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The Cellular And Molecular Characterization Of Essential Hypertension Using Innovative Pathology Models, Joshua T. Rodriguez

All Theses

Essential hypertension, characterized by elevated blood pressure levels, is a primary risk factor for other cardiovascular diseases. There has been a drastic rise in the amount of people who have essential hypertension; trends predict that 1.56 billion people worldwide will be living with essential hypertension by 2025. Anti-hypertensive drugs lower elevated blood pressure levels, but do not eliminate the disease itself or reverse the structural damage to arteries. This study aims to elucidate hypertension-induced endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction using a blood vessel tissue engineering approach as a pathology model. In order to characterize EC dysfunction, the FlexCell® system was used …

Development Of Plga-Coated Β-Tcp Scaffolds Containing Vegf For Bone Tissue Engineering, Arash Khojasteh, Farahnaz Fahimipour, Mohamadreza Baghaban Eslaminejad, Mohammad Jafarian, Shahrbanoo Jahangir, Farshid Bastami, Mohammadreza Tahriri, Akbar Karkhaneh, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Bone tissue engineering is sought to apply strategies for bone defects healing without limitations and short-comings of using either bone autografts or allografts and xenografts. The aim of this study was to fabricate a thin layer poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) coated beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffold with sustained release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). PLGA coating increased compressive strength of the β-TCP scaffolds significantly. For in vitro evaluations, canine mesenchymal stem cells (cMSCs) and canine endothelial progenitor cells (cEPCs) were isolated and characterized. Cell proliferation and attachment were demonstrated and the rate of cells proliferation on the VEGF released scaffold was …

Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Misaki Abe, Alexander Ellison, Brandon Hicks, Echo Wooden

Environmental and Sustainability Studies Undergraduate Projects

No abstract provided.

The H.I.V.E, Ellerie Ambrose, Adam Hummel, Ashley Koltz, Christopher Lopez, Christian Miller

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

Design Thinking is a methodology used by designers, deep thinkers, and problem solvers alike to brainstorm solutions for issues big and small. To truly embrace the methodology and achieve great results, users must dive into the problem they are solving with an open mind and desire for change. This compilation walks through our group’s semester long journey of solving one problem: What is the role of a satellite campus in a community? We were able to apply this question to the Grand Valley State University Meijer campus located in Holland, Michigan. This process yields a variety of results that are …

Selection Of Drought-Tolerant Soybean Lines Using A Field Screening Method And Identification Of Qtls For Slow Wilting And Nitrogen Fixation Associated With Drought-Tolerance, Mirta Beatriz Dalzotto

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drought causes significant yield reductions in soybean. The development of drought-tolerant cultivars is an effective alternative to overcome this abiotic stress. Slow wilting, prolonged nitrogen fixation, and minimal yield reduction under water stress play an important role in evaluating breeding materials. Despite advances in knowledge about plant responses to drought conditions, there is little information on effective methodologies for phenotype screening in the field, and some QTLs have been identified for drought tolerance. Field screenings under drought and irrigated conditions are necessary to detect drought tolerant lines. In addition, QTLs and molecular makers associated with drought tolerance traits will greatly …

Genetic Determinants Of Salmonella And Campylobacter Required For In Vitro Fitness, Rabindra Kumar Mandal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) and Campylobacter play a major role in foodborne illness caused by the consumption of food contaminated by pathogens worldwide. A comprehensive understanding of the genetic factors that increase the survival fitness of these foodborne pathogens will effectively help us formulate mitigation strategies without affecting the nutrition ecology. The objective of this study was to identify the genetic determinants of Salmonella and Campylobacter that are required for fitness under various in vitro conditions. For the purpose, we used a high throughput Transposon sequencing (Tn-seq) that utilizes next generation sequencing (NGS) to screen hundreds of thousands of mutants simultaneously. …

A Content Analysis Of Advertising On Children’S Television Networks, Demarius Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This content analysis study on licensed characters in advertising collected data in summer 2015 from three children’s cable networks: Cartoon Network, Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Using Social cognitive theory and based on past research (Barcus, 1975; Atkin, 1976; Calcott & Lee, 1994; Stitt & Kunkel, 2008; LoDolce et al., 2013; Castonguay et al., 2013), the study examined whether the use of licensed characters and emotional appeals varied in advertising for healthy or unhealthy foods, mass media genre and the character’s gender. The study found licensed characters are more likely to be used to promote unhealthy foods, originate from movies and …

The Effects Of Using Cinnamon Leaf And Bark Essential Oils On Listeria Monocytogenes (L.M.), Salmonella Typhimurium (S.T.), In Model System, Strawberry Shake And Fresh Celery, And Sensory & Shelf Life Studies, Wafaa Brnawi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Essential oils derived from the bark and leaves of the cinnamon plant have long been used as natural preservatives and flavoring agents in different types of foods. In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial effects of cinnamon essential oils (CEOs), obtained from cinnamon leaf or bark, against two foodborne pathogens i.e., Salmonella Typhimurium (S.T.) and Listeria monocytogenes (L.m.). Two different concentrations of microbial loading were used i.e.,109 and 104, cultured in nutrient media broth, strawberry shakes, and on celery sticks. Both CEOs of leaf and bark at 0.5% and 1% were found to completely inhibit S.T. and L.m., immediately after …

The Association Between Known Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes, And The Body Mass Index Of Diabetic Adults, Faten Ahmed Almubarak

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been a major research topic in scientific health studies. Diabetes is a chronic condition in which blood glucose levels are chronically elevated to more than 7.0 mmol/l in fasting plasma glucose test. The most common form of diabetes is Type 2 (TD2M). The International Diabetes Federation (2015) estimated the number of DM cases worldwide to be 415 million people in 2015. This number is predicted to increase by the year 2040, to 642 million people. The purpose of this study was to use the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to identify the risk factors for …

Effect Of Delayed Wrapping And Wrapping Source On Intake And Digestibility Of Alfalfa Silage In Gestating Sheep, Valens Niyigena

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Baling silage with oxygen can result in dry matter deterioration and reduce silage intake by animals. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of two different wrapping sources and time intervals between baling and wrapping on intake and digestibility of alfalfa silage. The second objective was to assess the correlation of alfalfa silage fermentation parameters with intake and digestibility parameters in gestating sheep. Alfalfa silage was baled in large round bales then wrapped with plastic either with (KURA) or without (SUN) an oxygen-limiting barrier either the day of baling or 1, 2 or 3 d after baling. Beginning in …

Effects Of Fermentation By Yeast And Amylolytic Lactic Acid Bacteria On Grain Sorghum Protein Content And Digestibility, Christina Day

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Grain sorghum is an underutilized crop despite many advantages to its cultivation. A drought-tolerant plant with many pest-resistant cultivars, its applications are limited by problems with nutrient availability, particularly protein digestibility. Digestibility of grain sorghum protein is reduced by antinutritional compounds in the grain like tannins and phytates, and by moist-heat cooking. Some of these concerns can be mitigated by how the grain is processed. Fermentation is one processing method that can improve digestibility. Fermentation can also concentrate protein in a substrate. In this experiment, grain sorghum was subjected to different treatments and used as a substrate for yeast fermentation. …

Liming Characteristics Of A High-Calcium, Dry Flue Gas Desulfurization By-Product And Its Effects On Runoff Water Quality, Jason Richard Burgess-Conforti

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 2013, only 37% of the 32 million Mg of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by-products generated in the United States were reused beneficially. If FGD by-products could be used as a beneficial soil amendment, millions of megagrams may be diverted away from surface impoundments and landfills. The purpose of this research was to identify the liming characteristics of a high-Ca dry FGD (DFGD) by-product in comparison to a Class-C fly ash (FA) and reagent-grade CaCO3, and to evaluate the effects of land application to a managed grassland on runoff, plant, and soil quality. Liming characteristics were determined by measuring the …

Effects Of Acute Heat And Oxidative Stress On The Hepatic Expression Of Orexin And Its Related Receptors, Stephanie Khaldi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is widely known that orexin A and B peptides as well as their receptors are expressed in the hypothalamus and distributed throughout the central nervous system, but there have been few studies regarding its presences in other parts of the body. There is now evidence that orexin (ORX) and its receptors (ORXR1/2) are present in the avian liver; however, their regulation under different environmental conditions is still unknown. In the current study, we sought to determine the effects of heat and oxidative stress using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) on the hepatic expression of ORX and ORXR1/2 in …

Daily Variability Of Body Weight And Hydration Markers In Free Living Men And Women, Lynndee Grace Summers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Body weight and hydration markers change greatly during strenuous exercise, especially in the heat. However, in a non-athletic population, changes in body weight and hydration markers may not be so obvious. It is important to classify the normal fluctuation of these measurements for future studies in order to delineate when an intervention results in a change outside of what can be expected during normal daily living. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the normal fluctuations in body weight and urine hydration markers over the course of 29 days. METHODS: One-hundred two male and female participants, ranging from …

Cover Crop Establishment And Potential Benefits To Arkansas Farmers, Ashley Elizabeth Humphreys

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soybean farmers in Arkansas need best management practices (BMPs) that maximize the benefits of using cover crops including planting date and fertilization recommendations. An evaluation of cover crop species, planting dates, seeding rates, fertilizer rates, and N accumulation aids in providing these BMPs. The first objective of this research is to assess the effect of planting date on biomass production, as well as looking at the interaction of seeding rate or fertilizer rate for legumes or non-legumes, respectively, using Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum), cereal rye (Secale cereale), black oats (Avena strigosa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and tillage radish (Raphanus sativus). …

Fecal Bacterial Communities As An Indicator Of Trophic Interactions Among Anuran Larvae, Steven Jacob Everman

Master's Theses

Anurans are mass spawners, often with multiple females spawning together, resulting in thousands of tadpoles sharing a habitat. Such large numbers of tadpoles with limited dispersal can lead to intense competition for resources. Inter and intra-specific competition for food could have negative impacts on the growth and survival of smaller tadpoles. Fecal bacterial communities have the potential to be used as indicators of changes in diet making it possible to determine if tadpoles in the wild are eating the same food or not. After feeding on two prepared diets that differed in the percentage of complex carbohydrates, the fecal bacterial …

Edible Insects As A Source Of Food Allergens, Lee Palmer

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

Increasing global population increasingly limited by resources has spurred interest in novel food sources. Insects may be an alternative food source in the near future, but consideration of insects as a food requires scrutiny due to risk of allergens. Currently, the insect Dactylopius coccus, known as cochineal, is used to produce carmine, a natural red pigment used in food, which has caused allergic reactions. This study investigated allergens of cochineal focusing on purification from the pigment. Mass spectrometry identified a previously described major allergen of cochineal and a tropomyosin, although further work is required.

Tropomyosin is a major cross-reactive allergen …

Risk Assessment And Research Synthesis Methodologies In Food Safety: Two Effective Tools To Provide Scientific Evidence Into The Decision Making Process, Juan E. Ortuzar

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

The food supply chain is a complex and diverse system. Some food products need minimum processing to reach the consumers, while others involve several different processes, countries and suppliers, can take several months to be on the table of the end consumer. Regarding food safety, the public health of consumers is at stake and the consequences of outbreaks could prove disastrous. This has been recognized as a matter of global importance for the food industry and authorities around the world since several efforts to improve quality, safety and trade of food have arisen since the early 1960s. The birth of …

Formation Of Bioactive-Carrier Hollow Solid Lipid Micro- And Nanoparticles, Junsi Yang

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

In recent years, bioactive lipids (e.g., carotenoids, phytosterols, and tocopherols) have attracted a lot of interest to develop health and wellness promoting foods and beverages. However, bioactive lipids are water-insoluble and degrade easily during processing and storage, making their addition into foods and beverages challenging.

The main objective of this thesis was to develop a novel green process to form bioactive lipid-carrier hollow solid lipid micro- and nanoparticles using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂). Specific objectives were to develop hollow solid lipid micro- and nanoparticles using SC-CO₂ technology, and to load the hollow solid lipid micro- and nanoparticles …

Tnf-Like Weak Inducer Of Apoptosis (Tweak) : Not So Weak After All., Joseph Dekward Mcmillan Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) is a proinflammatory cytokine belonging to the TNF super family. TWEAK produces a variety of cellular responses through the binding to fibroblast growth factor inducible 14 (Fn14), a member of TNF receptor superfamily. Although Fn14 lacks a death domain, TWEAK has been found to induce apoptosis in some cell types by perturbing the activity of certain pathways such as TNF-receptor signaling. TWEAK is also known to regulate proliferation and differentiation of myogenic cells. We have previously reported that the TWEAK-Fn14 system causes skeletal muscle wasting both in vitro and in …

Complex Vegetation Dynamics At The Fire–Grazing–Drought Nexus, Christine H. Bielski

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The discipline of ecology long ago moved away from viewing systems as static entities where disturbance processes, environmental stochasticity, and spatiotemporal variability play minor roles in determining ecosystem structure and function. Ecological theory continue to develop frameworks and statistical techniques capable of describing the inherent complexity in natural systems. However, in dealing with the complexity in nature, many applied disciplines have yet to adopt such frameworks or statistical techniques. The objective of this study was bridge the gap between ecological theory and application by using complex systems theory to describe grassland vegetation dynamics at the fire-grazing-drought nexus. Chapters 2 and …

A Dollar A Day: Child Sponsorship And The Marketization Of Human Development, Taylor Hallett

Capstone Collection

Child sponsorship as a method of international development offers child sponsors a personal connection to the process of alleviating poverty in the global South. As a form of human development, child sponsorship is constituted by neoliberal principles of marketization and social entrepreneurship. How does child sponsorship, in this context, require us to rethink the ethics of international development in light of ongoing debates about neoliberalism? In this research, I argue that child sponsorship reifies the binary of the “developed” and “undeveloped” worlds. Through undertaking a content analysis of three organizations (Compassion International, World Vision, and UNICEF) and applying post-structural critique …

Comparing The Administration Of University Cooperative Extensions In The United States: A Case Analysis, Fatma Nasoz, Robert E. Lang, William E. Brown Jr.

Lincy Institute Reports and Briefs

For more than a century, cooperative extensions and the land-grant universities have translated and extended research-based knowledge and provided non-formal higher education to their communities. Today, more than 80% of the nation’s population are living in urban areas (The World Bank, 2015). Challenges facing diverse populations require cooperative extensions to collaborate and form partnerships to leverage resources and expertise. This brief explores the nation’s Cooperative Extension System, in particular the university cooperative extensions run by 1862 Land-Grant Universities. Researchers developed an intrinsic case study design to examine cooperative extensions in 15 states and interviewed leaders of the cooperative extensions to …

Exendin 4 Conjugation And Sequence Modification To Treat Type 2 Diabetes And Obesity, Ronald Bonaccorso Bonaccorso

Dissertations - ALL

This thesis addresses three primary questions based on the pharmacodynamics (PD) or pharmacokinetics

(PK) of the diabetes drug exendin 4 (Ex-4), and vitamin B12 (B12) bioconjugates, thereof.

Q1. (Chapter 2) What effect does B12 conjugation to Ex-4 have on agonism of the glucagon-like peptide-1

receptor (GLP-1R) in vitro and on PD/PK (including brain uptake and function) in vivo?

Goal: To remove side-effects (nausea, weight loss) of Ex-4 without loss of glucoregulation.

Q2. (Chapter 3) Can B12 dietary uptake proteins such as gastric intrinsic factor offer protection to B12

conjugated peptides or proteins (focusing on Ex-4), with a view to improving …

Enhancing Vegetable Intake In Infants And Toddlers Through Parental Complementary Feeding Education, Sophia Testa

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research project investigated the outcomes of educating parents of infants between the ages of 6 months and 12 months on the importance of including vegetables in complementary feedings on the infant’s vegetable consumption. The efficiency of teaching was measured by comparing physical measurements and quantity of vegetables consumed by infants whose parents received education with the same data from infants whose parents did not receive education on inclusion of vegetable in complementary feedings. The results found contributed to Dr. Shreve’s research on childhood obesity in the Northwest Arkansas population and to the knowledge of parental education with regard to …

Towards An Anthropometric History Of Latin America In The Second Half Of The Twentieth Century, Amílcar E. Challú, Sergio Silva-Castañeda

History Faculty Publications

We examine the evolution of adult female heights in twelve Latin American countries during the second half of the twentieth century based on demographic health surveys and related surveys compiled from national and international organizations. Only countries with more than one survey were included, allowing us to cross-examine surveys and correct for biases. We first show that average height varies significantly according to location, from 148.3 cm in Guatemala to 158.8 cm in Haiti. The evolution of heights over these decades behaves like indicators of human development, showing a steady increase of 2.6 cm from the 1950s to the 1990s. …

Mammographic Density Assessed On Paired Raw And Processed Digital Images And On Paired Screen-Film And Digital Images Across Three Mammography Systems, Anya Burton, Graham Byrnes, Jennifer Stone, Rulla M. Tamimi, John Heine, Celine Vachon, Vahit Ozmen, Ana Pereira, Maria Luisa Garmendia, Christopher Scott, John H. Hipwell, Caroline Dickens, Joachim Schüz, Mustafa Erkin Aribal, Kimberly Bertrand, Ava Kwong, Graham G. Giles, John Hopper, Beatriz Pérez Gómez, Marina Pollán, Soo-Hwang Teo, Shivaani Mariapun, Nur Aishah Mohd Taib, Martín Lajous, Ruy Lopez-Riduara, Megan Rice, Isabelle Romieu, Anath Arzee Flugelman, Giske Ursin, Samera Qureshi, Huiyan Ma, Eunjung Lee, Reza Sirous, Mehri Sirous, Jong Won Lee, Jisun Kim, Dorria Salem, Rasha Kamal, Mikael Hartman, Hui Miao, Kee-Seng Chia, Chisato Nagata, Sudhir Vinayak, Rose Ndumia, Carla H. Van Gils, Johanna O. P. Wanders, Beata Peplonska, Agnieszka Bukowska, Steve Allen, Sarah Vinnicombe, Sue Moss, Anna M. Chiarelli, Linda Linton, Gertraud Maskarinec, Martin J. Yaffe, Norman F. Boyd, Isabel Dos-Santos-Silva, Valerie A. Mccormack

Imaging & Diagnostic Radiology, East Africa

Background: Inter-women and intra-women comparisons of mammographic density (MD) are needed in research, clinical and screening applications; however, MD measurements are influenced by mammography modality (screen film/ digital) and digital image format (raw/processed). We aimed to examine differences in MD assessed on these image types.

Methods: We obtained 1294 pairs of images saved in both raw and processed formats from Hologic and General Electric (GE) direct digital systems and a Fuji computed radiography (CR) system, and 128 screen-film and processed CR-digital pairs from consecutive screening rounds. Four readers performed Cumulus-based MD measurements (n = 3441), with each image pair read …

Intergenerational Hispanic Perceptions Of Childhood Obesity, Janelle Weiss

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Childhood obesity is on the rise in the United States especially among minority families. This study investigates how Hispanic parents perceive their child's weight based on years of acculturation, education level, age, child’s gender and 1^st or 2^nd generation status.

Objective: To assess if there are differences in perception between more acculturated Hispanic immigrants and their less acculturated counterparts.

Methods: Data were collected using the Child's Body Image Scale. Participants were asked to arrange the images based on a series of questions inquiring about their perception of their child and health in general. BMI's were then …

Zombie Fungi: Occurrence Of Arthropod Endoparasitic Fungi At Different Altitudes In The Monteverde Region, December 2016, Madeline Sandler

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Arthropod endoparasitic fungi consist of multiple genera that exploit the bodies of insects and arachnids as host organisms to spread their fungal spores and to obtain nutrients from the body of the host. Arthropod parasitic fungi can be classified into three families: Clavicipitaceae,Cordyipitaceae and Ophiocordycipitaceae . I conducted an observational study in the Monteverde region of Costa Rica where I collected and analyzed arthropods that have been parasitized with fungi by searching in different altitudes and life zones. My goal was to determine if there was an altitudinal gradient associated with the presence and abundance of arthropod parasitic fungi and …

Volatile Compounds And Microbiota: Antibacterial Properties In Traditional Preparation Methods Of Medicinal Herb Neurolaena Lobata (Asteraceae), December 2016, Nina Djukic

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

I assessed the differential effectiveness of traditional herbal preparation methods of medicinal herb gavilana (Neurolaena lobata) on an assay of four bacteria (E. coli, S. aureus, Shigella sp. and Salmonella sp.) known to cause food poisoning symptoms in humans. Medicinal plants are used both traditionally at home in many cultures and in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Their medicinal properties often come from their secondary compounds, chemicals that play a role in their ecophysiology and primarily defend them from herbivory. I prepared three types of Neurolaena lobata extracts - an oil, an alcohol, and a tea - and assessed the zones …