hypothetical proteins in the KEGG database.

Results: Using test sets of peptides modeling the length and phylogenetic distributions of short-read metagenomic data, we observed that peptides from well-characterized proteins had indistinguishable alignments to proteins from the same orthologous family …

Host Genetic Architecture And The Landscape Of Microbiome Composition: Humans Weigh In, Andrew K. Benson

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Comparative analyses of the control of mammalian microbiomes by host genetic architecture reveal striking conserved features that have implications for the evolution of host–microbiome interactions.

Feed The Future Ipm Innovation Lab: A Critical Role In Global Food Security, R. Muniappan, Elvis A. Heinrichs

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The World Food Summit of 1966 defined ”food security” as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.” Food insecurity is part of a continuum that includes hunger (food deprivation), malnutrition (deficiencies, imbalances, or excess of nutrients), and famine. The world faces three major challenges: (1) to match the rapidly changing demand for food, (2) to do so in ways that are environmentally and socially acceptable, and (3) to ensure that the world’s poorest people are no longer hungry. World population is expected to reach 9 …

In Vivo Selection To Identify Bacterial Strains With Enhanced Ecological Performance In Synbiotic Applications, Janina A. Krumbeck, Maria X. Maldonado-Gomez, Ines Martınez, Steven Frese, Thomas E. Burkey, Karuna Rasineni, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Edward N. Harris, Robert W. Hutkins, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

One strategy for enhancing the establishment of probiotic bacteria in the human intestinal tract is via the parallel administration of a prebiotic, which is referred to as a synbiotic. Here we present a novel method that allows a rational selection of putative probiotic strains to be used in synbiotic applications: in vivo selection (IVS). This method consists of isolating candidate probiotic strains from fecal samples following enrichment with the respective prebiotic. To test the potential of IVS, we isolated bifidobacteria from human subjects who consumed increasing doses of galactooligosaccharides (GOS) for 9 weeks. A retrospective analysis of the fecal microbiota …

Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay For Detecting Sesame Seed In Foods, Stef J. Koppelman, Gülsen Söylemez, Lynn Niemann, Ferdelie E. Gaskin, Joseph L. Baumert, Steve L. Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Small amounts of sesame can trigger allergic reactions in sesame-allergic patients. Because sesame is a widely used food ingredient, analytical methods are needed to support quality control and food safety programs in the food industry. In this study, polyclonal antibodies against sesame seed proteins were raised, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection and quantification of sesame seed residue in food. A comparison was made between this ELISA and other assays, particularly focusing on recovery of sesame seed residue from different food matrices. The developed ELISA is sensitive with a lower limit of quantification of 0.5 …

Effect Of Chemical Modifications On Allergenic Potency Of Peanut Proteins, Ramon Bencharitiwong, Hanneke P. M. Van Der Kleij, Stef J. Koppelman, Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Modification of native peanut extracts could reduce adverse effects of peanut immunotherapy.

Objective: We sought to compare native and chemically modified crude peanut extract (CPE) and major peanut allergens Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 in a mediator-release assay based on the rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cell line transfected with human Fce receptor.

Methods: Native Ara h 2/6 was reduced and alkylated (RA), with or without additional glutaraldehyde treatment (RAGA). CPE was reduced and alkylated. Sera of subjects with peanut allergy (16 males; median age 7 years) were used for overnight RBL-passive sensitization. Cells were stimulated …

The Microbiome Of Uncontacted Amerindians, Jose C. Clemente, Erica C. Pehrsson, Martin J. Blaser, Kuldip Sandhu, Zhan Gao, Bin Wang, Magda Magris, Glida Hidalgo, Monica Contreras, Óscar Noya-Alarcón, Orlana Lander, Jeremy Mcdonald, Mike Cox, Jens Walter, Phaik Lyn Oh, Jean F. Ruiz, Selena Rodriguez, Nan Shen, Se Jin Song, Jessica Metcalf, Rob Knight, Gautam Dantas, M. Gloria Dominguez-Bello

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Most studies of the human microbiome have focused on westernized people with life-style practices that decrease microbial survival and transmission, or on traditional societies that are currently in transition to westernization. We characterize the fecal, oral, and skin bacterial microbiome and resistome of members of an isolated Yanomami Amerindian village with no documented previous contact with Western people. These Yanomami harbor a microbiome with the highest diversity of bacteria and genetic functions ever reported in a human group. Despite their isolation, presumably for >11,000 years since their ancestors arrived in South America, and no known exposure to antibiotics, they harbor …

Humanized Microbiota Mice As A Model Of Recurrent Clostridium Difficile Disease, James Collins, Jennifer M. Auchtung, Laura Schaefer, Kathryn A. Eaton, Robert A. Britton

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Clostridium difficile disease is the leading antibiotic-associated cause of diarrhea and nosocomial acquired infection in the western world. The per annum burden in the USA alone amounts to 250,000 cases with 14,000 ascribed deaths and medical costs in excess of a billion dollars. Novel models for the study of C. difficile infection are therefore pertinent.

Results: Germ free C57BL/6 mice gavaged with a healthy human fecal microbiota maintained a stable “humanized” microbiota over multiple generations when housed under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions. As with mice containing a conventional microbiota, treatment with a five-antibiotic cocktail followed by a single dose …

Stalk Strenght And Sugar Content Of 55 Dual-Purpose Sorghum Inbreds, S. F. Chen, M.-G. C. Danao, P. J. Brown

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

In 2012, sorghum was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an “advanced” bioenergy feedstock in cases where both the grain and stover are both used for energy production (USEPA, 2012). It is desirable, therefore, to develop taller varieties of sorghum to increase biomass yields. However the taller the plant gets, the more susceptible it becomes to lodging, reducing grain yield in the end. Additionally the ability to characterize the storage stability of new sorghum varieties in terms of moisture content and free sugars content is advantageous. In this study, high throughput assays to characterize stalk strength based …

Preface, Metagenomics For Microbiology, Jacques Izard, Maria C. Rivera

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

It is well known that only a small fraction of extant microbial life has been identified. Metagenomics, the direct sequencing and characterization of genes and genomes present in complex microbial ecosystems (for example, metagenomes), has revolutionized the practice of microbiology by bypassing the hurdle of pure culture isolation. Metagenomics shows promise of advancing our understanding of the diversity, function, and evolution of the uncultivated majority.

Metagenomics as a field arose in the 1990s after the application of molecular biology techniques to genomic material directly extracted from microbial assemblages present in diverse habitats, including the human body. The application of metagenomic …

Metagenomics For Bacteriology, Erika Del Castillo, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The study of bacteria, or bacteriology, has gone through transformative waves since its inception in the 1600s. It all started by the visualization of bacteria using light microscopy by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, when he first described “animalcules.” Direct cellular observation then evolved into utilizing different wavelengths on novel platforms such as electron, fluorescence, and even near-infrared microscopy. Understanding the link between microbes and disease (pathogenicity) began with the ability to isolate and cultivate organisms through aseptic methodologies starting in the 1700s. These techniques became more prevalent in the following centuries with the work of famous scientists such as Louis Pasteur …

Promises And Prospects Of Microbiome Studies, Maria C. Rivera, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Since Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, first microscopic observations of the unseen microbiota and the more recent realization that little of the microbes in the biosphere are known, humans have developed a deep curiosity to fully understand the inner workings of the microbial realm. Our ability to characterize the complexity of microbial communities in their natural habitats has dramatically improved over the past decade thanks to advances in high-throughput methodologies. By eliminating the need to isolate and culture individual species, metagenomics approaches have removed many of the obstacles that hindered research in the ecology of mixed microbial consortia, providing valuable information about …

The Role Of Anger Rumination And Autism Spectrum Disorder– Linked Perseveration In The Experience Of Aggression In The General Population, Cara E. Pugliese, Matthew S. Fritz, Susan W. White

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study (a) examined the role of anger rumination as a mediator of the relation between social anxiety and the experience of anger, hostility, and aggression, in the general population, and (b) evaluated the degree to which the presence of autism spectrum disorder characteristics moderates the indirect influence of anger rumination. We then explored whether social cognition and perseveration characteristic of autism spectrum disorder uniquely accounted for the predicted moderation. In this survey study of young adults (n = 948), anger rumination mediated the relation between social anxiety and hostility, as well as verbal and physical aggression, as predicted. Greater …

Shyness And Engagement: Contributions Of Peer Rejection And Teacher Sensitivity, Eric S. Buhs, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Irina Kalutskaya, Emily R. Griese

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study tested a longitudinal model of mediated moderation for the role of temperament and shyness in the development of young children’s (n = 960, aged 54 mos. to 1st grade [SD = 1.08 at 54 mos.]) peer relationships at school and linkages to subsequent academic engagement. Teacher sensitivity was examined as a parallel predictor of peer relationship effects and subsequent engagement, and we examined whether or not adverse effects of shyness on peer relationships and adjustment were stronger in classrooms where teachers displayed lower sensitivity. Findings indicated that peer rejection mediated the association between children’s shyness at preschool age …

Shy Children In The Classroom: From Research To Educational Practice, Irina Kalutskaya, Kristen A. Archbell, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Robert J. Coplan

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Shyness is a temperamental trait characterized by wariness, fear, and self-consciousness in social situations. In elementary school, child shyness is associated with a wide range of socioemotional difficulties, including poor peer relationships (e.g., exclusion, victimization), internalizing problems (e.g., low self-esteem, anxiety, depression), and academic adjustment problems (e.g., lack of engagement, poor academic performance). In the current article we particularly review recent research examining the implication of shyness in educational contexts. Topics covered include the development of shyness, why shy students might perceive the classroom as a potential threat, and the unique challenges faced by shy children at school. Further, we …

Demographic Variables And Ict Access As Predictors Of Information Communication Technologies’ Usage Among Science Teachers In Federal Unity Schools In Nigeria, Kolawole Akinjide Aramide Dr, Sunday O. Ladipo Rev., Ibitayo Adebayo Mr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study investigated the extent to which demographic variables and ICT access predict ICT use among science teachers in FUS in Nigeria. Out of the Four hundred and sixty four (464) copies of questionnaire administered on science teachers in 25 FGUSs only 353 copies were returned with useful responses. The findings of the study revealed ICT accessibility (B = .431), educational qualification (B = -.187), teaching experience (B = -.154), ICT use experience (B = .152), and location of ICT access (B = .144) as best predictors of ICT use among science teachers in FUSs in Nigeria. Also, the study …

Use Of Bioinformatics Resources And Tools By Users Of Bioinformatics Centers In India, Meera Yadav, Manlunching Tawmbing

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information plays a vital role in Bioinformatics to achieve the existing Bioinformatics information technologies. Librarians have to identify the information needs, uses and problems faced to meet the needs and requirements of the Bioinformatics users. The paper analyses the response of 315 Bioinformatics users of 15 Bioinformatics centers in India. The papers analyze the data with respect to use of different Bioinformatics databases and tools used by scholars and scientists, areas of major research in Bioinformatics, Major research project, thrust areas of research and use of different resources by the user. The study identifies the various Bioinformatics services and resources …

Effects Of Job Specialization And Departmentalization On Job Satisfaction Among The Staff Of A Nigerian University Library, Samuel Olu Adeyoyin, Florence Agbeze-Unazi, Olatundun Oluwatoyin Oyewunmi, Adewale Isau Adegun, Rafiu Olabamiji Ayodele

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Job specialization is the degree to which the overall task of the organization is broken down into smaller component parts. Departmentalization, on the other hand, is the grouping of jobs according to some logical arrangement. The effect of these two variables on job satisfaction among the staff of a library was the focus of this study. A descriptive research design was adopted while a survey method was employed to elicit information from the respondents for this study. Fifty (50) copies of questionnaires with 30 structured questions were distributed among the staff of Nimbe Adedipe Library, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta …

Research Outputs Of State Government Universities Of Odisha: A Bibliometric Study, Dr Sunil Kumar Satpathy, Manoj Kumar Sa

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study highlights the bibliometric analysis of research productivity of Odisha's state universities during 2010 to 2014 indexed in SCOPUS Database which is 490. The study analyzes different aspects of bibliometric study and found that Utkal University is the most productive institutions with 37.76% of total publications and growth rate of publication of the study is -105.63%. Physics and Astronomy is most preferred subject area having 20% of total publications. The most preferred journal for publications is Optics Communications and Indian Journal of Physics with 1.63% of contributions each and P.K. Mishra. Is the most productive author having 3.06% of …

Development And Preliminary Evaluation Of A Spray Deposition Sensing System For Improving Pesticide Application, Melissa A. Kesterson, Joe D. Luck, Michael P. Sama

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

An electronic, resistance-based sensor array and data acquisition system was developed to measure spray deposition from hydraulic nozzles. The sensor surface consisted of several parallel tin plated copper traces of varying widths with varying gap widths. The system contained an embedded microprocessor to monitor output voltage corresponding to spray deposition every second. In addition, a wireless module was used to transmit the voltage values to a remote laptop. Tests were conducted in two stages to evaluate the performance of the sensor array in an attempt to quantify the spray deposition. Initial tests utilized manual droplet placement on the sensor surface …