Digital Commons Network^™

Increased Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Associated With Schizophrenia: Results Of A Case–Control Study From Bahrain, Haitham Jahrami, Moez Al-Islam Faris, Hadeel Ghazzawi, Zahra Saif, Layla Habib, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert

Faculty Publications

Background: Several studies have indicated that chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with the development of schizophrenia. Given the role of diet in modulating inflammatory markers, excessive caloric intake and increased consumption of pro-inflammatory components such as calorie-dense, nutrient-sparse foods may contribute toward increased rates of schizophrenia. This study aimed to examine the association between dietary inflammation, as measured by the dietary inflammatory index (DII^®), and schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 120 cases attending the out-patient department in the Psychiatric Hospital/Bahrain were recruited, along with 120 healthy controls matched on age and sex. The energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) was computed …

Children As Pawns Of Us Immigration Policy, Sarah Polk M.D., Scm, Mhs, Shamelle Richards, Mary Ann Hernando, Margaret Moon M.D., Joshua Sharfstein M.D.

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

The highly publicized imposition and retraction of the “family separation” border policy by the current U.S. Administration was not an anomaly in U.S. history. In this manuscript, we place these troubling recent events in the context of decades of U.S. immigration policies and politics. We then describe the consequences of family separation and other current immigration policies on child health. We end with a call to action: Pediatricians and other advocates for child health should demand a new direction in immigration policy that stops the use of children as pawns. Instead, the United States should adopt as a fundamental guiding …

Forney Probes Whether Friends Tend To Be More Similar In Body Image Eating Disorder Symptoms, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

Humeral Retroversion, Range Of Motion, And Strength Adaptations In Tennis Players, Daniel Hannah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study aimed to develop an understanding of humeral retroversion (HRV) asymmetries in tennis players and its impact on physical and performance characteristics of the shoulder.Participants: Healthy tennis players were categorized into 3 groups: younger juniors (n=11, age=14.5±0.5 years), older juniors (n=12, age=17.1±0.9 years), and collegiate (n=16, age=19.6±1.2 years). Methods: HRV, internal rotation (IR), and external rotation (ER), total arc of motion (TAM), HRV-corrected IR (HRVcIR), and HRV-corrected ER (HRVcER) were measured and calculated bilaterally using a digital inclinometer and ultrasonography. Bilateral differences (Δ) were calculated (dominant minus nondominant) for HRV and ROM variables. Isometric ER:IR strength ratios …

Relationship Between Dietary Furocoumarins And Melanoma Risk, Melissa Melough

Doctoral Dissertations

Furocoumarins are a class of photocarcinogenic and phototoxic compounds found naturally in numerous edible plants. Experimental evidence shows that when combined with UV radiation, furocoumarins may become photoactivated and induce DNA crosslinks, leading to DNA damage and carcinogenesis. Therefore, a link between dietary furocoumarins and melanoma has been proposed. This project aims to examine the relationship between dietary furocoumarins and melanoma risk through three specific aims. First, we examined the kinetics of dietary furocoumarins in healthy adults (Aim 1). As early as 15 minutes after consuming grapefruit, and for up to three or more hours after ingestion, furocoumarins were detectable …

Synthesis Paper: Targeted Livestock Grazing: Prescription For Healthy Rangelands, Derek W. Bailey, Jeffrey C. Mosley, Richard E. Estell, Andres F. Cibils, Marc Horney, John R. Hendrickson, John W. Walker, Karen L. Launchbaugh, Elizabeth A. Burritt

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Targeted livestock grazing is a proven tool for manipulating rangeland vegetation, and current knowledge about targeted livestock grazing is extensive and expanding rapidly. Targeted grazing prescriptions optimize the timing, frequency, intensity, and selectivity of grazing (or browsing) in combinations that purposely exert grazing/browsing pressure on specific plant species or portions of the landscape. Targeted grazing differs from traditional grazing management in that the goal of targeted grazing is to apply defoliation or trampling to achieve specific vegetation management objectives, whereas the goal of traditional livestock grazing management is generally the production of livestock commodities. A shared aim of targeted livestock …

Comparison Of Play Frequency In Four Sympatric Monkey Species In Kibale National Park, Uganda, Sara G. Lucci

Theses and Dissertations

This study describes play in red colobus (Procolobus rufomitratus), grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena), black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza), and redtail monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius) to test Instinct-Practice Theory. Solitary locomotor play was different among the species. Rough-and-tumble play was different between male and female redtail monkeys. These results partially support Instinct-Practice Theory.

Exploring Innovation And Behavioral Flexibility In African Lions (Panthera Leo) And Snow Leopards (Panthera Uncia), Victoria L. O'Connor

Theses and Dissertations

Intelligence may have evolved to help animals problem-solve in their physical and/or social environments, which enables them to cope with changes in their environments. Humans can reduce wildlife conflict by understanding how species that face harsh environments assess a situation and alter their behavior. Tests for cognitive behavior aim to formulate clear behavioral criteria for inferring an animal’s mental processes. We designed a custom multi-access puzzle box (MAB) to present a simple and effective behavioral test for exploring innovation in two species, African lions (Panthera leo) and snow leopards (Panthera uncia). Despite being vastly underrepresented in …

Who Is My Neighbor? The Importance Of Global Education For Kinesiology Students, Jessica D. Ventura

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

The parable of the Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke illustrates that helping others requires both the ability to reach out to any person and the humility to receive mercy from any person. This active love requires a basic understanding of culture and the ways in which it may affect the values and actions of others. As believers seeking to express God in careers that bring them in contact with any person, kinesiology students have a specific need to understand their global neighbors. This paper first explores the importance of multicultural education as illustrated in the book of …

Who Will Help Children? Building Brain Regimes, William F. Tate Iv

Center for Social Development Research

“Why can’t we organize public–private partnerships to protect and to nurture the brains of our children?”

In this Perspective, William Tate IV makes the case for constructing brain regimes—public–private partnerships designed to nurture and support the healthy development of children. Illuminating the ways in which communities and schools shape individual outcomes in Missouri, he offers seven evidence-based recommendations for fostering brain development and positive outcomes.

Who Will Help Children? Building Regional Brain Regimes is based in part on “Beyond Education Triage: Building Brain Regimes in Metropolitan America,” Chapter 11 in Facing Segregation: Housing Policy Solutions for a Stronger Society …

Integrated Pest Management In The Academic Small Greenhouse Setting: A Case Study Using Solanum Spp. (Solanaceae)., Daniel S. Hayes, Ingrid E. Jordon-Thaden, Jason T. Cantley, Angela J. Mcdonnell, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

Premise

Botanical faculty and staff at academic institutions are often tasked with establishing and/or caring for plant collections held in small greenhouse facilities. Once plants are in place, an especially acute challenge is managing plant pest/pathogen populations. Integrated pest management (IPM) approaches are an excellent option, but few examples exist in the literature of successful programs that have been developed in academic small greenhouse settings.

Methods and Results

Over several years, we developed an IPM program for two small research greenhouses on the campus of a primarily undergraduate institution where hundreds of plants have been grown for studies in the …

College2youth Program Offers Health, College Access Outreach In Delta, Nicole Wilkin

University of Mississippi News

UM faculty and students organize health and career fairs in Quitman County

The Effectiveness Of Registered Dietitians In Diabetes Case Management, Meghan C. Mclarney

Theses & Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of diabetes education provided by registered dietitians (RD) in a diabetes case management (DCMs) model, compared to diabetes education provided by RDs in the usual care model (UCM) at an outpatient endocrinology clinic in Omaha, Nebraska. This study hypothesizes that education by RD DCMs will be equal or more efficacious in regards to primary outcomes of A1C and BMI and secondarily, lipid results and adherence (total encounters) when compared to outcomes of UC.

METHODS: This is a cross sectional retrospective review of patients with diabetes (n=946), receiving traditional RD …

Biofilm Formation And Physiological Heterogeneity Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Yue-Jia Lee

Theses and Dissertations

A contributing factor in recurrent Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) food contamination is that this bacterium produces biofilms on surfaces to persist in food-processing environments. Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication system utilized by bacteria within biofilms to collaborate and adapt to environmental stresses. However, the details of how the QS-dependent network contributes to biofilm development of L. monocytogenes have yet to be well understood. By comparing the transfer rates of planktonic and biofilm (sessile) L. monocytogenes from stainless steel blades to bologna slices, we found that sessile bacteria had reduced transferability onto a single slice but caused the increase …

Characterization Of Xylaria Sp., The Causal Agent Of Taproot Decline In Mississippi Soybean, Hope Becton

Theses and Dissertations

Taproot decline (TRD), caused by an undescribed species of Xylaria, is an emerging root disease of soybean in Mississippi. Xylaria sp. isolates were collected from soybean roots and used to characterize TRD distribution as well as optimal growth temperature, pathogenicity, alternative host range, in vitro pathogenicity, and fungicide sensitivity. The 24 selected Xylaria sp. isolates from the 2016 collection had a mean optimal growth temperature of 26.7°C, and were pathogenic to soybean; however, differences in virulence occurred among isolates. Five selected Xylaria sp. isolates produced stroma on six hosts: corn, cotton, peanut, rice, sorghum, and wheat. Xylaria sp. colonized corn, …

High Rates Of Diabetes And Hypertension Amongst Non-Latinx African-American Women As Risk Factors For Low Birth Weight: Contributing Causes And Potential Solutions, Liliana Barber

University Honors Theses

This study sought to analyze the relationship between diabetes, hypertension, and low birth weight (LBW) amongst non-Latinx African American women. The Oregon Health Assessment Tool (OPHAT) served as a data base for the sample population. The sample population consisted of African American women between the ages of 25-39 that gave birth between 2013-2014. Relative risk ratios were calculated to determine the likelihood of delivering a LBW infant. The exposures for the risk ratios were: Prepregnancy diabetes (DM), gestational diabetes (GM), prepregnancy hypertension (HTN), and gestational hypertension (GHTN). An analysis of conditional factors that impact birth weight was also conducted. The …

Maternal Cognitions And The Origins Of Early Sensorimotor Based Play In Infants Born Preterm, Sandra L. Willett

Theses & Dissertations

Maternal cognitions are beliefs, perceptions, and expectations that guide parenting practices. For at-risk infants born prematurely, these maternal constructs may influence the caregiving environment and opportunities for motor experience. The impact of maternal cognitions on motor development in infants born preterm is not well-documented. This three-part dissertation systematically explores: 1) the nature and extent of existing evidence supporting the link between maternal cognitions and motor development of infants born preterm, 2) if maternal perception of infant vulnerability as measured by an adapted Vulnerable Baby Scale (VBS) can be validly and reliably quantified in mothers of infants born preterm and near …

Health Literacy Changes In A Technology-Enhanced Diabetes Prevention Program, Cody Goessl

Theses & Dissertations

Background: In 2001, the Diabetes Prevention Program was published evaluating the efficacy of a pharmaceutical intervention, Metformin, and a behavioral lifestyle intervention (LI) to reduce incidence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The LI was observed to reduce the incidence of the disease by 58% relative to 31% in the medication treatment. Amongst technology based LIs, little has been done to address different health literacy populations.

Objectives: This dissertation evaluated how teach-back and teach-to-goal can influence the uptake of information obtained in each health education lesson, behaviors and its influence on engagement and weight loss.

Methods: Four hundred forty-two participants …

An Examination Of Whether Perceived Stress Mediates The Effects Of Income On Engagement And Weight Loss Loss Outcomes In An Online Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention, Kristen Volz

Master's Theses

Individuals with lower income have higher rates of obesity and are underrepresented in weight loss treatment. Moreover, when individuals with lower income do enroll in face-to-face interventions, their adherence and weight loss outcomes are worse due to known treatment barriers, including unreliable transportation, lack of childcare, and scheduling constraints associated with multiple jobs and unconventional work hours. Because online interventions are asynchronous and can be accessed any time of day, they hold significant promise for reducing treatment barriers and improving adherence and weight loss outcomes in lower income populations. However, one drawback of online interventions is that they are self-directed, …

Hospital Acquired Pressure Injury Prevention: A Quality Improvement Project, Sukhjit Dhillon

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries (HAPI) can be costly for the hospitals and devastating for the patients. Most pressure injuries are considered preventable, but despite that a lot of Americans die from pressure injury related complications each year. Hospitals spend billions of dollars on pressure injuries which can be used for other treatments. A quality improvement project was created to address these concerns and improve patient care. There were 5 cases of HAPIs on the telemetry/stroke unit prior to the start of this project. Interventions were created to improve the outcome. After careful review of the related literature, HAPI prevention …

Effects Of Various Concentrations Of Soybean Hull Supplementation On Performance, Digestion And Serum Chemistry Of Weaned Beef Cattle Fed Ryegrass Baleage, Paige N. Tipton

Theses and Dissertations

Graded concentrations of soybean hull pellets (SHP) fed to calves consuming annual ryegrass baleage was evaluated in two experiments. Experiment one evaluated performance and serum glucose of animals fed three treatments. Treatments were: 0.0% (TRT 0), 0.5% (TRT 0.5), 1.0% (TRT 1) body weight (BW) of SHP fed daily while calves had ad libitum access to baleage. Average daily gain and BW increased for calves receiving TRT 1 (P < 0.05). Experiment two evaluated passage rate of treatments using ytterbium chloride as a marker. Passage rate of diet decreased for TRT 1 compared to TRT 0 (10.9 h vs. 16.72 h TRT 1 and TRT 0 respectively, P < 0.05). Calves receiving TRT 0.5 had greater ADG than calves fed TRT 0 (0.54 kg/d and 0.30 kg/d respectively; P < 0.05). Diet passage rate decreased as supplement amount increased (P < 0.05). Serum glucose concentrations were not affected.

A Study Protocol For An Mhealth, Multi-Centre Randomized Control Trial To Promote Use Of Postpartum Contraception Amongst Rural Women In Punjab, Pakistan, Xaher Gul, Waqas Hameed, Sharmeen Hussain, Ishaque Sheikh, Junaid-Ur-Rehman Siddiqui

Community Health Sciences

Background: Provision of family planning services during the immediate post-partum phase is considered effective and cost-efficient for promoting healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies. This research aims to test the effectiveness of mobile phone-based interventions in promoting use of postpartum contraception. Moreover, it will also test the non-inferiority of text and voice messages compared to interactive phone-based counselling.
Methods: A three-arm, 10-month, multicentre, randomized controlled trial will be conducted at 15 social franchise (SF) health facilities in Punjab province of Pakistan. Pregnant women aged 15-44 years who are in their first or second trimester and have a mobile phone for …

Investigation Of Antimicrobial Activity And Metabolic Genes In Bacterial Symbionts Associated With The Female Reproductive System Of The Hawaiian Bobtail Squid, Euprymna Scolopes, Andrea Suria

Doctoral Dissertations

The Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, maintains a diverse bacterial consortium in epithelium lined tubules in a female reproductive organ, the accessory nidamental gland (ANG). During egg laying, bacteria from the ANG are deposited into a jelly coat (JC) that surrounds the yolk sac. The ANG/JC communities are composed of Alphaproteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Flavobacteriia, and Gammaproteobacteria. Removing or altering the JC bacterial community leaves eggs vulnerable to biofouling and infections. To understand the metabolism of this community and look for potential mechanisms of egg defense, the antimicrobial activity of ANG/JC symbionts was tested, 4 ANG metagenomes …

Conservation, Acquisition, And Maturation Of Gut And Bladder Symbioses In Hirudo Verbana, Emily Ann Mcclure

Doctoral Dissertations

The medicinal leech is a developing experimental model of gut symbioses. Aeromonas veronii and Mucinivorans hirudinis are core members of the gut microbial community in Hirudo verbana and may aid the leech in digesting the blood meal, preserving the blood meal, and keeping invading bacteria from colonizing the gut. The bladders of H. verbana contain an entirely different microbial consortium. The scientific interest in this symbiosis is currently due to its simple nature and the extreme dietary habits of the leech. In order to increase the usefulness of this model, a more sophisticated understanding of processes by which the microbiome …

The Impacts Of Pregnancy Status, Abortion Risk, And Other Factors On Replacement Female Values In Mississippi Cattle Auctions, Tori Lee Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

A replacement female's value is primarily determined by her reproductive potential and the expected value of calves produced. To improve sales revenues, sellers benefit from understanding the buyers' valuation of physical characteristics related to reproductive potential and calf values. The goal of this research is to identify the impact of physical characteristics on the valuation of individual replacement females through a hedonic pricing model. Results suggest all facets of pregnancy (i.e. pregnancy status, months pregnant, expected due-date, and cow-calf pairs) are crucial to the valuation. Particularly, pregnant replacement females are discounted relative to non-pregnant, ascending in value as months pregnant …

The Silent Epidemic: Disparities And Obstacles In Obtaining Oral Care, Heather Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

American’s agree that dental health is important and vital to our overall wellbeing. However, not every American is achieving the same degree of oral health. Obstacles that American’s face include dental health disparities, limited access to affordable dental care, and limited access to dental insurance. This study examined how disease risk is shaped within the culture of oral health in Florida. This study examined those who provide dental care, those who cannot afford dental health insurance but earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, and those with dental insurance. Hypotheses two and three were proven to be true, while …

Purification And Preliminary Characterization Of Zinc(Ii) Dependent Transcription Factor Adcr, Asm Saem

Theses and Dissertations

Transition metals are essential micronutrients for organisms. Excess zinc can be lethal to bacterial survival. Zinc homeostasis is crucial and is regulated by zinc uptake and efflux system. Streptococcus pneumoniae AdcR (Adhesin competence regulator) transcription factor is the member of MarR (multiple antibiotic resistance regulator) family proteins that suppress the zinc upregulation transporter. In the absence of zinc, AdcR has less affinity to bind DNA and uptake genes are expressed in order to transport zinc inside the cell. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a gram-positive human pathogen that is capable of colonizing in the human nasopharynx, especially in young children and leads …

Rice (Oryza Sativa) Response And Management Following Exposure To Sub-Lethal Rates Of Non-Target Herbicides, Benjamin Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

Research was conducted at the Mississippi State University Delta Research and Extension Center from 2015 to 2018 to (1) determine the effects of sub-lethal concentrations of paraquat, metribuzin, fomesafen, and cloransulam-methyl applied at different rice growth stages, determine the effects on rice growth of simulated off-target paraquat applications at varying concentration based on a proportionally decreased carrier volume characterize rice response to a sub-lethal concentration of paraquat in combination with common POST and residual herbicides, assess whether starter N fertilizer or different N fertilizer management strategies can aide in rice recover after exposure to a sub-lethal concentration of paraquat, and …

Sensory And Chemical/Nutritional Characteristics Of Concept Foods Made From Underutilized Sweet Potato Roots And Greens, Shinyoung Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Frozen desserts and a smoothie were developed from underutilized sweet potato roots and from greens, respectively. Frozen desserts were formulated with mashed sweet potato, coconut oil, and dairy, almond, or soy milk. Sweet potato greens were blanched and frozen before being made into a smoothie. Increased mash in the frozen desserts resulted in better (p≤0.05) color, overall intensity of flavor, and sweet potato flavor. Descriptive and consumer panelists found no differences (p>0.05) in frozen desserts with difference base milk products. Almond milk frozen dessert was lower in total solids, protein and Brix (p≤0.05), compared to dairy and soy milk. …

Possible Barriers To Mississippi's Farmers' Market Nutrition Program Redemption, Mildred Elizabeth Murphree

Theses and Dissertations

Trending ahead to the year 2050, concerns continue to rise regarding feeding a world population of nearly 10 billion people (Smith, Tarawali, Grace, & Sones, 2013). The United States provides many federal programs to feed the hungry (Talk Poverty, 2018). Despite these provisions, barriers exist and prevent access to healthy foods (Innis, 2014). Residents in the state of Mississippi are posed with the challenge of accessing nutrient rich foods (Gunderson et al., 2018). In an effort to combat hunger in Mississippi, Mississippi WIC and MDAC have partnered to bridge farmers with low-income residents with the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (“Mississippi …