Digital Commons Network^™

How And With Whom You Spend Your Time Matters: An Examination Of Familial Relationships, Leisure Activities, And Dementia Development, Erika Cooksey Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Dementia is an interminable disorder characterized by a decrease in cognitive functioning behavioral and emotional changes, and an overall diminishment in quality of life that usually affects the older population. In the coming decades, scientists estimate that the number of sufferers will reach over 100 million worldwide. Though there is currently no cure for any form of dementia, the theory of cognitive reserve posits certain lifestyle characteristics (i.e., educational attainment, SES, and/or career path) can mitigate the risk of dementia by improving cognitive resilience over an individual’s lifetime. The current study sought to discover what, if any, effects familial relationships, …

Examining The Impact Of Financial Stress On Affect And Eating Behaviors, Ellen Hunt Steele

Theses and Dissertations

Economic pressure and concomitant financial stress have been associated with mental and physical health problems, conflict, and poorer education and employment outcomes. Moreover, financial stress can be seen in specific hardships (e.g., food insecurity) and lead to maladaptive attempts to regulate emotions stemming from financial stressors. Women may be more vulnerable to consequences of food insecurity and attempts to regulate emotions with eating than men. Thus, the current study examined the impact of a randomized financial stress induction on affect and snack food choice while accounting for the influence of food insecurity and gender. Participants included 269 validly responding individuals. …

Bayesian Network Development For Depots Location Selection With Biomass Supply System Excellence, Alaa Ashraf Abulhamail

Theses and Dissertations

The renewable energy of the wood pellet market has taken great attention over the last few periods. However, the returns from the pellet business depend largely on how well the quality of biomass. The objective is to economically harvest pellets matching pellet standards set forward by the U.S. markets. The single-mindedness of this study is to develop a Bayesian network model to ensure a high-quality flow through the supply chain of the pallet industry in the top ten counties in Mississippi state. Multiple critical decisions (harvesting, storage, transportation, and quality control) of a biomass-to-pellet supply system could potentially affect the …

X-Ray Vision At Action Space Distances: Depth Perception In Context, Nate Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate and usable x-ray vision has long been a goal in augmented reality (AR) research and development. X-ray vision, or the ability to comprehend location and object information when such is viewed through an opaque barrier, would be imminently useful in a variety of contexts, including industrial, disaster reconnaissance, and tactical applications. In order for x-ray vision to be a useful tool for many of these applications, it would need to extend operators’ perceptual awareness of the task or environment. The effectiveness with which x-ray vision can do this is of significant research interest and is a determinant of …

Behavioral And Histological Inflammatory Analysis Of A Single, Mild Traumatic Brain Injury And Repeated Subconcussive Brain Injury Using A Rodent Model., Anna Marie Clay

Theses and Dissertations

Subconcussive (SC) impacts have become a growing concern within the neuroscience community regarding the immediate and long-lasting effects of sports-related injuries. While a single low-level impact, i.e., a subconcussion, may not cause cerebral perturbations, it has been increasingly recognized that repeated SC exposure can induce deleterious effects. Therefore, determining the lower limits of systematic perturbation resulting from multiple SC impacts is of critical importance in expanding our understanding of cerebral vulnerability and recovery. Currently, there is a lack of correlation between a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and repeated SC impacts with respect to injury biomechanics. Moreover, the cumulative threshold …

Effects Of Temperature On Growth, Metabolic Rate, And Lower Dissolved Oxygen Tolerance Of Speckled Peacock Bass Cichla Temensis, Manuel E. Coffill-Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

I examined the effects of temperature (25, 30, and 35°C) on growth, standard metabolic rate (SMR), and lower dissolved oxygen tolerance (LDOT) of juvenile Speckled Peacock Bass Cichla temensis. Fish were acclimated to 150-L aquaria for 7 weeks before the growth, SMR, and LDOT experiments. The growth study lasted 58 days and fish acclimated to 25 and 30°C displayed similar growth rates, while fish acclimated to 35°C had very poor growth rates. The SMR and LDOT experiments were performed using intermittent respirometers. Fish acclimated to 25°C had the lowest SMR, followed by 30°C, and finally 35°C. The highest LDOT …

Effectiveness Of Food-Grade Coating Treated Nets After Various Drying Methods At Controlling Mite Growth On Dry-Cured Hams, Sadie White

Theses and Dissertations

Tyrophagus putrescentiae, known as the ham mite, is the most difficult pest to control in the dry-cured ham industry. Food-grade propylene glycol coated nets have been studied as an alternative to conventional mite infestation treatments but were heavy and costly to ship. This study aimed to increase the ease of use of the coated nets via drying. Three drying treatments: oven dried for 7 min (OD7m), oven dried for 20 min (OD20m), and counter dried for 24 h (CD24h), were tested to determine the efficacy at controlling mites as well as the mechanical properties of the nets and sensory characteristics …

Evaluation Of Flood Damage On Cross Laminated Timber Wall Configurations, Mustafa Nezih Kaya

Theses and Dissertations

Greenhouse gas emissions are one of the critical factors that affect climate change, increasing flooding risk and threatening human life. The use of traditional construction materials is responsible for a higher percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions when compared to the use of sustainable materials in the construction industry. The substitution of current building materials with sustainable materials is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and positively influence climate change when the current construction demand in the world is considered. Wood is one of the primary environmentally friendly construction materials in regard to high carbon storage and low carbon emissions. …

Backyard Grower-Consumer Perceptions Of Rabbit Meat Consumption In Rural Mississippi, Mildred Elizabeth Murphree

Theses and Dissertations

Every country in the world is affected by one or more forms of malnutrition. Malnutrition includes three conditions: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies or excesses, or overnutrition. Obesity is a greater contributor to death than undernutrition. Age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education level affect obesity. The rates of obesity vary considerably between states and regions of the country. The state of Mississippi is ranked as the poorest state in the nation and Mississippi has the highest adult obesity rate at 40.8% (Farberman & Kelley, 2020).

Rabbit meat production and consumption is a possible solution to malnutrition worldwide (Petrescu & Petrescu-Mag, 2018). …

Maternal Nutrient Restriction And Melatonin Supplementation Alter Neurotransmitter Pathways In Bovine Fetal And Placental Tissues, Allison R. Harman

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient restriction is a relatively common production insult to pregnancy in cattle. Recently, melatonin supplementation has been investigated as a possible therapeutic to rescue the negative effects of nutrient restriction. Neurotransmitters have been implicated as having negative programming effects in mouse and human pregnancies, manifested as metabolic and neurologic disorders. The role of neurotransmitters in fetal development has only begun to be understood in mice and humans. Neurotransmitters have not been analyzed in cattle, much less within the context of a compromised pregnancy. Brangus heifers were allotted to one of four treatments (ADQ-CON, RES-CON, ADQ-MEL, RES-MEL) in either Fall 2019 …

Effects Of Mass Death On Community Structure And Ecosystem Function, Abby Kimpton Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Death and decomposition are natural processes that are generally well-understood. However, large events of death, such as mass mortality events (MMEs) are increasing in frequency and their impacts on the ecosystem are largely unknown. These events may have both bottom-up effects from increased nutrient input as well as top-down effects from loss of an ecological functional group by the affected population. Different functional MMEs may result in different top-down effects, creating cascading effects. In Chapter 1, I test the hypothesis that scavenger and herbivore simulated MMEs generate novel bottom-up and top-down effects. Results indicate that MMEs have a significant effect …

Soybean Potassium Utilization During Reproductive Growth Stages In Response To Potassium Timing, Potassium Rate, Herbicide Injury, And Desiccation, Tyler Lawrence Richmond

Theses and Dissertations

Potassium (K) deficiency of soybean [Glycine max (Merr.) L.] is common throughout the Mid-Southern region of the United States. Visual symptoms of K deficiency may be absent or subtle during early and mid-reproductive growth stages. Correcting K deficiency in-season is problematic due to limited research. Information regarding soybean yield response to in-season fertilizer K application time is limited to growth stages prior to the onset of R1. Research is also limited on new higher yielding soybean cultivars. The objective of this study was to evaluate influences of in-season K application timing during reproductive growth stages on soybean yield. Field experiments …

Towards A Model Of Support: Redefining The Focus Of Early Parenting, Keancelar E. Birge

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the meanings and perceptions of social support and analyzes support received during and after pregnancy among Black women early parents in Mississippi. Ten online and ten in person, in-depth interviews were conducted with Black early parents in Mississippi who either had support from outside organizations like Baby University or who had not. These interviews questioned the participants' understanding and ideas about support and how they perceived their own support to evaluate how having support impacts the livelihood of Black early mothers in Mississippi and their children. Findings demonstrated that there are not real differences in outcomes …

Teachers’ Years Of Experience, Race/Ethnicity, And Gender As Predictors Of Their Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Self-Efficacy Beliefs: A Correlational Study, Faye Marshall-Sterling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study is to determine how accurately teachers' culturally responsive classroom management self-efficacy beliefs can be predicted from a linear combination of teachers’ years of experience, race/ethnicity, and gender. The problem related to the proposed quantitative study is that discipline disparities exist in the school milieu, whereby the root cause could be teacher-related variables such as years of experience, race/ethnicity, and gender. The current study used a convenience sample of 103 teachers from social media teacher groups. Critical race theory and Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory provide a theoretical lens from which teachers’ efficacy in …

A Constructivist Grounded Theory Explaining How Families Homeschooling Learners With Special Educational Needs And Disabilities Mediate Learning Experiences, Melissa Delayne Dean

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to extend Feuerstein et al.’s (2006, 2010, 2015) theories of structural cognitive modifiability and mediated learning experience to the homeschool context by constructing a grounded theory that explains how families create mediated learning experiences for learners with special educational needs and disabilities in a homeschool context. Feuerstein’s theories guided this study and provided the framework to answer the central research question: How do Feuerstein’s theories of structural cognitive modifiability and mediated learning experience extend to a homeschool context for learners with special educational needs and disabilities? Purposive sampling methods were used to identify 10 …

Impact Of Emergency Department Triage Sepsis Screening Algorithm And Treatment Order Sets: An Integrative Review, Danielle Marie Tester

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can lead to tissue damage, end-organ damage, and death if left untreated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines sepsis as a severe response to an infection. Sepsis is prominent health concerns worldwide, as it continues to be a leading cause of mortality despite having access to health care. This has impelled many health care organizations to improve sepsis-related care and sepsis outcomes by formulating core measures to improve patient care. The purpose of this integrative review is to discuss if initiation of an emergency department triage sepsis screening algorithm and treatment order …

Provider Knowledge And Confidence With Implementing Pediatric Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) Screening Tool In An Alaskan Family Practice Clinic, Lisa Marie Wangberg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been known to be associated with negative developmental and long-term health sequalae since Felitti and colleagues (1998) presented their groundbreaking research nearly a quarter of a century ago. Pediatric and primary care settings have been relatively slow to implement any type of ACEs screening at regular intervals such as at well-child exams (WCEs). A scholarly project implementation was used to present ACEs education and screening training to pediatric primary care providers in a small, private, rural family health care practice in Alaska. The goal of the project was to determine if providers felt more knowledgeable …

Cross-Linked Chitosan/Gelatin Beads Loaded With Chlorella Vulgaris Microalgae/Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles For Absorbing Carcinogenic Bisphenol-A Pollutant From Water, Hazim M Ali, Omar M Ibrahim, Ahmed S M Ali, Mahmoud A Mohamed, Rehab Y Ghareeb, Elsayed E Hafez, Mohamed R El-Aassar

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Water polluted by phenolic compounds is a global threat to health and the environment; accordingly, we prepared a green novel sorbent biological system from a chitosan (CS), gelatin (GT), and

Insights Into Microbiome And Metabolic Signatures Of Children Undergoing Peanut Oral Immunotherapy, Andrea C Blackman, Santosh Thapa, Alamelu Venkatachalam, Thomas D Horvath, Jessica K Runge, Sigmund J Haidacher, Kathleen M Hoch, Anthony M Haag, Ruth Ann Luna, Aikaterini Anagnostou

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Peanut oral immunotherapy has emerged as a novel, active management approach for peanut-allergic sufferers, but limited data exist currently on the role of the microbiome in successful desensitization.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the oral and gut microbiome in a cohort of 17 children undergoing peanut oral immunotherapy with the aim to identify the microbiome signatures associated with successful desensitization. We also set out to characterize their fecal metabolic profiles after successful therapy.

METHODS: Participants gradually built up their daily dose from 2 mg (starting dose) to 300 mg (maintenance dose) within approximately 40 weeks. We collected a buccal and stool …

Application Of Organic Fertilizers For Lawn Establishment And Maintenance In Louisiana, Matthew Lambert

LSU Master's Theses

Landscape contractors are increasingly interested in organic products for Louisiana's residential and commercial turfgrass areas. However, the use, motivations, and barriers to adopting organic practices in the commercial turfgrass and landscape industry are undocumented. A survey with Louisiana Turfgrass Association (LTA) members to gauge their perceptions on current and future use of organic products in Louisiana was performed; and a field trial was conducted to evaluate organic fertilizers during turfgrass establishment. Substantial majorities of turfgrass professionals are currently applying organic fertilizers and believe organic product use will increase due to consumer demands, potential governmental regulation, and the belief that they …

The Effects Of Drought And Shade On Bottomland Hardwood Regeneration, Charles Joseph Pell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Floodplain forests support a high diversity of tree species adapted to regenerate under fluctuating water and light availability. Regeneration regulates species composition, and shade and flood tolerance influence the likelihood of regeneration. Regeneration failure of shade-intolerant and flood-tolerant tree species commonly occurs in southcentral and southeastern floodplain forests of the United States, also known as bottomland hardwoods (BLHs). In many BLHs reduced flooding has resulted in a dryer floodplain. These changes in flooding are linked to recent shifts in species composition. The mechanisms controlling regeneration in BLHs and these composition shifts are poorly understood. In a controlled germination experiment, I …

Information And Communication Technology Skills And Digital Preservation Practices By Library Personnel In Some Selected University Libraries In South-West, Nigeria, Azeez Adekunle Akintonde, Olalekan Abiola Awujoola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

As part of the resources in university libraries are digital information resources, these libraries therefore need to undertake digital preservation practices to protect the lifespan of their digital resources. Personnel in these libraries need to possess ICT skill to effectively involve in the digital preservation practices. The study investigates ICT skill and digital preservation practices among library personnel in nine university libraries in South-west, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey design, the study population comprised 262 library personnel from nine university libraries in South-west, Nigeria. All personnel in the nine university libraries were sampled, while the questionnaire was the …

Delineating Structure-Function Relationships In Fanca Using Chaperones, Nikitha Kota, Brant R. Gracia, Natalia J. Condic, Georgios I. Karras

Summer Experience 2022

No abstract provided.

Hop Queue: Hyperspectral Onboard Processing Queue Demonstration, Kelly Gresham Davis, Aditya Kher, Jathan Biddlecomb, Dustin Baumgartener, Mike Tsao, Mustapha Saad, Vinay Agarwal, Kenny Tan, Margaret Trippe, James Ulcickas, Bridget Tannian, Neil Goldstein, Megan Stark, Marsha Fox

Small Satellite Conference

The HOP Queue (Hyperspectral Onboard Processing Queue) demonstration leverages emerging COTS AI accelerators and GPUs to perform on-board processing of hyperspectral imagery data, with the aim of providing near- real time conservation-oriented data and metrics from Low Earth Orbit (LEO). These include forest health, fire detection, and coastal water health. Phase 1 of this project is currently underway, including a completed lab demonstration of this technology and ongoing flight testing. The data from this mission will support Northrop Grumman’s enterprise “Technology for Conservation” campaign and will be provided to NASA’s Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) organization, as well as other …

Colorectal Cancer: How Does An Existing Tool Perform In Predicting Risk In Young, High-Risk Patients?, Allison P. Janak, Y. Nancy You

Summer Experience 2022

No abstract provided.

Cell Differentiation: The Case Of Turning Thp-1 Cells Into M1 Macrophages, Kyle E. Bledsoe, Maria-Ancuta Jurj, George A. Calin Md, Phd

Summer Experience 2022

No abstract provided.

Uba1 Depletion Sensitizes Ovarian, Breast, And Colorectal Cell Lines To Olaparib Parp Inhibitor, Jayden Oluwadamini Fagbola, Sharad Awasthi, Nidhi Sahni

Summer Experience 2022

No abstract provided.

Cytotoxic Potential Of Mithramycin Against Dipg Cell Lines, Habibatou Diallo, Sandeep Singh, Shinji Maegawa Phd, Donghang Cheng, Vidya Gopalakrishnan Phd

Summer Experience 2022

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Ndufs4 And Slc2a1 On D4m-Uv2 Melanoma Tumor Metabolism And Growth, Kate-Yeonjae Jeong, Renato Guerrieri, Michael A. Davies Md, Phd

Summer Experience 2022

No abstract provided.

Angiogenesis As A Mechanism Of Resistance To Camkk2 Inhibition In Prostate Cancer, Thomas Pulliam, Sanju Senthilkumar

Summer Experience 2022

No abstract provided.