Life Sciences Commons^™

Sugar And Rice Trade Between The United States And Cuba Trade Potential And Welfare Analysis, Fabian Bloechl

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

After the resignation of President Fidel Castro and forty-five years of the U.S.-trade embargo, the political environment between Cuba and the United States is expected to change. With the Trade Sanction Reform and Export Enhancement Act in 2000, trade sanctions were eased for a while. Future trade between both countries would increase the welfare in both countries. This Thesis has the approach to look at the impacts on the commodities of rice and sugar, and the trade sanctions between the United States and Cuba.

Cuba is a net importer of its food supply; therefore, agriculture and food trade is an …

The Status Of Plethodon Ainsworthi Lazell: Extinct, Extant, Or Nonexistent?, John G. Himes, David C. Beckett

Faculty Publications

Plethodon ainsworthi Lazell was described as a new species in the slimy salamander (Plethodon glutinosus [Northern Slimy Salamander]) complex from two specimens collected in Jasper County, MS, in 1964. Prior to their designation as the type and paratype of the newly described species in 1998, both specimens were presumably stored in strong formalin for 26 years and thus were in poor condition. Plethodon ainsworthi is distinguished from the sympatric Plethodon mississippi (Mississippi Slimy Salamander) by a more attenuated body, as evidenced by a higher snout-vent length (SVL)/head width (HW) ratio, and shorter limbs. Despite numerous searches between 1991 and …

Near-Infrared Surface-Enhanced Fluorescence Using Silver Nanoparticles In Solution, Michael D. Furtaw

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a widely used detection technology in many research and clinical assays. Further improvement to assay sensitivity may enable earlier diagnosis of disease, novel biomarker discovery, and ultimately, improved outcomes of clinical care along with reduction in costs. Near-infrared, surface-enhanced fluorescence (NIR-SEF) is a promising approach to improve assay sensitivity via simultaneous increase in signal with a reduction in background. This dissertation describes research conducted with the overall goal to determine the extent to which fluorescence in solution may be enhanced by altering specific variables involved in the formation of plasmonactive nanostructures of dye-labeled protein and silver nanoparticles …

Clustering And Classification Of Multi-Domain Proteins, Neethu Shah

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Rapid development of next-generation sequencing technology has led to an unprecedented growth in protein sequence data repositories over the last decade. Majority of these proteins lack structural and functional characterization. This necessitates design and development of fast, efficient, and sensitive computational tools and algorithms that can classify these proteins into functionally coherent groups.

Domains are fundamental units of protein structure and function. Multi-domain proteins are extremely complex as opposed to proteins that have single or no domains. They exhibit network-like complex evolutionary events such as domain shuffling, domain loss, and domain gain. These events therefore, cannot be represented in the …

Skills Learning In Robot-Assisted Surgery Is Benefited By Task-Specific Augmented Feedback, Srikant Vallabhajosula, Srikant Vallabhajosula, Timothy N. Judkins, Mukul Mukherjee, I. H. Suh, D. Oleynikov, K.-C. Siu

Journal Articles

Background: Providing augmented visual feedback is one way to enhance robot-assisted surgery (RAS) training. However, it is unclear whether task specificity should be considered when applying augmented visual feedback. Methods: Twenty-two novice users of the da Vinci Surgical System underwent testing and training in 3 tasks: simple task, bimanual carrying (BC); intermediate task, needle passing (NP); and complex task, suture tying (ST). Pretraining (PRE), training, and posttraining (POST) trials were performed during the first session. Retention trials were performed 2 weeks later (RET). Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 feedback training groups: relative phase (RP), speed, grip force, …

Shear Force At Failure And Stiffness Of All-Inside Meniscal Repair Devices, William K. Kesto, Amanda O. Esquivel, David C. Markel

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose of this study was to determine the failure load and stiffness of various meniscal repair devices. A total of 61 fresh-frozen porcine menisci (medial and lateral) were used for the study. A 30-mm vertical, full-thickness tear was created and repaired using one of three all-inside fixation devices and one inside–out repair in the vertical mattress pattern. We used the MaxBraid (Biomet, Warsaw, IN) inside–out suture as a control. The other devices tested were the Meniscal Cinch (Arthrex, Naples, FL), Ultra FasT-Fix (Smith & Nephew, Andover, MA), and the MaxFire MarXmen (Biomet, Warsaw, IN). In addition, two devices, MaxFire …

Leaf Anatomy And Systematics Of Polygaleae (Polygalaceae), Heather Wilber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Polygalaceae are comprised of approximately 1000 species found worldwide in a variety of habitats. Over half of the species in the family were traditionally grouped into the polyphyletic genus Polygala and need resolution. Leaves from 21 species in 13 genera within tribe Polygaleae were field collected or taken from specimens at the Missouri Botanical Garden Herbarium (MO) to find phylogenetically useful characteristics of the foliar anatomy. The leaves were rehydrated using concentrated ammonium hydroxide, embedded in paraffin, and sectioned at 10 μm thickness using a rotary microtome. To observe epidermal features, rehydrated leaves were also cleared using 3% potassium hydroxide. …

Optimization Of Protocols For Wolbachia Detection Using Pcr Methods, Jennifer Kim

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Wolbachia is a genus of intracellular bacterium that is known to infect a wide range of arthropods. Species within this clade have the ability to modify the reproductive success of their hosts to promote their own distribution throughout host populations. Wolbachia cannot be cultured outside of the host and characterizing infection of gonadal cells might be time consuming. Thus, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays are a common method of Wolbachia DNA amplification from arthropods. I assessed the utility of 3 DNA sequence markers (16S, ITS, and 28S) paired with the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene in various PCR …

Comparison Of Theophylline And 8-Cyclopentyltheophylline On The Heart Rates Of Neonatal Rats, Stephanie Arnold

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Neonatal apnea is a serious condition that affects the health of infants, especially those born prematurely. To stimulate breathing, methylxanthine drugs, such as theophylline and caffeine, are administered to reverse this condition in humans and avoid the use of breathing-assistance equipment. These drugs cause stimulation of the central nervous system and the heart, however, both detrimental side effects in preterm infants. Antagonism of adenosine receptors is the proposed mechanism of methylxanthine action. Synthetic chemists have produced xanthine analogs with increased affinity for adenosine receptors that could lead to respiratory stimulation while reducing cardiostimulant effects. For this study, theophylline and 8-cyclopentyltheophylline …

Homing Behavior In Response To Displacement And Orientation Of The Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys Terrapin Terrapin) In Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, Nicole M. Lainhart

Biology Theses

Increasing urbanization of the Barnegat Bayestuary in New Jersey has subjected northern diamondback terrapins to substantial habitat loss. Understanding whether terrapins have homing behavior, and determining the types of orientation cues they use to aid in this behavior, is important for conservation management. To test their homing behavior, nine non-gravid female terrapins were outfitted with biotelemetry tracking devices and data loggers and were displaced 4 km north and/or south. Eight of nine terrapins successfully returned home; the one terrapin that did not return home was inadvertently captured in a crab pot. Urbanization and shoreline development of the north displacement location …

Effect Of Vacuum Tumbling Time, Salt Level, And Phosphate Alternatives On Processing Characteristics Of Natural Deli-Style Turkey Breast, Derek J. Schroeder

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

Three studies were conducted to determine the effect of vacuum tumbling time on the processing characteristics of reduced sodium natural deli-style turkey breast. Production of sodium reduced natural deli-style turkey breast without phosphate is lower (P <  0.05) in texture and processing properties than deli-style turkey breast produced with phosphate. Reducing salt concentration to 1.0% produces natural deli-style turkey breast with less acceptable (P <  0.05) texture and processing characteristics compared to 1.5% or 2.0% added salt. Preblending was used to improve texture characteristics in reduced salt products. Control treatments had improved (P <  0.05) texture properties, decreased color values, …

Evaluation Of Oil Extraction On Corn Dry-Milling Byproducts In Growing And Finishing Cattle Diets, Melissa L. Jolly

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

Dry-milling ethanol plants produce distillers grains (DG) and condensed distillers solubles (CDS). Before thin stillage is evaporated to CDS, corn oil is removed via centrifugation, producing de-oiled CDS. Depending on plant availability, CDS can be marketed or combined with DG to produce de-oiled distillers grains plus solubles (DGS). Currently, there are no data available on animal performance when corn oil is removed via centrifugation of the solubles stream. Therefore, two finishing experiments, a metabolism experiment, and a growing experiment were conducted to evaluate the effects of corn oil removal on cattle performance, carcass characteristics, and the effects on nutrient digestibility. …

Effects Of Maternal Nutrition And Post-Weaning Management In A Late Spring Calving System And Synchronization Of Estrus Using Fixed Time Ai Protocols, John D. Harms

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

Three experiments were conducted to determine the impact of development systems, maternal protein supplementation, and estrus synchronization systems on beef cattle. Experiment 1 evaluated the effects of winter supplementation on cow performance and the effects of post-weaning management on progeny. Late spring calving cows grazed dormant range or meadow over winter and received either supplementation or no supplementation. Steer and heifer progeny were weaned and placed on dormant meadow or fed hay ad libitum. One half of the steers were placed in the feedlot at the end of treatment and the other half grazed range over summer. Cow winter treatment …

Transcriptional Regulation Of The Porcine Gnrh Receptor Gene By Glucocorticoids, Chanho Lee

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

Binding of GnRH to its receptor (GnRHR) stimulates the synthesis and secretion of the gonadotropins, as well as up-regulation of GnRHR. Thus, the interaction between GnRH and GnRHR represents a central point for regulation of reproduction. Glucocorticoids alter reproduction by reducing GnRH responsiveness of gonadotropes within the anterior pituitary gland, potentially via transcriptional regulation of the GnRHR gene. Investigation into this mechanism, however, revealed that the murine GnRHR gene was stimulated by glucocorticoids. To determine the effect of glucocorticoids on porcine GnRHR gene expression, gonadotrope-derived αT3-1 cells were transiently transfected with a vector containing 5118 bp of 5’ flanking sequence …

Voluntary Exercise Can Strengthen The Circadian System In Aged Mice, T. L. Leise, Mary E. Harrington, P. C. Molyneux, I. Song, H. Queenan, E. Zimmerman, G. S. Lall, S. M. Biello

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Consistent daily rhythms are important to healthy aging according to studies linking disrupted circadian rhythms with negative health impacts. We studied the effects of age and exercise on baseline circadian rhythms and on the circadian system's ability to respond to the perturbation induced by an 8 h advance of the light:dark (LD) cycle as a test of the system's robustness. Mice (male, mPer2luc/C57BL/6) were studied at one of two ages: 3.5 months (n=39) and >18 months (n=72). We examined activity records of thesemice under entrained and shifted conditions as well as mPER2::LUC measures ex vivo to assess circadian function in …

Conserving The Land Of The Giants: Critical Threats To Asian Elephant Habitat In Sri Lankan Protected Areas, Christie Sampson

All Theses

Grasslands habitats are hypothesized to be a critical resource for the endangered Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) throughout its range. However, this hypothesis has not been rigorously tested. My study examined elephant habitat selection in Sri Lanka to determine the importance of grassland versus other local habitats, and how livestock abundance, fire, and the invasive plant Lantana camara affect the relative abundance of elephants within habitats. My research was conducted in two protected areas in Sri Lanka, Udawalawe National Park (UNP) and Hurulu Forest Reserve (HR). I used distance-sampling on a total of 50.8 km of dung line-transects in the four …

Development Of Liriodendron Est-Ssr Markers And Genetic Composition Of Two Liriodendron Tulipifera L. Orchards, Xinfu Zhang

All Theses

Liriodendron tulipifera L., commonly known as yellow-poplar, is a fast-growing hardwood tree species with great ecological and economic value and is native to eastern North America. Liriodendron occupies an important phylogenetic position as a basal angiosperm and has been used in studies of the evolution of flowering plants. Genomic resources, such as Expressed Sequence Taq (EST) databases and Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) libraries, have been developed for this species. However, no genetic map is available for Liriodendron, and very few molecular markers have been developed. In this study, a total of 119 informative genomic SSR markers suitable were identified for …

Phytophthora Foliage Blight Of Garden Phlox: Phytophthora Nicotianae On Phlox Paniculata, Daniel Drechsler

All Theses

Phytophthora foliage blight of garden phlox (Phlox paniculata ) - caused by Phytophthora nicotianae - is a devastating disease that has been seen consistently in nursery production facilities in South Carolina. However, this disease has not been characterized previously. This project was composed of three separate studies, each of which followed one of the three major components of the disease triangle (i.e., the synchronous occurrence of a susceptible host and a virulent pathogen within a conducive environment) to investigate the pathogenicity of P. nicotianae on P. paniculata . In one study, the efficacies of three inoculation methodologies to cause …

Methane Prediction By Nutrient Profiles In Ruminal Continuous Cultures Fed An All Forage Diet Of Bermudagrass Or Annual Ryegrass, Kaylin Young

All Theses

Extensive research has been done on the effect of diet on rumen methane (CH4) production, and on developing equations to accurately predict CH4 in cattle. However, the majority of this research has been gathered from feedlot cattle or cattle fed a total mixed ration (TMR). To date, no studies have examined nutrient correlations with CH4 when feeding an all pasture diet of warm season or cool season grasses. This study included two in vitro experiments, one with a warm season forage and one with a cool season forage to see which nutrient characteristics of each forage best correlated with CH4 …

Mutant Drought Phenotype Investigation : A Look Into Effects Of Protein Prenylation On Water Utilization In Conditions Of Varying Soil Saturation And Gene Knockout., Casey Rasmussen

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Plants respond to environmental stress, such as drought, with increases in levels of Abscisic Acid (ABA). This stress response allows greater survival rates but results in the plants producing lower seed yield and biomass. Certain mutant strains of the Arabidopsis plant have been identified with mutations in coding regions involved in the formation of the α and β subunits of PFT and PGGT-I genes involved in protein prenylation. We explored the possibility of these mutant strains to better preserve seed yield and plant biomass under drought stressing conditions in comparison to the wild type (Columbia) strain, based on the mutants’ …

Native Plant Establishment Success Influenced By Centaurea Stoebe Control Method, Laurelin Marie Martin

Masters Theses

Invasive species frequently hinder restoration efforts. While the effectiveness of differing control methods are often reported, the impacts these methods have on the establishment of a native plant community are often unknown. To determine methods that effectively reduce spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) while enhancing native species establishment, we tested 12 treatment combinations consisting of an initial site preparation (mowing, mowing + clopyralid, or mowing + glyphosate), with combinations of annual adult knapweed hand pulling, and/or burning. We established 48 plots and applied site preparation treatments during summer 2008, seeded 23 native forbs and grasses during spring 2009, pulled …

Management Of Katahdin Hair Sheep, Elizabeth Ann Backes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to determine the effects of different management practices on Katahdin hair sheep performance. For experiment 1, over 2 yr, 5, 0.4-ha pastures were allocated randomly to 1 of 2 grazing treatments: 1) Continuous; or 2) 4-cell rotation. Fifty yearling Katahdin ewes (53 ± 0.7 kg initial BW; 3.3 ± 0.09 initial BCS) were stratified by BW and BCS and allocated randomly to pastures in early May. Grazing d, basal cover, forage quantity or quality did not differ across treatments; however, sampling date effects were detected for forage quantity and quality. Beginning and end of …

Quantitative Trait Loci Associated With Waterlogging Tolerance In A Soft Red Winter Wheat Mapping Population, Diana Carolina Ballesteros Benavides

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Waterlogging is caused when water stays superficially in the soil for an extended period of time, creating an anaerobic environment which decreases plant growth and grain yield at maturity. Despite the impact of waterlogging on wheat production both globally and in the southeastern U.S., very little is known about the genetic control of waterlogging tolerance in wheat. The objective of this study was to determine the amount of genetic variation for vegetative stage waterlogging tolerance present within a wheat recombinant inbred line (RIL) population and to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with tolerance and productivity. Experiments were carried out …

Identification Of Biomarkers Associated With Ascites Incidence In Broilers, Kaylee Rowland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Poultry is key in genetic research due to breeding feasibility, relatively short generation interval, and distinct phenotypes. It is estimated that 8% of broiler deaths annually can be attributed to ascites, an economically important disease that has been challenging the industry for the past 2 decades. Genetically selected ascites resistant (RES) and susceptible (SUS) chicken lines have been established and maintained by the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Intensive research efforts have been made to reveal physiological and biochemical characteristics for the incidence of ascites. Since the whole genome of the major ancestral chicken, the Red Jungle Fowl, has been sequenced, …

Physical And Biochemical Factors Affecting Breast Fillet Tenderness In Broilers Reared For Divergent Market Demands, Valerie Belle Brewer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Market trends have dictated that broilers be reared for divergent market demands for decades. Also, broiler genetic strains have been adapted to meet market demands which include: genetic selection for improved breast meat, the practice of growing birds to older ages and greater market weights to meet demands, and decreasing postmortem (PM) aging time to improve processing efficiency and fillet yield. These production practices can also affect product quality, specifically boneless breast fillet tenderness and water-holding capacity. To address these factors, a series of experiments were conducted to determine the effect of strain and slaughter age on meat quality parameters, …

Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Habitat Selection In Northwestern Wyoming And Stable Isotope Analysis Of Fecal Material, Andrea Renee Green

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dramatic range-wide declines in Greater Sage-Grouse populations have prompted efforts to determine habitat characteristics that are selected by sage-grouse for foraging, nesting and brood-rearing areas in an effort to conserve this species. Managers at Heart Mountain and Y U Bench in northwestern Wyoming expressed the need to quantify various habitat characteristics and to determine key use areas at both study sites. Data were collected on a variety of habitat variables in spots selected by grouse for foraging, nesting, and brood-rearing activities. These variables were compared to the same variables measured at random points at both study sites. Significant differences existed …

Development Of Novel Antifungal Peptides Based On A Natural Model Of Histatin-5 Peptide, Duy Tu Nguyen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Our research group is working toward the development of novel antifungal peptides based on a natural model of peptide histatin-5. Histatin-5 is found in human saliva and known to protect our body against oral infections by Candida species. Candidiasis, or an infection caused by Candida species, is considered one of the most medically important fungal infections worldwide. Blood stream infections caused by Candida species are the fourth leading cause of hospital-acquired fungal infections that is associated with high mortality rates and high costs of treatment. This study investigated the modes of action of histatin-5 with the use of one 16-mer …

The Color And Consistency Of Steaks And Ground Beef Produced From Mature Bulls, Jace Joseph Hollenbeck

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two experiments were conducted to compare the color and cooked attributes of steaks and ground beef produced from mature bulls. Beef from mature bulls was used to test the effects of lactic acid (LA) enhancement solution pH (2.5, 3.0, or 3.5; B25, B30, B35, respectively) on fresh (5 d of display) and cooked color and tenderness of strip loin steaks (Exp. 1) and the effect of high pH trim on precooked ground beef patties (Exp. 2). In experiment 1, mature bull strip steaks were enhanced to 111% with a LA, sodium bicarbonate, and tap water solution, in comparison to USDA …

The Role Of Histone H3 And H4 In Centromere Function And Genome Integrity, Payel Chaudhuri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Histone H2A plays an important role in chromosomal segregation among parent and daughter cells during mitosis. While it is established that this histone is important in maintaining chromosome number in cell, further work is carried out to explore the role of other histones like H3 and H4 for similar effects. A systematic study is initiated by screening a library based on mutation of different amino acid residues in these histones. This detailed screening identified specific regions within H3 and H4, which are critically important for centromeric function. These histones residing near the DNA entry/exit region of nucleosome effects the functionality …

Monodentate, Bidentate And Photocrosslinkable Thiol Ligands For Improving Aqueous Biocompatible Quantum Dots, Hiroko Takeuchi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water-soluble Quantum Dots (QDs) are highly sensitive fluorescent probes that are often used to study biological species. One of the most common ways to render QDs water-soluble for such applications is to apply hydrophilic thiolated ligands to the QD surface. However, these ligands are labile and can be easily exchanged on the QD surface, which can severely limit their application. As one way to overcome this limitation while maintaining a small colloidal size of QDs, we developed a method to stabilize hydrophilic thiolated ligands on the surface of QDs through the formation of a crosslinked shell using a photocrosslinking approach. …