Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating Microbial Safety Of Food Products And Processes In Small Scale Food Services, Processors And Manufacturers, Sujan Acharya

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study evaluated microbial safety of relatively new and modified food products prepared especially by small-scale foodservice establishments and home producers. In the first part, microbial safety during fermentation at room temperature was evaluated. Chapter 3 monitored Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157 survival during Sauerkraut’s natural fermentation. Chapter 4 evaluated the survival of acid-adapted E.coli O157 during kombucha fermentation and in kombucha-fruit blend during refrigeration. During both fermentations, the pathogens were inactivated before the recommended duration of fermentation. However, E.coli O157 introduced after fermentation survived in kombucha-fruit blends during refrigerated storage. The second part (Chapter 5) evaluated the safety …

Cuo Nanoparticles Solubility As Influenced By Soil Pore Water, Native Microorganisms, And Wheat Rhizosphere Chemistry In A Sand Matrix, Dakota Sparks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nanoparticles (NPs) are particles less than 100 nm (~4 millionths of an inch) in a direction. NPs, due to their small size, are used in a variety of products, such as silver (Ag) NPs as an antimicrobial in clothes. Copper Oxide (CuO) NPs are used in electronics as semiconductors and other fields as antimicrobials and purposefully or accidentally end up in the environment. Copper (Cu) is a necessary nutrient for plants, but at higher amounts is toxic to plants and beneficial soil microbes.

In order to understand how the CuO NPs interacts with plants, wheat seedlings were grown in sand …

Using Cytoplasmic Biopsies To Determine Bovine Oocyte Quality, Madison Lindsey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Embryos resulting from assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), develop with lower efficiencies than embryos resulting from their in vivo counterparts. The reasons behind the developmental discrepancies remain largely unknown. Because the egg is the primary determinant of embryo developmental success, it is reasonable to consider inherent egg quality as a possible cause. The hypothesis for this project is that there are distinct mRNA transcript patterns, or molecular “fingerprints,” that distinguish high- versus low-quality eggs developing within the same environment. In this study, a small cytoplasmic biopsy was removed from 40 eggs …

Natural History And Development Of Melittobia Acasta On Megachile Rotunda , Alan R. Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Alfalfa is one of the most economically important crops in North America. To produce alfalfa seed, a pollinator must release plant reproductive organs by applying pressure to keel petals. The alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata, is the primary commercial pollinator of alfalfa. U.S. bee managers struggle to maintain populations due to many mortality factors. One cause is attack from parasitoid wasps such as Melittobia acasta. Females can lay hundreds of eggs and have multiple generations, which can decimate bee stocks. Chapter Two investigates the life cycle and base temperature that allows development of M. acasta on bee hosts. …

Maternal Effects And Management Of Alfalfa Leafcutting Bees, Makenna May Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Most bees are solitary and important contributors to pollination of a variety of crops. Solitary bees do not live in colonies. Instead, females work individually to construct nests and provision nutrients for each offspring. However, solitary bees can be difficult to manage, especially on a large scale like honey bees, because of differences in how species provision for their offspring and construct nests. Variations in the timing of offspring development to adulthood even within species makes commercial management difficult. Variations in reproductive strategy, like how many offspring to make, how much provision to give each, and when to make them …

Evaluation Of Noninvasive Methods For Determining Pregnancy, Diet, Nutrition, And Stress Among Pronghorn Antelope: Implications For Population Monitoring, Cole Bleke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted to increase our understanding of the influence of adult female pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) physiology on fawn summer survival. Pronghorn are a valued big game animal in Idaho, but are particularly sensitive to capture; therefore, we designed a noninvasive fecal sampling study to measure pregnancy (progesterone and estrogen), diet, nutrition (fecal nitrogen and DAPA), and stress (cortisol), during metabolically-demanding female life history stages (late gestation, early lactation, and breeding season). We also compared survey results between ground and aerial methods within mountain valley landscapes.

Pregnancy determination, via progesterone, is possible for pronghorn, but sample collection …

Changes In Healthy Eating And Physical Activity Behaviors Of Adult Participants In Create Better Health's Education (Snap-Ed) Program, Kami Bullock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of delivery method on the nutrition, food resource management (FRM), and physical activity behavior of participants enrolled in either Create Better Health’s in-person or online courses. The pre-survey and post-survey included data on nutrition, FRM, and physical activity behaviors. The researcher analyzed preexisting data from 138 SNAP-eligible adults who participated in Create Better Health’s online and in-person courses.

Results showed similar improvements in most of the nutrition and physical activity behaviors among those who took the CBH courses online or in-person. The online course showed statistically higher scores for four …

Comparing Fecal Dna Capture-Recapture Methods To Traditional Mark-Resight Methods For Estimating Abundance Of Mule Deer On Winter Ranges, Andi M. Stewart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Well-designed monitoring strategies are required to obtain accurate estimates of population abundance, which is important for evaluating conservation and management strategies. Obtaining abundance estimates using traditional survey methods, like aerial surveys, is not possible in all scenarios and can be expensive and risky. One survey method that has gained popularity in the last decade is fecal DNA-based capture-recapture (CMR). However, this method has not been evaluated on winter ranges or in snowy, winter conditions.

My first objective was to implement fecal DNA CMR to estimate abundance of mule deer in the Round Valley and Goodale winter survey areas in the …

Finding Relationships Between Physical Properties Of Butter And Water Loss, Annalisa Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Butter is a desirable fat rich product used for laminated pastries, like croissants, because of its flavor and consumer acceptance. However, butter has some functional aspects that reduce its performance and quality. In manufacturing of butter for laminated pastries, large blocks of butter are pushed through a rectangular opening to form a thin sheet. In this process it is not unusual to see water dripping, indicating water loss in the butter. The purpose of this study was to understand the properties of butter and their role in water loss during processing.

The properties of commercial butters were tested to understand …

An Exploration Of System Level Dimensions Of Nutrition In Relation To Health: Interprofessional Teams And Food Insecurity, Mckenna Christy Voorhees

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many factors influence health; two such factors that warrant additional research include interdisciplinary healthcare teams and food insecurity. These factors may be particularly important among vulnerable populations such as individuals with special healthcare needs, lower income populations, and individuals with disabilities.

Interdisciplinary teamwork promotes improved, and more efficient patient care through the collaboration of healthcare providers in various professional disciplines. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are experts in the science and application of nutrition, which plays an important role in various disease states. Despite the established need for RDNs on interdisciplinary teams, there is limited research in the interdisciplinary scholarship targeting …

Development Of Late-Heading Orchardgrass Germplasm, Megan Marie Getz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dactylis glomerata L., orchardgrass, is commonly grown with perennial forages such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). However, commercial orchardgrass cultivars currently grown in the Intermountain West generally flower earlier than alfalfa. This results in a reduction in grass nutritional value if harvested to maximize the alfalfa yield, because the two species mature at different rates. Thus, there is a need to better understand the genetic basis of flowering time in orchardgrass and develop late-flowering populations. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the ability to identify and use molecular markers to identify and select late-heading orchardgrass; and to …

Effects Of Excessive Soil Phosphorus Accumulation On Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda L.) Seedlings, Hannah C. Bays

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many landowners in East Texas apply poultry litter to pastures as a source of nitrogen (N) for forage crops. After many years of repeated poultry litter application, soils can accumulate extremely high extractable phosphorus (P) concentrations, sometimes over 1000 mg kg^-1 of plant available P. Landowners report the conversion of these pastures to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations is often problematic, with poor seedling survival and abnormal tree growth. This study was conducted to assess the effects of excessive soil phosphorus on loblolly pine seedlings. An outdoor pot study was conducted using bare root seedlings and triple …

Implementing Food Pantry Nutrition Policies: Perspectives From The Field, Jessica Vincent

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The charitable food system includes food pantries and are often used by individuals and households who are food insecure (Kuhns & Norotny, 2021; Seligman & Berkowitz, 2019; Sangye, 2013). Adults with any level of food insecurity have a 43% to 53% greater risk of developing a chronic disease than those who are food secure. Those who are food secure have a 37% risk of developing a chronic disease (Gregory & Coleman-Jenson, 2017). For this reason, efforts are being made from state and federal levels to focus on nutrition security, rather than only food security, by increasing the percentage of nutrient …

Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis In Broilers: Bacterial Species Involvement And Influence Of Probiotics And Synbiotics, Amer Abdullah Hasan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since 1945, the market for broiler production has evolved from a collection of smallholder poultry farms into an industry worth billions of dollars. Poultry production has not gone without challenges. Lameness in young broilers is presently a serious issue in the poultry industry for reasons of animal health and welfare, as well as significant lost production and revenue. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is a major form of lameness in broilers. This dissertation contains information about (i) the influence of Staphylococcus agnetis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus faecalis on inducing BCO lameness, (ii) evaluation of of probiotics for reducing …

Beyond Nutrition: Three Essays On The Effects Of Food Processing And Sustainability Labeling On Consumer Perceptions And Evaluations, Garrett J. Rybak

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent consumer trends reveal increasing demand for greater product transparency including how products are processed, the types of ingredients used, and the impact on the environment. As a result, food marketers often use a combination of processing, nutrient content, and/or sustainability claims to convey specific information to consumers. Considering these developments, several questions arise about how these claims affect consumer evaluations of healthfulness, sustainability, disease risk, and intent to purchase while considering the unregulated and regulated nature of many of these claims.

In Essay One, we extend our understanding of consumer responses to package claims by comparing the direct and …

Intestinal Microbiota Analysis Of Broiler Chickens Under Necrotic Enteritis Challenge And Tributyrin Supplementation, Taylor Nicole Mckinney

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Poultry is a staple protein source for most of the planet. Until recently, antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) were used to prevent illnesses in commercial chicken production. Currently, this is not possible due to regulations and consumer concern, but without such a preventative, diseases like necrotic enteritis (NE) have reemerged, posing a threat to bird health, and ultimately, our food source. Necrotic enteritis is a severe gastrointestinal disease caused by the gram-positive pathogen, Clostridium perfringens. Clinical features of this disease are diarrhea, intestinal lesions, and death, with a high transmission rate. In a subclinical form, growth performance is diminished and is …

Investigating Hops Production In Arkansas To Support Specialty Crop Growth, James Oliver Mcclellan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The hop plant (Humulus lupulus L.) is a perennial, climbing species within the Cannabaceae family that produces cones used for brewing. Hops are grown worldwide. In the United States most hops production occurs in the Pacific Northwest, but growth in the craft beer industry is driving efforts for hops production in other U.S. regions. Recommendations on hops cultivar suitability, fertility, and management are needed for the U.S. mid-south region. Objectives of this research on Arkansas-grown hops were to 1) assess the impact of cultivar and fertility rate on plant and cone attributes of six cultivars of Arkansas-grown hops and 2) …

The Relationship Between Psychosocial Factors And Food Waste-Related Behaviors Among College Students, Kacy Raquel Wright

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food waste is a significant environmental, economic, and social issue, with younger consumers as the most significant contributors. Specific behaviors, like over-purchasing food and misusing date labels, result from a complex interaction between social and psychological factors, which influence food waste among this demographic. The purpose of this study was to identify the psychosocial factors influencing food waste behaviors among college students at the University of Arkansas. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study utilized online and face-to-face quantitative surveys, distributed to students enrolled at the University of Arkansas in the spring of 2022. Demographics, attitudes, subjective norms, …

Identification Of Genomic, Proteomic, And Metabolomic Signatures Associated With Pulmonary Hypertension Syndrome In Broilers, Duaa Almansaf

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present dissertation contains a collection of studies that examine the genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic association to pulmonary hypertension or ascites phenotype in fast-growing broilers. Pulmonary hypertension is a multifactorial metabolic disease influenced by physiological, environmental, and nutritional factors. It is characterized by a number of structural changes including, thrombosis and adverse pulmonary vascular remodeling. Thus, the atrial pressure is increased, and the right ventricle becomes hypertrophied, resulting in heart failure and the death of the bird. Pulmonary hypertension or ascites is a global problem that has negatively impacted the economy. The increased mortality rate of broilers (25%) is estimated …

Effect Of Sensory Additives On Sow Lactation Performance, Subsequent Reproductive Performance, And Nursey Pig Performance, Nathan E. Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Maximizing nutrient intake during lactation is vital to sow performance as well as litter performance. The aim of these studies was to evaluate the impact of a sensory additive on sow lactation performance and nursery pig performance. Five groups of sows were farrowed, three during winter (October, December and January) and two during summer months (June, July, August). Sows were weighed, and back fat depth was measured, at 110 d of gestation prior to entering the lactation room, and again at weaning. The sows were blocked by parity, and then allotted by BW at d 110 to Control or 0.075% …

Conspicuous Asceticism: Collapsing Consumers' Hungry Ghosts, Ash Zareian

Theses and Dissertations

The author investigates an emerging construct called conspicuous asceticism expositioned from a narcissism-centric view. The understanding of this construct is approached by drawing an idiomatic semantic parallel in opposition to conspicuous consumption and by utilizing its current theoretical framework of narcissism. Moreover, this paper seeks to extend conspicuous consumption’s theoretical framework as synonymous with the construct of compulsive consumption. Furthermore, I illustrate that consumers must transcend narcissism through engaging in treatment modalities requisite to operationalize a pioneering effort in which consumers can engage in marketing campaign efforts to advertise conspicuous ascetic contexts. This dissertation gleans from extant literature in sociology, …

Evaluation Of The Feeding Value Of Proso Millet In Growing-Finishing Diets For Pigs And Effects Of Feed Ingredients And Medium-Chain Fatty Acids On Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus (Prrsv) Survivability, Khang Nguyen

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of the project were to: 1) evaluate the feeding value of proso millet as a potential substitute for corn in corn-soybean meal-based diets for pigs; and 2) investigate the relationship between feed ingredients and virus survivability, followed by examining feed additive candidates that could mitigate the risk of transmission of viral pathogens.

In Exp. 1, 36 barrows were fed 1 of 4 dietary treatments, including: Diet 1, corn-soybean meal-based (control), and Diets 2, 3, and 4 had proso millet replacing 33%, 67%, and 100% of corn in the control diet, respectively. During Phase 3, pigs consuming the proso …

Impact Of Increasing Level Of Milk Production On Cow And Calf Behavior And Performance In The Nebraska Sandhills, Selby L. Boerman

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Selection for increased milk production across the United States has resulted in variable cow and calf production responses. Better understanding of calf nursing and grazing behaviors may provide opportunities to help estimate how milk and grazed forage intake influence variability in calf performance. In a 2-yr study, cow-calf pairs (n = 65) were equipped with neck collars containing global positioning system (GPS) units to validate the efficacy of high-frequency GPS data to accurately identify calf nursing events and grazing behavior. Data were collected during 3-wk tracking periods during early lactation (calf age 65.4 ± 10.0 d; EARLY) and late …

Using Strategic Supplementation To Enhance Cow/Calf Productivity In Summer Calving Herds In The Nebraska Sandhills, Nicole M. Woita

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Young range beef cows consuming low-quality forage may result in an imbalance of energy and metabolizable protein, which can negatively affect the nutrient status of the cow and reproductive performance. In a 2-yr study conducted at Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory near Whitman, NE, 2- and 3-yr-old May-calving range cows (n = 181) grazing native range were individually supplemented daily with one of four supplements: 1) mineral with a target intake of 113 g/d (MIN), 2) MIN with 200 mg per head of Rumensin to with a target intake of 113 g/d (RUM), 3) MIN with a 226 g/d of high …

Investigating Bacterial Community Composition And Antimicrobial Resistance Genes In Beef Cattle, Arena E. See

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While antibiotics have been critical over the last decade for curbing infectious diseases, they have contributed to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Infections resulting from antimicrobial-resistant pathogens are correlated with severe morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. With the increasing concerns regarding AMR and its emergence, it is paramount to understand not only the effects of antibiotics on microbial community and diversity, but also to develop a novel tool that gives us a better understanding of the spread and functional traits of AMR genes.

To this end, rumen, fecal, and pen surface samples were collected from 72 animals at United …

Shared Decision Making In Health Care: Theoretical Perspectives For Why It Works And For Whom., Ken Resnicow, Delwyn Catley, Kathy Goggin, Sarah Hawley, Geoffrey C. Williams

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Applying both theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence, we address 2 key questions regarding shared decision making (SDM): 1) When should SDM be more patient driven, and when should it be more provider driven? and 2) Should health care providers match their SDM style/strategy to patient needs and preferences? Self-determination theory, for example, posits a distinction between autonomy and independence. A patient may autonomously seek their health care provider's input and guidance, perhaps due to low perceived competence, low coping resources, or high emotional arousal. Given their need state, they may autonomously require nonindependence. In this case, it may be more …

Ablation Of Long Noncoding Rna Malat1 Activates Antioxidant Pathway And Alleviates Sepsis In Mice, Jingshu Chen, Shu Tang, Sui Ke, James J Cai, Daniel Osorio, Andrei Golovko, Benjamin Morpurgo, Shaodong Guo, Yuxiang Sun, Melanie Winkle, George A Calin, Yanan Tian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript1 (MALAT1) is a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and is known for its role in cancer development and prognosis. In this study, we report that MALAT1 plays an important role in regulating acute inflammatory responses in sepsis. In patient samples, MALAT1 expression was positively correlated with severity of sepsis. In cultured macrophages, LPS treatment significantly induced MALAT1 expression, while genetic ablation of MALAT1 greatly reduced proinflammatory cytokine levels. Furthermore, MALAT1-ablated mice had significantly increased survival rates in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis and LPS-induced endotoxemia. One novel and salient feature of MALAT1-ablated mice is greatly …

Unilateral Radiation Therapy For Tonsillar Cancer: Treatment Outcomes In The Era Of Human Papillomavirus, Positron-Emission Tomography, And Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, Nicolette Taku, Gregory Chronowski, G Brandon Gunn, William H Morrison, Neil D Gross, Amy C Moreno, Renata Ferrarotto, Steven J Frank, C David Fuller, Ryan P Goepfert, Jack Phan, Stephen Y Lai, Jay P Reddy, David I Rosenthal, Adam S Garden

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate disease, survival, and toxic effects after unilateral radiation therapy treatment for tonsillar cancer.

Methods and materials: A retrospective study was performed of patients treated at our institution within the period from 2000 to 2018. Summary statistics were used to assess the cohort by patient characteristics and treatments delivered. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine survival outcomes.

Results: The cohort comprised 403 patients, including 343 (85%) with clinical and/or radiographic evidence of ipsilateral cervical nodal disease and 181 (45%) with multiple involved nodes. Human papillomavirus was detected in 294 (73%) tumors. …

Insulin Resistance In Depression: A Large Meta-Analysis Of Metabolic Parameters And Variation, Brisa S Fernandes, Estela Salagre, Nitesh Enduru, Iria Grande, Eduard Vieta, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Increased insulin resistance is recognized in psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but its occurrence in depression is less clear. Our aims were to verify if insulin resistance is altered in depression, to test the metabolic subgroup hypothesis of depression and if there are changes with antidepressants. Inclusion criteria were studies including adult subjects with depression and either a control group or follow-up after treatment with antidepressants, and assessing fasting insulin or glucose levels or the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) index. Seventy studies with 240,704 participants were included. Both insulin levels and the HOMA-IR index …

The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index As A Predictor Of Complications In Geriatric Trauma Patients: Author Reply In Response To: “The Admission Serum Level Of Albumin Cannot Thoroughly Represent The Nutritional Status Of Trauma Patients”, Heather R Kregel, Patrick B Murphy, Mina Attia, David E Meyer, Rachel S Morris, Ezenwa C Onyema, Sasha D Adams, Charles E Wade, John A Harvin, Lillian S Kao, Thaddeus J Puzio

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality after trauma. The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) is a validated scoring system used to predict the risk of complications related to malnutrition in nontrauma patients. We hypothesized that GNRI is predictive of worse outcomes in geriatric trauma patients.

METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study of trauma patients 65 years or older admitted in 2019. Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index was calculated based on admission albumin level and ratio of actual body weight to ideal body weight. Groups were defined as major risk (GNRI98). The primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes …