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School Of Applied Sciences Honors Students Of The Month, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

Kymberle Gordon and Shanda Martin recognized for academic excellence

A Systems View Of Cardiovascular Disease, Madisen Cotter

University Honors Theses

The significant proportion of the morbidity and mortality caused by cardiovascular disease is preventable, yet it remains one of the leading causes of death among both men and women, indicating the complexity of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is a multifaceted and persistent problem that calls for using another lens – a systems lens. A systems approach may be a useful tool to understand the structure of relationships that characterize and make cardiovascular disease so persistent and resistant to change. Therefore, the objectives of this paper were to (1) model the network of relationships that produce the epidemic of cardiovascular disease …

The Ripples Of Vanport: Navigating Competing Narratives, Curtis J. Jewell

University Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes representations of the history of Vanport, Oregon, through the lens of narrative rhetoric. It examines two mainstream texts, one academic and one written for the general public, to establish a foundation for Vanport's dominant representation, before exploring how local nonprofit Vanport Mosaic works to revise that history through community voices. Histories of Vanport have largely focused on its success as a public housing project before the 1948 flood that destroyed the city. In these accounts, the experiences of the residents themselves, including the flood’s devastating effects on their community, were overlooked. This neglect inspired the oral history …

Diurnal Variation In Co2 Efflux By Pine Seedlings And Root-Associated Mycorrhizal Fungi, Richard Easterling

Honors Theses

This project was part of a larger experiment conducted by Amber Horning and Jason Hoeksema in the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi, which was set up to investigate variation (over time, and with different light levels) in resource exchange between pine seedlings and two different species of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi. The experiment was conducted in a growth chamber, with mycorrhizal pine seedlings growing in plexiglass "mycocosms." I worked with two EM fungal species (Rhizopogon roseolus and Pisolithus arhizus, hereafter "Rhizopogon" and "Pisolithus"), which were collected locally near Oxford, Mississippi under loblolly pine. I selected a subset of …

Contribution Of Maize Polyamine And Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus Flavus Infection And Aflatoxin Production., Rajtilak Majumdar, Rakesh Minocha, Matthew D. Lebar, Kanniah Rajasekaran, Stephanie Long, Carol H. Carter-Wientjes, Subhash C. Minocha, Jeffrey W. Cary

Faculty Publications

Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous polycations found in plants and other organisms that are essential for growth, development, and resistance against abiotic and biotic stresses. The role of PAs in plant disease resistance depends on the relative abundance of higher PAs [spermidine (Spd), spermine (Spm)] vs. the diamine putrescine (Put) and PA catabolism. With respect to the pathogen, PAs are required to achieve successful pathogenesis of the host. Maize is an important food and feed crop, which is highly susceptible to Aspergillus flavus infection. Upon infection, the fungus produces carcinogenic aflatoxins and numerous other toxic secondary metabolites that adversely affect human …

Isoprene Emission In Polytrichaceae Mosses, Timea Deakova

Dissertations and Theses

Our first aim was to identify and quantify Biological Volatile Organic Compound (BVOC) emissions, specifically emissions of isoprene, from the moss Polytrichum juniperinum during its earliest stage of life. Isoprene emission from mosses could be a significant component of the total global budget of BVOC emissions. Data concerning the spatial and temporal variability of these emissions are lacking due to poor characterization of the physical and biological factors controlling isoprene synthesis in both vascular and non-vascular plants. We found that P. juniperinum in its early life stage (protonema) can emit isoprene at detectable levels at day five after spore germination. …

Interactions Of Carvacrol, Caprylic Acid, Habituation, And Mild Heat For Pressure-Based Inactivation Of O157 And Non-O157 Serogroups Of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli In Acidic Environment, Md Niamul Kabir, Sadiye Aras, Abimbola Allison, Jayashan Adhikari, Shahid Chowdhury, Aliyar Fouladkhah

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The current study investigated synergism of elevated hydrostatic pressure, habituation, mild heat, and antimicrobials for inactivation of O157 and non-O157 serogroups of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. Various times at a pressure intensity level of 450 MPa were investigated at 4 and 45 °C with and without carvacrol, and caprylic acid before and after three-day aerobic habituation in blueberry juice. Experiments were conducted in three biologically independent repetitions each consist of two replications and were statistically analyzed as a randomized complete block design study using ANOVA followed by Tukey- and Dunnett’s-adjusted mean separations. Under the condition of this experiment, habituation of …

Faculty Retirement Recognition Dinner 2019, Western Michigan University

Faculty Recognition

Faculty Retirement Recognition Dinner

May 23, 2019

Honored Guests:

• Christine A. Browning
• Jody A. Brylinsky
• Joetta L. Carr
• Linwood H. Cousins
• Suhashni Datta-Sandhu
• Robert J. Dlouhy
• Margaret H. Dupuis
• Daniel J. Farrell
• Leigh Arden Ford
• Barbara J. Frazier
• Sandra Oslager Glista
• Esther Cappon Gray
• Marion W. Gray
• Loren Heun
• Charles F. Ide
• Katherine Joslin
• James J. Kiddle
• Renata Artman Knific
• Thomas Knific
• Stephen B. Malcolm
• Richard W. Malott
• Dennis C. McCrumb
• Arthur R. McGurn
• Jerry E. McLaughlin
• Nina M. Nelson
• William C. Olsen
• Sharon L. Peterson
• Robert F. Reck
• Erlinda S. Rolls
• Eve Salisbury
• William A. Sauck
• Rudolf J. Siebert …

Carbon Control On Terrestrial Ecosystem Function Across Contrasting Site Productivities: The Carbon Connection Revisited, Nicholas C. Dove, John M. Stark, Gregory S. Newman, Stephen C. Hart

Ecology Center Publications

Understanding how altered soil organic carbon (SOC) availability affects microbial communities and their function is imperative in predicting impacts of global change on soil carbon (C) storage and ecosystem function. However, the response of soil microbial communities and their function to depleted C availability in situ is unclear. We evaluated the role of soil C inputs in controlling microbial biomass, community composition, physiology, and function by (1) experimentally excluding plant C inputs in situ for 9 yr in four temperate forest ecosystems along a productivity gradient in Oregon, USA; and (2) integrating these findings with published data from similar C‐exclusion …

Composition And Predictive Functional Analysis Of Bacterial Communities Inhabiting Chinese Cordyceps Insight Into Conserved Core Microbiome., Fei Xia, Xin Zhou, Yan Liu, Yuling Li, Xiaohui Bai, Xuanwei Zhou

Faculty Research 2019

BACKGROUND: Over the past few decades, most attention to Chinese Cordyceps-associated endogenous microorganism was focused on the fungal community that creates critical bioactive components. Bacterial community associated with Chinese Cordyceps has been previously described; however, most studies were only presenting direct comparisons in the Chinese Cordyceps and its microenvironments. In the current study, our objectives were to reveal the bacterial community structure composition and predict their function.

RESULTS: We collected samples of Chinese Cordyceps from five sites located in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and used a high throughput sequencing method to compare Chinese Cordyceps-associated bacterial community composition and diversity quantitatively across …

Her Sweetest Comeback, Kelly Gangeness Le

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Kelly Gangeness Le’s poetry manuscript focuses on paradoxical values concerning horror and humor paired with family and isolation. With the aesthetic approach that poetry ought to resemble the emotional intensity of music, Le strives for animated language. Her influences come from coarse, post-hardcore music and Lucie Brock-Broido’s scholarly yet brutal poetry. Thus she negotiates between lowbrow and literary dynamics. Family; Horror; Humor; Dissonance

The Effects Of Chronic Chemogenetic Stimulation Of Nucleus Accumbens On Binge Drinking, The Transcriptome, And Neuronal Morphology, Dar'ya Y. Pozhidayeva

University Honors Theses

Background: Binge drinking is a dangerous pattern of behavior. We previously used Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) to modulate binge drinking. Here, we test whether chronically manipulating NAc activity can produce lasting effects on drinking, the transcriptome, and neuronal morphology.

Methods: High Drinking in the Dark (HDID-1) mice were stereotaxically injected with AAV2 DREADDs or GFP in the NAc and treated with vehicle or clozapine-n-oxide (CNO; 1mg/kg) prior to Drinking in the Dark (DID). We then performed 1) RNA-Seq to identify genes changed with alcohol and rescued by CNO and 2) Golgi-Cox …

Pilot Study Investigating The Effectiveness Of The Active Workplace Study Through A Dissemination Lens, Mary Beth Barnum

University Honors Theses

There are many studies demonstrating the health risks associated with low physical activity and sedentary behavior. Considering that much of an adult’s time prior to retirement is spent in their work environment, researchers have recognized that sedentary work environments play a significant role in a person’s overall level of sedentary behavior and physical activity. Researchers are therefore examining workplace intervention programs aimed to minimize sedentary behavior and improve the overall working environment, including interpersonal and intrapersonal communications between employees and their supervisors. However, in order for this research to positively impact the large population of sedentary workers it is important …

Using Thermal Gradient Measurements To Compare Bath Temperature And Agitation Effects On The Quenching Performance Of Palm Oil, Canola Oil And A Conventional Petroleum Oil, Bozidar Matijevic, Bruno F. Canale, Božidar Lišcic, George Totten

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A proprietary Liscic/Petrofer cylindrical Inconel 600 probe of 50-mm diameter and 200-mm length which was instrumented with three thermocouples on the same radius of the crosssection at the middle of the length was used to determine the differences in quenching performance of two vegetable oils, palm oil and canola oil, and they were compared to a locally produced conventional petroleum oil quenchant. The cooling curves and heat transfer performance of these oils were determined at different bath temperatures and agitation rates. The work was performed at the Quenching Research Centre located at the Faculty for Mechanical Engineering, University of Zagreb, …

Purdue Graduate School Thesis And Dissertation Policy Changes: Giant Leaps Forward, James L. Mohler, Ashlee Messersmith

2019 Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inspired by the University of Iowa’s Beyond the PDF event last year, the Purdue Graduate School evaluated their policies pertaining to theses and dissertations. The evaluation concluded last summer and found that existing policies were unclear regarding acceptable types of theses, in particular, requiring submission in the PDF format. As students continue to utilize emerging technologies and publish journal articles to supplement their research, policies were rewritten to include non-traditional formats and types of theses. The challenges, motivations, and inspirations for the new policies will be shared as well as early indications of their impacts.

Relationships Between Pressure Ulcer Risk Potential, Nursing Interventions, And Pressure Ulcer Presence, Suzanne S. Prevost

Dissertations

The development of pressure ulcers is a common and expensive problem within acute care hospitals. Nurses are expected to identify patients at risk for pressure ulcers and provide preventative interventions accordingly. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to identify what preventative nursing interventions were being used, and to examine relationships between pressure ulcer risk, nursing interventions, and pressure ulcer presence in two acute care facilities. Bloch's (1975) Framework for the Evaluation of Nursing Care and Braden's (1987) Conceptual Schema for the Development of Pressure Sores provided the conceptual framework for the study.

Points-To-Consider On The Return Of Results In Epigenetic Research., Stephanie O M Dyke, Katie M. Saulnier, Charles Dupras, Amy P. Webster, Karen Maschke, Mark Rothstein, Reiner Siebert, Jörn Walter, Stephan Beck, T Pastinen, Yann Joly

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

As epigenetic studies become more common and lead to new insights into health and disease, the return of individual epigenetic results to research participants, in particular in large-scale epigenomic studies, will be of growing importance. Members of the International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC) Bioethics Workgroup considered the potential ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) involved in returning epigenetic research results and incidental findings in order to produce a set of 'Points-to-consider' (P-t-C) for the epigenetics research community. These P-t-C draw on existing guidance on the return of genetic research results, while also integrating the IHEC Bioethics Workgroup's ELSI research on …

Oral Bovine Colostrum Supplementation Does Not Increase Circulating Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Concentration In Healthy Adults: Results From Short- And Long-Term Administration Studies, G Davison, Aw Jones, T Marchbank, Rj Playford

Peninsula Medical School

PURPOSE: Bovine colostrum is available in health food shops and as a sports food supplement and is rich in antibodies and growth factors including IGF-1. World Anti-Doping Agency advises athletes against taking colostrum for fear of causing increased plasma IGF-1. There are also concerns that colostrum may theoretically stimulate malignancy in organs which express IGF-1 receptors. We, therefore, determined changes in plasma IGF-1 levels in subjects taking colostrum or placebo for 1 day, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. METHODS: Plasma IGF1 levels were determined in healthy males (n = 16) who ingested 40 g bovine colostrum or placebo along with …

The Validity Of Resting Metabolic Rate (Rmr)-Prediction Equations And Reliability Of Measured Rmr In Female Athletes, Kelsi Mackay, Katie Schofield, Stacy Sims, Joseph Mcquillan, Matthew Driller

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(2): 886-897, 2019. The aim of the current study was to; 1) assess the test-retest reliability of an indirect calorimetry analyzer (Parvo Medics TrueOne), and 2) compare measured RMR with three RMR-predictive (pRMR) equations in female athletes. In part one, 12 recreationally-exercising women (mean ± SD; age 27.5 ± 12.3 y) performed two RMR assessments, on separate days, utilising the Parvo Medics TrueOne analyser. In part two, 25 recreationally-exercising women to sub-elite athletes (mean ± SD; age 30.1 ± 10.2 y) underwent an RMR assessment using the Parvo Medics TrueOne analyser, which was compared to …

Whole Blueberry Protects Pancreatic Beta-Cells In Diet-Induced Obese Mouse, Weixiang Liu, Yiping Mao, Jacob Schoenborn, Zhihong Wang, Guiliang Tang, Xiaoqing Tang

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Background

Blueberry is rich in bioactive substances and possesses powerful antioxidant potential, which can protect against oxidant-induced and inflammatory cell damage and cytotoxicity. The aim of this study was to determine how blueberry affects glucose metabolism and pancreatic β-cell proliferation in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.

Methods

Wild type male mice at age of 4 weeks received two different kinds of diets: high-fat diet (HFD) containing 60% fat or modified HFD supplemented with 4% (wt:wt) freeze-dried whole blueberry powder (HFD + B) for 14 weeks. A separate experiment was performed in mice fed with low-fat diet (LFD) containing 10% …

Science For All: Exploring Science Communication For Public Engagement In Culturally Diverse Scenarios In The Americas, Denisse Helena Vasquez-Guevara

Latin American Studies ETDs

Universities in the United States and Ecuador must meet various policy guidelines concerning research and teaching that address the needs of their local communities. In Ecuador, the higher education law requires that universities undertake research and public outreach projects that respond to societal needs. In the United States, Carnegie Research Classifications motivate universities to serve their publics by carrying out community-engaged research. However, evaluations of public outreach projects and community-engaged research have consistently demonstrated that the segments of society that are ostensibly served by these initiatives are not meaningfully engaged in them; members of the public are treated as, and …

Use Of Gamma Irradiation As An Intervention Treatment To Inactivate Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Freshly Extracted Apple Juice, Dielle Aurelia Fernandes

Food Science (MS) Theses

Escherichia coli O157:H7 can contaminate dropped apples used for juicing via contact with manure or fecally tainted irrigation water and attach to the flesh of the apple through bruises and wounds where surface sanitizers are not effective. The goal of this project was to determine the efficacy of gamma irradiation at the maximum allowed dose of 1000 Gy to inactivate Escherichia coli O157: H7 in whole apples used for juicing. Whole apples were punctured to simulate wounds which were then inoculated with an outbreak strain of E.coli O157:H7 and subjected to gamma irradiation at doses upto 1000 Gy. The D-value …

Examination Of Maternal Assets And Breast Milk Expression, Yeon K. Bai, Lauren Dinour

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The proportion of mothers in the workforce has increased over the past 40 years. Examination of factors associated with a working/student mother’s milk expression is needed to provide effective lactation support. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of maternal assets in the relationships between the theory constructs, intention, and behavior of breast milk expression. Using a cross-sectional design framed under the theory of planned behavior, all female personnel associated with a higher education institute in northern New Jersey were invited to participate in the online survey, Milk Expression on Campus. Attitude toward breast milk expression, subjective …

Heart Rate Variability Monitoring During Strength And High-Intensity Interval Training Overload Microcycles, Christoph Schneider, Thimo Wiewelhove, Christian Raeder, Andrew Flatt, Olaf Hoos, Laura Hottenrott, Oliver Schumbera, Michael Kellmann, Tim Meyer, Mark Pfeiffer, Alexander Ferrauti

Health Sciences & Kinesiology: Faculty Publications

Objective: In two independent study arms, we determine the effects of strength training (ST) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) overload on cardiac autonomic modulation by measuring heart rate (HR) and vagal heart rate variability (HRV).

Methods: In the study, 37 well-trained athletes (ST: 7 female, 12 male; HIIT: 9 female, 9 male) were subjected to orthostatic tests (HR and HRV recordings) each day during a 4-day baseline period, a 6-day overload microcycle, and a 4-day recovery period. Discipline-specific performance was assessed before and 1 and 4 days after training.

Results: Following ST overload, supine HR, and vagal HRV (Ln RMSSD) …

Protecting Internally Displaced Children In Armed Conflicts: Nigeria In Focus, Olaitan O. Olusegun Dr. (Mrs.), Adedokun Ogunfolu Dr.

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

Internal displacement, especially of children, is a common consequence of armed conflict. Children who become internally displaced as a result of armed conflict face significant trauma due to their vulnerability, in addition to the fact that many of them lose their parents before being moved to internal displacement camps. Moreover, the conditions of some of these camps are not favorable and may affect children’s health and wellbeing. Internally displaced children therefore need protection and care by the national governments of affected countries, with support from the international community. However, Nigeria has not effectively protected children who have been displaced by …

Public Opinion Report Of Nutrition Education And Nutrition-Related Behaviors, Kristen Hicks-Roof, Robert J. Zeglin, Daniel Manson, Corinne A. Labyak

Florida Public Health Review

Objectives: Sources of obtaining credible evidence-based nutrition knowledge appears to be more and more limited as nutrition information becomes widespread. The purpose of this study was to determine sources of nutrition information and corresponding nutrition-related behaviors among Florida residents. Study Design: A cross-sectional study.

Methods: A telephone survey was conducted using probability sampling with residents of Florida in October 2017.Results: A total of 611 respondents completed the survey from 45 different counties across Florida. A significant relationship was established between age and primary source of obtaining nutrition information. Young, middle age and elderly adults preferred media, registered dietitians and physicians/nurses …

Physical Activity Health Communication For Adults With Mood Disorders In The United States, Abiola O. Keller, Angela Ortiz

Physician Assistant Studies Faculty Research and Publications

Using national representative data, this study sought to examine receipt of physical activity communication and counseling among adults with mood disorders in comparison to the general population in the United States. The sample consisted of adult primary-care visits in the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care and National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between mental health status and receipt of physical activity communication and counseling. Overall, less than 20% of visits included physical activity communication and counseling. Controlling for covariates, visits for adults with a mood disorder diagnosis were associated with an increased …

Exploring Help-Seeking Intentions Of Homeless Veterans Attending A Stand Down Event, Tara Vaughn

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Lack of help-seeking behavior among homeless veterans results in higher burden of disease and lower quality of life. No studies have been conducted involving help- seeking intentions of homeless veterans within the veteran stand down population. Pender’s Revised Health Promotion Model was used to guide this descriptive correlational study with the aim of exploring the extent selected personal characteristics and experiences and behavior-specific factors affect help-seeking intentions among homeless veterans attending a stand down event.

A convenience sample of 86 homeless veterans (mean age 56) was recruited from a 3-day veteran stand down event in Northern California. Each participant was …

Anesthetic Implications For Patients With Friedreich’S Ataxia, Clara Hoss

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Current State Of Weight-Cutting In Combat Sports, Oliver R. Barley, Dale W. Chapman, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In combat sports, athletes are divided into categories based on gender and body mass. Athletes attempt to compete against a lighter opponent by losing body mass prior to being weighed (i.e., 'weight-cutting'). The purpose of this narrative review was to explore the current body of literature on weight-cutting and outline gaps for further research. Methods of weight-loss include energy intake restriction, total body fluid reduction and pseudo extreme/abusive medical practice (e.g., diuretics). The influence of weight-cutting on performance is unclear, with studies suggesting a negative or no effect. However, larger weight-cuts (~5% of body mass inh) do impair repeat-effort performance. …