Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Red Light Intensity On Cultivation & Oxygen Production In Arthrospira Plantensis, Abigail Roberts

Honors Theses

Maintaining life sustaining resources during long-term space travel has encouraged scientists to turn their attention to the potential benefits of a cyanobacteria named Arthrospira platensis, commonly known as Spirulina algae. This experiment measures the oxygen production and cell population growth of two structurally different Spirulina cultures under two different levels of red light intensities, 8 µmol/m 2Js (high); 3 µmol/m2/s (low). The cell population, oxygen produced, and oxygen produced per cell measurements were observed and recorded at three 24 hour intervals. It was found there was not a significant difference between high and low light intensities when considering the cell …

Alternative Sweeteners For Cultivating Water Kefir Grains, Morgan Barnes

Honors Theses

Water kefir is traditionally fermented using dark brown sugar due to a fast growth rate, however the use of other sweeteners, such as honey, is relatively unexplored. This paper describes the investigation of using alternative mediums made with honey, agave nectar, Truvia/stevia, and monk fruit sweetener, each supplemented with dark brown sugar on the biomass growth of water kefir grains (WKGs). Growth in these alternative mediums was compared to WKG growth in the standard medium prepared using only dark brown sugar. Two trials were conducted, each with three replicates for each experimental medium as well as three replicates of dark …

Evaluation Of Artificial Sweeteners: Their Effects On Ice Cream Properties And Public Acceptance, Gwyneth Hadasa

Honors Theses

Background: The public is becoming more health conscious while sugar consumption, particularly frozen desserts, remains high. An evaluation of sugar alternatives that can maintain integrity of a product while providing fewer deleterious effects is necessary.

Objective: To assess the impacts of sugar alternatives on homemade vanilla ice cream while gathering information on a community’s opinion of the effects.

Method: Ice cream samples made with sugar (control), Sweet’N Low®, Equal®, Splenda®, Stevia®, and monk fruit sweeteners were prepared for a taste test. A sensory evaluation was conducted on March 31, 2022 at Ouachita Baptist University. Microsoft Excel® was utilized to conduct …

Community Interventions To The Food Insecurity Crisis Inuit Currently Face In Nunangat, Alyssia R. Getschow

Honors Theses

Inuit living in Nunangat, a northern territory in Canada, are facing unprecedented rates of food insecurity. The increasing impacts of anthropogenic climate change are rapidly changing the Arctic landscape in Nunangat, posing challenges to Inuit hunters who hunt and live completely self-sufficient off of the land. This lack of access to country foods and the impacts these conditions are having on Inuit communities are forcing Inuit to consider aid propositions from the Canadian government. Due to a long history of conflict with white settlers during the colonization of Canada, there is a feeling of distrust and cultural distaste between Canada …

Bringing Biochemistry Home: Transforming Milk Into Yogurt, Ashley King

Honors Theses

Communicating the beauty and complexity of biochemistry to students in a large classroom during the pandemic: what a challenge! We undertook a novel endeavor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry by introducing a mandatory kitchen chemistry experiment in a lecture course. Milk, the epitome of our identity as mammals, also contains all of the major biochemical macromolecules studied in Biochemistry I. Further, the making of yogurt invokes physical processes that are the major processes and molecular forces that dominate the content of the course. Here, we report the results of massive parallel experiment conducted in the kitchens of the …

Has Maize Overtaken Our Reality? A Personal Briefing, Biochemical Comparison, Agrigenomics, And History Of Maize, Nader Pahlevan

Honors Theses

Maize (Zea mays ssp. Mays) is a revolutionary cereal grain that has raced to the world’s most popular staple crop, transforming societies and impacting history. This paper aims to build and portray the story maize has created through its journey to world domination. The important details that encompass this literature are maize’s cultural significance in my life’s story, the comparison of various starches broken down into amylose and amylopectin ratios, a summative historical account on maize’s spread throughout numerous parts of the old world, and the genetical analysis of maize that explains the key features that have led …

Assessment Of Oral Motor Activity Variables During Consumption Of Chocolate Using Surface Electromyography: Effects Of Variation In Cocoa Solid Content, Kara Elizabeth Cook

Honors Theses

The aim of this experiment is to assess how a wide range of cocoa content in different types of chocolate samples effects oral motor activity for mastication events, along with the time between consumption and swallowing. A prior study assessed individual oral motor activity using surface electromyography (sEMG) for mastication events while eating four different chocolate samples, and this information was used to determine which aspects of the masticatory process underlie differences in individual chewing behavior as well as whether subjects retain their general characteristic eating behavior across a variety of chocolate samples. The study found that with chocolate samples …

Insufficient Dha Intake In Pregnant And Lactating Women Of Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Further Nutrition Education Needed, Zoe Wilhelm

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Antimicrobial Spice Cinnamon At Low Concentrations Has No Effect On The Counts Of Lactococcus Lactis R 604, But At High Concentrations Lowered Its Counts, Madison Hannan

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Gender Perception Of The Rationales Behind Vegetarianism, Nicholas Tallant

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Failure To Achieve Recommended Omega-3 Dha Intake During Pregnancy: Nutrition Education Needed, Carly Thaxton

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Synthesis, Isolation, And Characterization Of Potentially Carcinogenic Arginine-Based Heterocyclic Amines, Zachary Reichert

Honors Theses

Previous research demonstrates that meat cooked at high temperatures produces heterocyclic amines (HCAs)—a class of carcinogenic molecules—from burned creatin(in)e and amino acids. However, research performed in our lab, as well as in the peer-reviewed literature, suggests that substituting arginine for creatin(in)e may lead to HCA formation. Arginine is structurally similar to creatin(in)e and can be found abundantly in soy-based food products. Therefore, we have burned arginine and phenylalanine to investigate the potential formation of arginine-based HCAs. The present study attempts to isolate and characterize these potential arginine-HCAs.

Simultaneous Determination Of Bpa And Bps Using Uv/Vis Spectrophotometry And Hplc, Jean Eudes Benecyo

Honors Theses

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been one of the most used plasticizers with more than 4.8 million tons produced in 2012. BPA is also an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to adverse health effects such as cancer, obesity, behavioral and mood changes, lowered fertility, developmental changes and more in humans and other animals. The evidence of the toxicity of BPA, even at very low levels, has caused many countries to limit its use, especially in baby bottles and other baby-related hard plastic items. In these times, BPA has been replaced with other bisphenols, such as Bisphenol S (BPS). BPS is …

Automated Aquaponics Design Report, Carson Miller

Honors Theses

Aquaponic systems offer a solution to environmentally conscious, fiscally responsible individuals who wish to produce food products without the use of pesticides, genetic modification, or non-renewable resources. Further, the proliferation of inexpensive microprocessors and high quality sensors offers an opportunity for dynamic monitoring and error correcting within the aquaponic system. These aquaponic and electronic systems will be combined in this project to create an electronically monitored aquaponic ecosystem.

A Comparison Of Nutrient Intake, Nutrient Adequacy, Diet Quality, And Obesity Prevalence In Low-Income Children (2-18 Yr) Based On Participation In The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Nhanes 2003-2010, Matthew J. Landry

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Bringing Bpa To Light: Determination Of Bisphenol A In Thermal Receipt Paper Water Samples And Lake Water Samples Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Bailey Chitwood

Honors Theses

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that is commonly used in harder plastic products, in the lining of food cans, and in thermal receipt paper. The usage of BPA in common products has become a concern for humans, especially for infants and young children, because of its effects as an endocrine disrupter. BPA has been linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and certain developmental disorders. Because of the possible effects of BPA on the development of infants and young children, the use of BPA in baby bottles and other baby products has been outlawed. However, BPA is still used in …

Economic And Political Implications Of Agricultural Subsidies And Us Farm Policy, Justin Bogardus

Honors Theses

This thesis pertains to agricultural subsidies, their economic and political implications and what would happen to both price and production levels of different crops should those subsidies be removed. The 3 main crops examined are corn, wool and soybeans. Technological advancements made after 1900 had a profound effect on productivity and efficiency, leading to a number of important economic effects. Market integration, economies of scale, market structure, vertical integration and subsidization, all led to government intervention in the form of regulation and subsidy. Farm policy, starting in early 1900s, focused on price stabilization policies and food programs through the different …

The Detection Of The Norovirus In A Wastewater Treatment Plant As A Potential Source Of Environmental Contamination, Dorothee Goettert

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Media-Awareness Wellness Program For High School Students, Rachel Firmin Johnson

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Increased Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid Consumption And Its Effect On Macular Pigment Optical Density: The Eye Health In College-Age Students Iii Pilot Study, Markita M. Lewis

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Underutilized Fish In New England's Seafood System, Taylor Witkin

Honors Theses

The global fisheries crisis has led to an increasing recognition for the need to relieve pressure on overfished, popular food fish stocks. Opportunities exist to shift consumer demand toward more sustainable choices, including fish that may be locally abundant. Attempts have been made to market underused fish (sometimes termed “trash fish”) that represent more sustainable alternatives; however, it is unclear whether consumers will choose to purchase these more sustainable options, particularly if underused fish are also unfamiliar. Chapter 1 reviews existing research and current issues surrounding sustainable seafood and the recent shift toward local, abundant, undervalued species in New England’s …

The Ability Of Households In Southeast Louisiana Eligible For The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program To Meet The Food Recommendations Of The 2010 Dietary Guidelines For Americans, Alicia Rodriguez

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Dietary Fat On Resistant Starch Fermentation In Mice, Diana Badkoobeh

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Dietary Fat On Resistant Starch Fermentation In Mice, Diana Badkoobeh

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Eating Behaviors And Exercise Patterns On The Processing Of Food And Exercise Related Stimuli, Carrie Potter

Honors Theses

The effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for eating disorders has established a link between cognitive processes and unhealthy eating behaviors. However, the relationship between individual differences in unhealthy eating behaviors that are not related to clinical eating disorders, such as overeating and restrained eating, and the processing of food related verbal stimuli remains undetermined. Furthermore, the cognitive processes that promote unhealthy and healthy exercise patterns remain virtually unexplored by previous research. The present study compared individual differences in attitudes and behaviors around eating and exercise to responses to food and exercise-related words using a Lexical Decision Task (LDT). Participants …

Early Stage Detection Of Marine Oil Oxidation, Loren Lapointe

Honors Theses

A method involving overnight stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in negative ion chemical ionization (NICI) mode was developed to determine the presence of aldehydes (cis-4-heptenal, trans,trans-2,4-heptadienal, trans-2-octenal, cis-6-nonenal, trans-2-cis-6-nonadienal, trans-2-nonenal, and trans,trans-2,4-decadienal) in fresh and aged commercial fish oil (untreated and treated with antioxidant blends). Aldehyde standards were quantifiable to >100ppb levels using this method. Only trans,trans-2,4-heptadienal was shown to be present in the commercial fish oil and its presence was used to compare the performance of the two different antioxidant treatments in the fish oil. Includes Powerpoint.

A New Me: A Study In Diet Therapy, Marsha Ellis

Honors Theses

Obesity is a major problem in our nation today. It Seems that we are eating too much and exercising too little. We can analyze, discuss, and write about obesity from now through eternity. However all of this is in vain, unless it causes us to lose weight.

An Ecological Study Of Coliform Bacteria Associated With Vaccinium Corymbosum, Harry C. Bittenbender

Honors Theses

Recent research has shown that there are coliform populations associated with the cultivated high bush blueberry, Vaccinium corynbosum. This study is aimed at determining the ecology of these colofirms, as they are related to blueberry production from the farm to the warehouse. Tests will be made to identify the Salmonella group, those associated with "food poisoning." Total bacterial coliform counts will also be made. This paper is primarily an ecological study of the coliforms found on blueberry farms near Grand Junction, though fruit samples were taken from all warehouses of the M.B.G.A.