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Reducing Dietary Crude Protein: Characterization Of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Antagonism In Modern Broiler Chickens, Craig William Maynard

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reducing the crude protein content of broiler diets while maintaining performance has been a primary research area in nutrition. During the late 20th century, the bulk of this research has involved supplementing broiler diets with feed-grade amino acids and proving the economic benefits of their additions. To date, widespread adoption of feed-grade amino acids is limited to methionine, lysine, threonine, and to some extent valine. With valine and isoleucine gaining prevalence in commercial formulation, classic data on the antagonisms associated with the branched-chain amino acids has returned to the forefront of practical broiler nutrition research. Therefore, a series of 23 …

Sensitivity Of Soybean And Rice To Dicamba, Owen Wesley France

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the integration of dicamba as a postemergence (POST) herbicide has proven useful in controlling many herbicide-resistant weeds, its damage to soybean at low rates, such as supplied by drift and volatility, has been well-documented. Injury to other crops, such as rice, from off-target movement of dicamba and other commonly used herbicides, such as glyphosate, may also occur. Practical options for mitigating injury and yield loss to soybean and other crops from dicamba off-target movement could prove beneficial if dicamba continues to be used during summer months. Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of multiple agricultural practices, including cultivar …

A Systematic Stakeholder-Driven Framework For Empirical Characterization And Parameterization Of Human Agents For Agent-Based Modeling Of Older Adults' Transportation, Nilufer Oran Gibson

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Standard of living for health and well-being of oneself and of one’s family is a human right. Vulnerable populations are incapable of maintaining an adequate standard of living due to several reasons, such as financial constraints, racial profiling, health conditions, aging, and the combination of these reasons. To alleviate their vulnerability, the most basic needs of the vulnerable populations must be met. Transportation is the essential link to the resources to address the basic needs of the vulnerable populations. Transportation solutions tailored for vulnerable populations to meet their basic needs have multiple dimensions that require the involvement of all government …

Insights Into The Role And Regulation Of The Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response During Pathogen Infection, Mohammed Adnan Qureshi

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Mitochondria are essential cellular organelles known for their role in energy production, apoptosis, aging, calcium signaling and others. Due to their essential nature, mitochondria are often under attack by numerous pathogens as a means to promote their infection. Consequently, mitochondrial function is often perturbed during infection, a phenomenon that must be mitigated in order for the host to survive. Cells employ various tactics to repair damaged mitochondria during stresses such as pathogenic infection. One way of countering mitochondrial stress is through the recovery mechanism known as the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt). The UPRmt supports mitochondrial recovery by promoting mitochondrial …

Understanding Wellbeing In Refugee Youth From The African Great Lakes Region., Victory Osezua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Young refugees are a vital and growing population in the United States that experience health inequities that make them vulnerable to adverse health outcomes. The health inequities that are evident between refugees and the general population elucidate the disparate power relations between the outcomes of the colonial past and postcolonial present. Although research shows that colonialism and their more recent experience of racism may have adverse long-term impacts on young people's health, it is essential to understand the contexts that shape their wellbeing. While the westernized model of wellbeing focuses on the individual, this study prioritizes the prevention of illness …

An Analysis Of Taste Neuron Morphological Variability: Influences Of Neuron Type And Plasticity., Lisa Christina Ohman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Taste neurons are functionally and molecularly diverse, but their morphological diversity was, until recently, completely unexplored. Taste neurons were considered relay cells, communicating information from taste-transducing cells to the brain without variation in morphology. Instead, individual taste neurons are tremendously morphologically variable. To determine how differences in branching relate to the number and types of taste-transducing cells providing neuronal input, I combined sparse cell genetic labeling with a whole-mount immunohistochemistry and analysis workflow. I found that the maximum number of taste-transducing cells capable of providing convergent input onto individual gustatory neurons varied with a range of 1-22 taste-transducing cells. Consistently, …

How Do Cover Crops Change Soil Health In A No-Till System?, Aysha Kirsten Tapp Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient levels and aggregation measurements are currently the most accurate means to measure soil health. It has been suggested that bacterial and fungal communities may prove to be a more accurate measure of soil health. In this study soil microbe communities and nutrient levels were compared in rye cover cropped soils to measure for differences between treatments. Effects between the microbial communities and environmental measurements were also measured within those treatments to test for correlations between soil health measures and microbial communities. The plots were put in a biennial corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max …

The Association Between Depression And Anxiety With Covid-19 Outcomes., Erica Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have shown that mental disorders affect COVID-19 mortality. This study investigated the effect of depression and/or anxiety on COVID-19 outcomes. Depression/anxiety was defined by actively taking medication and/or diagnosis. The outcomes were ICU admission; ventilation; mortality; and time to mortality. Of 698 hospitalized patients, there were 204 (29%) defined to have either depression or anxiety. There were 109 deaths, and of those, 52 (48%) were diagnosed with depression/anxiety. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations. ICU admission and ventilation were not significantly associated with depression/anxiety. Depression/anxiety was associated with mortality (OR: 1.84, …

Statistical Mediation Analysis In Regression Discontinuity Design For Causal Inference, Donna Chen

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Regression discontinuity designs (RDDs) are the most robust quasi-experimental design, but current statistical models are limited to estimates for the simple causal relationship between only two variables: the independent and dependent variables. In practice, intervening variables (or mediators) are often observed as part of the causal chain. Mediators explain the why and how a treatment or intervention works. Therefore, mediation and RDD analysis combined can be a useful tool in identifying key components or processes that make intervention programs effective while making causal inferences for improving student achievement, despite natural constraints, limitations, and ethical considerations. Without an integrated framework of …

Characterization Of The Multifunctional Enzyme Proline Utilization A, Yizi Mao

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Proline is a unique and important amino acid. Proline is a proteogenic amino acid and its metabolism is involved in many critical cellular functions. Therefore, proline metabolism is tightly regulated, and dysfunction of proline metabolism is related to human diseases. The first step of proline oxidization to ∆¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid (P5C) is catalyzed by proline dehydrogenase (PRODH). P5C is then non-enzymatically hydrolyzed to glutamate-γ-semialdehyde (GSA), which can be further oxidized to glutamate by P5C dehydrogenase (P5CDH/GSALDH). In Gram-negative bacteria, the PRODH and P5CDH enzymes are expressed as one polypeptide called proline utilization A (PutA). In some Gram-negative bacteria an …

Intricacies In Agronomic Management: The Role Of Interdisciplinary Education, Adam M. Striegel

Doctor of Plant Health Program: Dissertations and Student Research

As a science, agronomy is built upon the connection of inter-disciplinary fields of study. Management (M) of various discipline considerations (and their subsequent interactions) can be influenced by and have significant effects on genetic by environment (GxE) expression. This has led to the promotion of GxExM systems. However, optimizing GxExM programs requires extensive, interdisciplinary knowledge. To evaluate interdisciplinary training provided in undergraduate education, 11 four-year universities were selected in the United States that offer baccalaureate degree majors in agronomy or crop science. Surveys of undergraduate programs of study were conducted, with all required coursework separated into general degree components (general …

An Educational Leader’S E-Mails To The Parents During Covid-19 Pandemic, Bilgen Kiral, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This study was conducted to determine what kinds of e-mails an education leader (school principal) sent to the parents of the students at the beginning, during, and end of the term during the COVID-19 pandemic process. In this study, the expression “educational leader” was used instead of the school principal.

The reason for this is that the school principal fully assumes the role of educational leadership during the pandemic period. The subject of the study is the transformation process in communication due to the pandemic. This transformation is e-mails, one of the digital communication tools that aim to reach everyone …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Grit And Its Relationship To Student Integration In Athletic Training Education Programs, Carlos Gual

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Students must enroll in rigorous accredited academic programs and pass the National Board of Certification (BOC) examination to become athletic trainers. Therefore, studies in athletic training and student achievement focus on student persistence/retention and BOC Examination pass rates. The majority of studies conclude that cognitive measures like grade point average (GPA) have a relationship with both retention and exam pass rates. However, research should also consider meta-cognitive factors (i.e., personality traits). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between athletic training students' grit (a metacognitive factor) and their academic, clinical, and social integration. The population for this …

Higher Education Partnerships Between The Global North And Global South: Mutuality, Rather Than Aid

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Reframing The Collegiate Facilities Arms Race: The Looming Impact Of Nil And Conference Realignment, Jeffrey Petersen, Lawrence W. Judge

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Amidst the backdrop of an ongoing global pandemic, the summer of 2021 brought forth two events teetering the Division I college sport landscape at the precipice of unprecedented change due to two fundamental shifts: the first being the opening of revenue streams to collegiate athletes through use of name, image and likeness (NIL), and the second being the latest round of athletic conference realignment. With the impacts of these changes just beginning to be manifested, it is important to consider how these potentially seismic shifts in the collegiate landscape may influence existing issues of prior scholarly examination as well as …

Meal Composition During An Ad Libitum Buffet Meal And Longitudinal Predictions Of Weight And Percent Body Fat Change: The Role Of Hyper-Palatable, Energy Dense, And Ultra-Processed Foods, Tera L. Fazzino, James L. Dorling, John W. Apolzan, Corby K. Martin

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Foods that increase obesity risk are ubiquitous in the US food environment. Such foods may be the target of hedonic eating, which may facilitate weight gain and lead to obesity. The study tested whether meal composition during an ad libitum buffet meal was associated with 1-year weight and percent body fat changes among healthy younger adults without obesity. Hyper-palatable foods (HPF) were the study focus; comparisons were conducted with high energy dense (HED) and ultra-processed foods (UPF). Design: Younger adults without obesity (N = 82; 43% male; mean age 26.8) completed an ad libitum buffet meal and provided body …

Weight Loss In Primary Care: A Pooled Analysis Of Two Pragmatic Cluster-Randomized Trials, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, John W. Apolzan, Byron Gajewski, William D. Johnson, Corby K. Martin, Robert L. Newton, Michael G. Perri, Jeffrey J. Vanwormer, Christie A. Befort

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the results of five weight-loss interventions in primary care settings in underserved patients and to compare the level of pragmatism across the interventions using the Pragmatic Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary (PRECIS-2) tool. Methods: Data from 54 primary care clinics (2,210 patients) were pooled from the Promoting Successful Weight Loss in Primary Care in Louisiana (PROPEL) and Rural Engagement in Primary Care for Optimizing Weight Reduction (REPOWER) cluster-randomized trials. Clinics were randomized to one of five comparators: PROPEL usual care, PROPEL combination of in-clinic and telephone visits, REPOWER in-clinic individual visits, REPOWER …

A Hive Of Her Own: Early Modern Women Beekeepers, Shannon Jane Garner

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

While much important work has been done on the early modern fascination with the political nature of bees and bee societies, this essay instead takes a closer look at the conflation of honeybees, women, and domestic spaces within the multi-generic textual ecology of early modern beekeeping. In the early modern period women were the primary beekeepers. As key participants in this art of sustained and intimate collaboration across species and environment, these women managed their own hives using the multifaceted skills of the early modern housewife, including textile arts, brewing, distilling, medicine, horticulture, and husbandry. This essay highlights the tension …

Using Self-Management Procedures To Decrease Social Media Usage In Adults, Olivia Joy Solari

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Social media is a widely used tool and the effects it has on well-being and productivity levels are well known. Due to widespread concern about the negative effects (e.g., addiction, reduced productivity, unhappiness) of social media there is increased interest in methods for reducing this behavior. Self-management techniques have shown great utility for managing behavior. The current study used a changing-criterion design with an embedded reversal to determine the effectiveness of a self-management treatment package on decreasing participant social media usage. The treatment package consisted of feedback, self-monitoring, goal setting, and a token economy. Results of the current study show …

Body Image Among High School And College Female Athletes, Mercedes A. Robinson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study examined body image among female high school athletes and college athletes across different sports. Athletes participating in track and field, tennis, cross country, dance, cheer, softball, golf, basketball, soccer, and volleyball completed self-report questionnaires assessing various components of body image including the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearances Questionnaire (SATAQ-4), and an edited version of the CHEER Survey. Responses on the questionnaires were analyzed to evaluate differences between high school and college athletes. No differences were found between high school and college athletes on measures of shape/weight concerns, sociocultural pressures for thinness, or internalization of the …

Is There Room In The United States Diet For Goat Meat? Analysis Of The 2019 National Goat Meat Survey, Everett Marcus Martin

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Demand for goat meat has steadily increased in the past decade, but few studies have been conducted addressing goat meat attributes and demographic factors on consumers’ willingness to buy goat meat products. Analyzing a national consumer survey on goat meat preference, a logit modeling is used addressing factors affecting willingness to buy three goat meat products: grass-fed, locally grown, and organically raised. Results indicate that quality and freshness attribute characteristics significantly affect consumer willingness to buy grass-fed, organic, and locally grown goat meat.

Dollar Stores And Supermarket Survivability In Non-Metropolitan Us Communities, Cami Farmer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the growing popularity of dollar stores, concerns have surfaced over the potential relationship between dollar stores and the closures of grocery stores. Healthy food accessibility for consumers, particularly those in rural areas, has additionally become of great interest. This thesis aims to investigate the potential relationship of dollar store presence and grocery store closures. Data used included County Business Patterns, Rural Urban Continuum Codes, American Community Survey, and authorized SNAP retailer data. The spatial distance between grocery stores and the number of dollar stores at various radii were calculated. Following the computation of the number of dollar stores surrounding …

Compound-20 (Analog Of Curcumin) Prevents Acrolein-Induced Changes In Rats, Nelson Chijioke Nwaiwu

Theses (2016-Present)

Research has shown that acrolein, a known environmental pollutant, contributes to generation of free radicals leading to oxidative stress and physiological damage. Curcumin has been known to improve damages from oxidative stress due to its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been reported that to exert such an effect, a large dose of curcumin needs to be consumed on daily bases due to its high excretion through kidney. Here in collaboration with Dr. Chelliah from department of pharmaceutical, an analog form of curcumin (compound-20) was synthesized with promising more potent activity and absorption. The objective of this study was to …

Can A Series Of Postgraduate Year Pharmacist Training Courses Benefit Clinical Care Ability And Cost Avoidance?, Chi-Hui Lee, Hsiu-Ju Lin, Ya-Ti Su, Meng-Hsuan Kuo

Journal of Medical Education

Postgraduate year (PGY) pharmacy programs can help pharmacists learn various clinical skills. However, information on the effectiveness of such programs is limited. Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of a series of prescription interpretation courses taken by PGY2 pharmacists on different types of interventions and cost avoidance. Methods: An observational data review on interventions by PGY2 pharmacists was conducted. The PGY2 pharmacist records included outpatient, emergency, and inpatient prescriptions. The pre-and post-training data were collected within 6 and between 13-18 months after employing pharmacists, respectively, and analyzed for professional knowledge score, types of pharmacist recommendations, rate of acceptance by physicians, and …

Aku Research 2021, Office Of Research And Graduate Studies

Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Content

- Foreword

- Research projects

- COVID-19 Research

- University updates

The Relationship Between Gestational Diabetes And Stress: A Literature Review, Morgan Mcgrath

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The incidence of gestational diabetes has been increasing over the past ten to twenty years. The purpose of this literature review is to gather existing literature to examine the relationship between gestational diabetes and oxidative stress. Twenty peer-reviewed articles from two databases were selected to be examined in this review. From these studies, it was found that oxidative stress was higher in women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and supplementation with vitamins and minerals was beneficial in decreasing stress in these women. While these studies can help healthcare providers in educating women who have been diagnosed, more research should …

An Exploration Of Levels Of Choice In Online Assignments And The Relationship To Students' Work And Their Thoughts About Motivation, Jonathan Crocker

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This case study explored the relationship between levels of content choice in three high school online English language arts courses and evidence of student motivation in student work and students’ thoughts about motivation. These courses were designed around the main components of Self-Determination Theory (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and with a personalized learning framework. During the 2020-2021 school year, students in the courses were given reading options and writing prompts that offered “no choice” (zero options), “low choice” (2-3 options), and “high choice” (4+ options). Forty students completed anonymous end-of-course surveys designed to gather details about the relationship between motivation and …

Biofortification As A Sustainable Solution For 'Hidden Hunger': Evaluating Its Impact On The Environment, Nutrition, Culture, And Ethics, Elysia Lewis

Honors Theses

Micronutrient malnutrition, also referred to as ‘hidden hunger’, negatively impacts the health of millions of people around the world. Because of this, several strategies to reduce malnutrition have been proposed, one of which is biofortification. The process of biofortification increases the nutrient content of plants during their vegetative life cycle. Research has been conducted that shows the ability of biofortification to increase micronutrient content in crops, so the next step is successful implementation and adoption by consumers. This paper reviews several publications that look at biofortification with respect to the environment, sustainability, human nutrition, culture, and ethics from a variety …

Mind Over Matter: How A Dancer’S Mind Affects The Physical Body, Kayla Johnson

Honors College Theses

This thesis is an exploration of how a dancer’s mind can affect its physical body. Undoubtedly, there is a strong connection in every human between their mind and their body, but for an artist whose entire career depends on the ability of their body to create movement, there must be extra emphasis placed on their mental health care. Dance is just as mentally demanding as it is physically. To begin this project I collected research articles relating to injury, anxiety, self-confidence, body image and eating disorders performed on dancers. I noticed throughout my research that there was a lack of …

The Relationship Between The Practice Of Martial Arts, Anxiety, Wellness, And Self-Efficacy, William K. Knight Jr

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Although anxiety is a frequently researched topic, the growing numbers of diagnosed cases and the state of the present outcomes warrant the study of alternative approaches to address the causes and conditions of its prevalence, as well as possible adaptive strategies and tactics to improve outcomes for clients with anxiety. Counseling distinguishes itself in part due to its focus on well-being rather than mere alleviation of diagnosed symptoms. As such, it may be useful to measure the likelihood of some strategies and tactics associated with improved well-being in attempting to reduce symptoms of anxiety.

This study measured the practice of …