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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Altering Sweet Potato Starch Functionality By Amino Acids And Ph Treatments, Jonathan Futch Jan 2009

Altering Sweet Potato Starch Functionality By Amino Acids And Ph Treatments, Jonathan Futch

LSU Master's Theses

The sweet potato is a vegetable containing high levels of different vitamins and minerals, needed to protect the body against disease. This study focused on starch found in the Beauregard and Evangeline sweet potatoes and observed the effect of pH and amino acid additives altering the functionality of starch. These modifications of the Beauregard and Evangeline sweet potato starches will also be done to determine if an increase in resistant starch and slowly digestible starch is found. Beauregard and Evangeline starches had similar gelatinization temperature and the two starches required the same amount of energy to gelatinize. In Freeze-dried Beauregard …


Effect Of Rotational Or Continuous Stocking Method Of Winter Pasture On Beef Heifer Performance, David G. Skeans Jan 2009

Effect Of Rotational Or Continuous Stocking Method Of Winter Pasture On Beef Heifer Performance, David G. Skeans

LSU Master's Theses

Considerable research has been conducted comparing the effect of continuous and some form of rotational stocking method on animal and forage performance, but most research utilizes put-and-take stocking rates. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of 12-paddock rotational stocking method (ROT) or continuous stocking method (CONT) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) pastures on beef heifer and forage performance while maintaining a continuous stocking rate of 3.7 heifers/ha. Two experiments were conducted and analyzed separately due to confounding year and location. Heifer ADG and WG/ha tended to be increased by ROT compared …


Survivorship, Tunneling And Feeding Behaviors Of Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) In Response To Trans-Caryophyllene, Qiaoling Qi Jan 2009

Survivorship, Tunneling And Feeding Behaviors Of Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) In Response To Trans-Caryophyllene, Qiaoling Qi

LSU Master's Theses

The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, an invasive species from southern China, is one of the most destructive wood pests in the United States. Presently, termites are managed through chemical control. However, some synthetic chemicals cause serious environmental problems due to their persistence and toxicity. There is growing interest in using natural compounds with low toxicity to mammals to control termites. Trans-caryophyllene is a component of essential oil found in many flowering plants. It is especially abundant in clove oil. It has also been found to be released from the roots of maize damaged by insects. I investigated caryophyllene …


Determining Gene Copy Number In Transfected Caprine Fibroblast Cells, Jessica A. Wilson Jan 2009

Determining Gene Copy Number In Transfected Caprine Fibroblast Cells, Jessica A. Wilson

LSU Master's Theses

Transgene expression in stably transgenic organisms is affected by many factors, including the copy number of the transgene in the genome, and by interactions between the transgene and flanking DNA sequences. Transgene copy number has also been shown to effect genetic stability in transgenic plants. Two commonly used methods for transfecting cells are liposome mediated transfection and electroporation. Little is known about the mean transgene copy number or variability of the copy number with these techniques. Quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) has been shown to be an effective method for determining transgene copy number. The objective of this study was to determine …


The Isolation And Characterization Of Bovine Adult Derived Adipose Stem Cells For The Use In Nuclear Transfer, Alicia A. Picou Jan 2009

The Isolation And Characterization Of Bovine Adult Derived Adipose Stem Cells For The Use In Nuclear Transfer, Alicia A. Picou

LSU Master's Theses

Since the cloning of Dolly there has been little change in the efficiency of nuclear transfer (NT). Research is beginning to investigate the characteristics of donor cells. Adiposetissue is an abundant source of adult-derived cells that have displayed “stemness” in-vitro(Gimble et al., 2003). The overall goal of this research was to define the in-vitro characteristicsof bovine adipose-derived adult stem cells (ADAS) for the use in NT. Isolation methods weredetermined by a 3 x 3 factorial design. 1 g of subcutaneous fat was collected and subjected to0.10%, 0.25% or 0.50% collagenase type I solution for 1, 2 and 3 h. Nucleated …


Dose Titration Of Sericea Lespedeza Leaf Meal On Haemonchus Contortus Infection In Crossbred Lambs, Dana Alicia Pollard Jan 2009

Dose Titration Of Sericea Lespedeza Leaf Meal On Haemonchus Contortus Infection In Crossbred Lambs, Dana Alicia Pollard

LSU Master's Theses

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasitism is a problem for small ruminant producers. Haemonchus contortus is the most detrimental because of substantial economic losses. Over the past decades, chemical anthelmintics have been used to control GINs. Recently, GINs have developed resistance to most anthelmintics, and now reliance on anthelmintics is not possible. Alternative control methods are needed. Also, the use of fewer chemicals in agricultural products has called for alternative methods to be less synthetic and more organic. One promising alternative method is the feeding of condensed tannin (CT) containing forages as either fresh forage or dried products such as hay, ground …


An Evaluation Of Endurance And Combined Endurance And Resistance Training On Fitness And C-Reactive Protein, Laura A. Daray Jan 2009

An Evaluation Of Endurance And Combined Endurance And Resistance Training On Fitness And C-Reactive Protein, Laura A. Daray

LSU Master's Theses

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether endurance or endurance + resistance training would influence circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and if these changes are related to alterations in aerobic fitness and/or body composition. METHODS: Fifty eight healthy young adults aged 18-24 yrs (78% female) were assigned to one of three groups: 1) endurance training (E) (n=18), 2) endurance + resistance training (ER) (n=11), or 3) active control (AC) (n=29). The E group completed 15 weeks of endurance training for either a half marathon (n=6) or full marathon (n=12). The ER group performed 15 weeks of periodized resistance training …


The Additive Effect Of Melengestrol Acetate (Mga) Priming And Sodium Monensin On Reproductive Performance In Beef Heifers, Jonathan Lance Roberts Jan 2009

The Additive Effect Of Melengestrol Acetate (Mga) Priming And Sodium Monensin On Reproductive Performance In Beef Heifers, Jonathan Lance Roberts

LSU Master's Theses

Breeding beef heifers to produce calves at 2 years of age could be a profitable management decision. The current practices have proved inefficient, which has justified further research in the area. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of repeated progestogen priming on the attainment of puberty by prepubertal heifers, to evaluate the potential additive effect of progestogen priming plus sodium monensin on the attainment of puberty by prepubertal heifers, to examine subsequent reproductive performance, including the response to synchronization of the estrous cycle, first-service pregnancy rates and overall pregnancy rates and to examine the effects of …


The Hyperinsulinemia-Hyperleptinemia Syndrome In Horses: Assessment Of Methods Of Diagnosis And Differential Effects Of Insulin Injection On Glucose, Glucagon And Nonesterified Fatty Acids In Plasma, Thomas Joseph Caltabilota Jan 2009

The Hyperinsulinemia-Hyperleptinemia Syndrome In Horses: Assessment Of Methods Of Diagnosis And Differential Effects Of Insulin Injection On Glucose, Glucagon And Nonesterified Fatty Acids In Plasma, Thomas Joseph Caltabilota

LSU Master's Theses

Plasma leptin concentrations in horses have been shown to vary widely. However, many factors may perturb these measurements. Previous research has documented a link between hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia in horses. This condition has been speculated to be associated with components of equine metabolic syndrome, such as insulin resistance and laminitis. However, many of the methods accepted in diagnosing these metabolic abnormalities are expensive and often difficult to perform. Thus, the objectives of the experiments in this thesis were 1) to determine if it is possible to differentiate hyperleptinemic horses from normal ones by hormone manipulation with dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid analog; …


Effects Of Plant Maturity And Bacterial Inoculum Level On The Surface Contamination And Internalization Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Growing Spinach, Shuaihua Pu Jan 2009

Effects Of Plant Maturity And Bacterial Inoculum Level On The Surface Contamination And Internalization Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Growing Spinach, Shuaihua Pu

LSU Master's Theses

The incidence of foodborne outbreaks linked to fresh produce has increased in the United States. Particularly noteworthy was the 2006 Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with pre-packaged baby spinach. Factors affecting the contamination of spinach leaves with E. coli O157:H7 are not yet well understood. This study aimed to determine whether E. coli O157:H7 would be present in the aerial leaf tissue of a growing spinach plant when introduced at various plant maturities and different inoculum levels in the growth media in a greenhouse setting. Spinach seeds of a standard commercial variety were sown individually in 8-inch pots, watered daily …


Characterization Of The Common Eland (Taurotragus Oryx) Estrous Cycle, Parker M. Pennington Jan 2009

Characterization Of The Common Eland (Taurotragus Oryx) Estrous Cycle, Parker M. Pennington

LSU Master's Theses

Three oryx species and nine of eighteen antelope species across three tribes are considered endangered by the IUCN. Though the common eland (Taurotragus oryx) is not endangered, it lends itself well to the adaption of domestic assisted reproductive techniques due to its large size and calm temperament (Hansen et al., 1985). For these techniques to be used efficiently however, the details of the estrous cycle need to be defined within this and other species. Previously, Nowak (1999) proposed the eland estrous cycle to be ~21 days. In addition to cycle length, specifics of the estrous cycle have yet to be …


Comparison Of Brachial Artery Vasoreactivity In Elite Athletes And Age-Matched Controls, Paul Joseph Blalock Jan 2009

Comparison Of Brachial Artery Vasoreactivity In Elite Athletes And Age-Matched Controls, Paul Joseph Blalock

LSU Master's Theses

The ability to distribute blood from areas with low demand to areas with high demand, such as occurs during exercise, is a critical function of the circulatory system. PURPOSE: To compare the resting diameter and vasoreactivity of the brachial artery in elite strength athletes to those of age-matched controls. We hypothesized that the brachial arteries of strength athletes would have larger diameters at rest, and show greater vasoreactivity in response to cuff occlusion and a cold pressor test than in untrained individuals. METHODS: Eight elite strength athletes (age, 23 ± 2 years) and ten age-matched controls (age, 22 ± 1 …


Determinants Of Fluid Milk Quality, Jose Luis Vargas Jan 2009

Determinants Of Fluid Milk Quality, Jose Luis Vargas

LSU Master's Theses

The objectives of this study were to provide an overview of fluid milk quality in the U.S., determine if there is a correlation between rapid and traditional tests, determine if results from different analyses correlate with a sensory analysis and to determine any correlation between any of the analyses done in this study. Whole and 2% milks were received from 17 dairy processing plants located in the west, midwest, and southern regions of the U.S in duplicates. Samples were pasteurized at the processing plants by HTST method (161-175oF for 15-25 seconds). For standard plate counts at day 0 no significant …


Does Acute Passive Stretching Alter The Optimum Height For Drop Jumping?, Jonathan Samuel Ritchie Jan 2009

Does Acute Passive Stretching Alter The Optimum Height For Drop Jumping?, Jonathan Samuel Ritchie

LSU Master's Theses

The application of static stretching (SS) has previously been shown to limit performance in force production, reaction time, balance and vertical jump height. When looking at the effect of SS on jump performance, researchers have previously used changes in jump height, in squat jumps (SQ), countermovement jumps (CMJ) and drop jumping (DJ) from self selected heights. To date no one has looked at the effect of SS across a range of drop heights. 30 subjects (15 male and 15 female) participated in 1 familiarization trial and four performance trials. All subjects undertook two days of stretching (ST) and two days …


Determination Of Minimum Safe Cooking Temperatures For Shrimp To Destroy Foodborne Pathogens, Sailaja Chintagari Jan 2009

Determination Of Minimum Safe Cooking Temperatures For Shrimp To Destroy Foodborne Pathogens, Sailaja Chintagari

LSU Master's Theses

Shrimp is one of the most common seafoods and a favorite among consumers. Like any other food there are safety concerns about shrimp. Listeria species, Salmonella species, Clostridium species and Vibrio species are among the pathogens of prime importance. Most of these pathogens can be eliminated by cooking. However, the extent of cooking and temperatures greatly influence the safety of these foods. The current study is focused on the determination of minimum cooking temperatures for shrimp to eliminate Listeria species, Salmonella species and Vibrio species. Shrimp were surface inoculated with the three different species mentioned above to about 5.00 log …


Effects Of Warming End Of Lay Broiler Breeder Eggs During The Storage Period On Hatchability, Jennifer Michelle Dowden Jan 2009

Effects Of Warming End Of Lay Broiler Breeder Eggs During The Storage Period On Hatchability, Jennifer Michelle Dowden

LSU Master's Theses

Due to necessary storage of hatching eggs in commercial hatcheries, the embryo is being regressed. End of lay broiler breeder eggs have the poorest hatchability and are most affected by pre incubation storage. Warming these eggs is the only way the embryo can develop. The objective of this study was to study the effects of daily warming of end of lay broiler breeder hatching eggs during the storage period on embryo mortality and hatchability. Six trials were conducted, three trials warmed for three of the four day storage period and three trials warmed for five of the six days storage …


Effects Of Exercising With A Weighted Vest On The Output Of Lower Limb Joints In Countermovement Jumping, Behdad Tahayori Jan 2009

Effects Of Exercising With A Weighted Vest On The Output Of Lower Limb Joints In Countermovement Jumping, Behdad Tahayori

LSU Master's Theses

The effect of exercising with a weighted vest equal to 15% of body mass on vertical jump height was assessed. It was hypothesized that the defined treatment protocol could enhance jumping performance by increasing hip, knee and ankle joint power. The findings of this study showed that the defined active stretching protocol significantly increases jump height in male participants (0.3364 m compared to0. 3456 m from pre to post exercise respectively) but did not yield a significant increase in females. No significant changes in joint angle, torque, power or velocity were observed between the pre and post exercise jumping. However, …


Pulsed Electric Field Influences On Acid Tolerance, Bile Tolerance, Protease Activity And Growth Characteristics Of Lactobacillus Acidophilus La-K, Olga Antonina Cueva Jan 2009

Pulsed Electric Field Influences On Acid Tolerance, Bile Tolerance, Protease Activity And Growth Characteristics Of Lactobacillus Acidophilus La-K, Olga Antonina Cueva

LSU Master's Theses

Pulsed electric field processing represents a promising non-thermal technology which involves the application of pulses of high voltage (20-80 kV/cm) for less than one second to fluid foods placed between two electrodes. During the application of certain PEF conditions microbial inactivation occurs by causing a pore formation and destruction of the cell membranes. Lactobacillus acidophilus is an important probiotic bacterium used for the production of fermented dairy products. The objective of this study was to study the influence of pulsed electric field (PEF) on the growth characteristics, bile tolerance, acid tolerance, and protease activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-K. Freshly thawed …


Effects Of Acephate On The Distribution Of Tarnished Plant Bugs Within The Cotton Plant Profile, Kyle Andrew Fontenot Jan 2009

Effects Of Acephate On The Distribution Of Tarnished Plant Bugs Within The Cotton Plant Profile, Kyle Andrew Fontenot

LSU Master's Theses

The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), is a primary pest of cotton in the mid-southern United States. Chemical control strategies are the primary integrated pest management tool used to manage this pest in cotton. A better understanding of tarnished plant bug behavior and distribution on cotton plants is needed to improve the scouting and monitoring protocols used to estimate population and crop injury levels needed to initiate treatments. This pest frequently re-infests fields after insecticide treatments. Sampling protocols should consider the sub-lethal effects of insecticides on migrating populations or on survivors that remain on insecticide-treated plants. Studies …


Effect Of Milk Replacer Composition On Growth And Rumen Development Of Neonatal Holstein Calves, Anthony Joseph Bridges Jan 2009

Effect Of Milk Replacer Composition On Growth And Rumen Development Of Neonatal Holstein Calves, Anthony Joseph Bridges

LSU Master's Theses

A study was conducted to determine effects of differing fat and protein levels in commercial milk replacers on the growth performance and rumen development of neonatal Holstein calves. Fifty-three calves (23 male; 30 female) were assigned to one of three dietary treatments which included 3 milk replacers (20/20; 25/15; 28/20) fed once per day at 10% of birth weight through weaning. Calves were offered a 20% CP calf starter and water free choice beginning on day 5. All calves were weaned on day 42. Body weights were measured at birth and weekly through weaning. Additionally, hip height, wither height, and …


A Mineral Survey Of Louisiana Beef Cow/Calf Production Systems, Kyle Austin Guidry Jan 2009

A Mineral Survey Of Louisiana Beef Cow/Calf Production Systems, Kyle Austin Guidry

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to determine the state and regional mineral status of Louisiana forages and beef cattle. Louisiana beef cattle operations (n = 25) were sampled and divided into seven geographical regions, including the northwest (NW), northeast (NE), central (CE), southwest (SW), south central (SC), Florida parishes (FP) and southeast (SE) regions. Over a two year period, water and soil samples were collected from each operation annually, forage samples were collected quarterly in Aug to Sep, Nov to Dec, Feb to Mar and May to June and bovine serum samples were collected twice annually in the fall …


Comparisons Of Physicochemical Properties Of Watermelon Juice Treated With Pulsed Electric Fields And Thermal Pasteurization, Lauren Nicole Cook Jan 2009

Comparisons Of Physicochemical Properties Of Watermelon Juice Treated With Pulsed Electric Fields And Thermal Pasteurization, Lauren Nicole Cook

LSU Master's Theses

Pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment is a non-thermal and alternative pasteurization treatment for fruit juices. PEF applies short pulses of electricity to a liquid food sample which inactivates microorganisms and enzymes. Thermal pasteurization is commonly used to pasteurize juice in the fruit juice industry but the process tends to deteriorate color, nutrients, and overall juice appearance. The overall goal of this study was to determine the effects of PEF treatment (30 kv/cm for 57 ìs in bipolar 2 ìs pulses at 22°C) on color, lycopene content, vitamin C content, pH, °Brix, and microbial count when compared with the effects of …


Carotid Intima-Media Thickness And Physical And Cognitive Function In Elderly Men And Women: Role Of Physical Activity, John Brent Jr. Rhodes Jan 2009

Carotid Intima-Media Thickness And Physical And Cognitive Function In Elderly Men And Women: Role Of Physical Activity, John Brent Jr. Rhodes

LSU Master's Theses

The incidence of cognitive impairment in the aging population remains one of the most common morbidities in the elderly, often associated with a decrease in physical function, institutionalization, and death. Several different mechanisms have been proposed, including age-related changes to the vasculature. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity, carotid intima-media thickness and other vascular measures, and measures of cognitive and physical function in older adults. Measures of daily physical activity, vascular structure and function, and cognitive and physical function were examined in 109 participants [age=81±11 yrs]. Daily physical activity was assessed using the …


Modification Of Rice Starch Properties By Addition Of Amino Acids At Various Ph Levels, Rosaly Vallejo Manaois Jan 2009

Modification Of Rice Starch Properties By Addition Of Amino Acids At Various Ph Levels, Rosaly Vallejo Manaois

LSU Master's Theses

Amino acids were previously found to modify starch functionalities and potentially increase starch utilization. The effect of amino acids at different pH levels on the pasting properties, thermal characteristics, and resistant starch (RS) formation of rice starch was investigated. Prior to the analyses, pretreatment of starch was done by adding amino acid (aspartic acid, leucine, lysine and tyrosine) at 6% dry weight basis and dispersing the mixture in distilled water, solutions adjusted with HCl and NaOH to pH 4, 7 and 10, and buffers of acetate, phosphate and carbonate at the same pH levels, respectively. Samples in HCl/NaOH solutions were …