Life Sciences Commons^™

Identification Of Candida Strains With Nested Pcr In Bovinemastitis And Determination Of Antifungal Susceptibilities, Göksel Erbaş, Uğur Parin, Şükrü Kirkan, Serap Savaşan, Volkan Özavci, Hafi̇ze Tuğba Yüksel

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Mastitis is one of the biggest problems of dairy cattle industries. In recent years, fungal agents have been frequently reported among the causative agents for mastitis. Among the fungal agents, Candida species are the most common. This study's aims were the isolation, identification, and determination of antifungal susceptibility of Candida species causing mycotic mastitis in cattle. A total of 260 mastitic milk samples were collected from different farms. Identification was conducted by rapid diagnostic tests and nested PCR method; 6 different antifungal agents were examined. Candida sp. was detected in 46 (17.7%) of the 260 mastitic milk samples. Based on …

Barley As An Alternative To Rice In Dog Food, Fatma İnal, Mustafa Selçuk Alataş, Oğuzhan Kahraman, Şeref İnal, Mustafa Uludağ, Emel Gürbüz, Esad Sami̇ Polat

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this study, 30 mixed-breed, neutered, young adult male dogs at 15-30 kg live weights were used. The foods were produced at a special facility. Dog food produced using 25% barley had a gelatinized starch content significantly greater than that of food produced using 25% rice: 18.36% vs. 17.45%, respectively. No considerable difference was observed in the dogs' preference between the two foods (50.95% vs. 49.05%). Dry matter digestibility of rice and barley food was 86.10% and 83.85% and crude protein digestibility was 80.44% and 79.24%, respectively. Based on the consumption of rice or barley, stool consistency did not change.

Effect Of Varying Levels Of Concentrate On Growth Performance And Feed Economics In Nili-Ravi Buffalo Heifer Calves, Zeeshan Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Abdullah, Khalid Javed, Makhdoom Abdul Jabbar, Nisar Ahmad, Yasir Allah Ditta, Hamid Mustafa, Faisal Shahzad

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

An experiment was conducted to optimize the effect of concentrate levels on growth performance in Nili-Ravi buffalo heifers. These animals (n = 30), aged 4-6 months, were divided into three treatment groups (A, B, C) and were offered concentrate at the rate of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% of body weight for an 8-month period, respectively. The statistical data showed a significant (P < 0.01) effect on dry matter intake among all treatment groups. However, dietary treatments showed a nonsignificant effect on body weight gain. Treatment A showed a better (P < 0.01) feed conversion ratio (10.01 - 0.55) compared to treatment B (11.75 - 0.79) and C (12.85 - 0.74). The average body condition score, body measurements, and blood profiles were not affected by varying levels of concentrate. However, total serum protein was found lower (P < 0.01) in treatment A compared with the other two treatment groups. The cost for production per kg gain was 80.8% higher in treatment C and 46.6% higher in treatment B compared to treatment A. It can be concluded that buffalo heifers can be reared cost-effectively on a minimum concentrate level (0.5% of body weight) along with ad libitum green fodder.

Extraskeletal Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma Of The Subcutaneous Tissue In A Maltese Dog, Byungjoon Seung, Junghyung Ju, Seunghee Cho, Soohyeon Kim, Hwan Choi, Junghyang Sur

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

A 10-year-old spayed female Maltese dog presented to a local animal hospital with a subcutaneous mass (4 x 3 x 3 cm) in the right shoulder region. The mass was well circumscribed, with soft tissue opacity and variable levels of mineralization, but with no bony involvement in radiography. The mass was surgically removed. Upon histological examination, the mass consisted of malignant mesenchymal cells that had produced a chondroid matrix and osteoid. Round to polygonal neoplastic cells with large nuclei showed moderate anisokaryosis and variable numbers of mitotic figures. The tumor cells were positive for vimentin and osteocalcin and negative for …

Artisanal Cider And The Craft Beverage Consumer Tourist Experience, Meghann Newell (Miller) Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Hard cider is a newly emerging niche industry in apple-growing regions of the country. The growing popularity of artisan and local products offers a new opportunity for heritage products, like hard cider in the Northeast, to gain momentum in the alcoholic beverage and tourism industries. By finding the connection between the consumer experience and local product tourism, this study strives to understand the expanding craft beverage movement and hard cider’s place within this movement, and how it may affect heritage product promotion. This study looks specifically at the Hudson Valley region in New York State. With its fertile land, easy …

Perceived Threats To Food Security And Possible Responses Following An Agro-Terrorist Attack, Lamesha Lashal Craft

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks exposed vulnerabilities to U.S. homeland security and defense, leading U.S. officials to analyze threats to domestic and international interests. Terrorist attacks against food and water supplies (agro-terrorism), were deemed a national security threat because of the assessed fear, economic instability, and social instability that could occur following a food shortage. Research indicated a comprehensive response plan does not exist across the federal, state, and local levels of government to mitigate the public's possible responses to a perceived threat to food security and food shortages following an agro-terrorist attack. This ethnographic case study analyzed the …

Association Between Energy Balance And Metabolic Hormone Suppression During Ultra-Endurance Exercise, Bjoern Geesmann, Jenna C. Gibbs, Joachim Mester, Karsten Koehler

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Ultra-endurance athletes often accumulate an energy deficit when engaging in ultra-endurance exercise, and upon completion of the exercise, they exhibit endocrine changes that are reminiscent of starvation. However, it remains unclear whether these endocrine changes are a result of the exercise per se or secondary to the energy deficit, and more importantly, whether these changes can be attenuated by increased dietary intake. Our goal was to assess the relationship between changes in key metabolic hormones following ultra-endurance exercise and measures of energy balance. Metabolic hormones as well as energy intake and expenditure were assessed in 14 well-trained male cyclists who …

Web-Based Interventions Alone Or Supplemented With Peer-Led Support Or Professional Email Counseling For Weight Loss And Weight Maintenance In Women From Rural Communities: Results Of A Clinical Trial, Patricia A. Hageman, Carol H. Pullen, Melody Hertzog, Bunny J. Pozehl, Christine Eisenhauer, Linda S. Boeckner

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Objective. This trial compared the effectiveness of a web-based only (WO) intervention with web-based supplemented by peer-led discussion (WD) or professional email counseling (WE) across 3 phases to achieve weight loss and weight maintenance in women from underserved rural communities.

Methods. 301 women (BMI of 28–45 kg/m²) randomly assigned to groups participated in guided weight loss (baseline to 6 months), guided weight loss and maintenance (6 to 18 months), and self-managed weight maintenance (18 to 30 months).

Results. Retention was 88.7%, 76.5%, and 71.8% at 6, 18, and 30 months, respectively. Intent-to-treat analyses demonstrated no group …

Prebiotics And Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Heather Rasmussen, Bruce R. Hamaker

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Inflammatory bowel disease risk factors include poor diet, and corresponding low intake of dietary fiber, specifically prebiotics, which is fermented by the gut microbiota. Dietary fibers, many of which are potential prebiotics, have hundreds to thousands of unique chemical structures that may promote bacteria or bacterial groups to provide beneficial health effects. In vitro and in vivo animal models provide some support for the use of prebiotics for inflammatory bowel disease through inflammation reduction. Studies using prebiotics in patients with inflammatory bowel disease are limited and focus on only a select few prebiotic substances.

Keywords: Inflammatory bowel disease, Ulcerative colitis, …

Hepatocyte Abca1 Deletion Impairs Liver Insulin Signaling And Lipogenesis, Chia-Chi C. Key, Mingxia Liu, C. Lisa Kurtz, Soonkyu Chung, Elena Boudyguina, Timothy A. Dinh, Alexander Bashore, Peter E. Phelan, Barry I. Freedman, Timothy F. Osborne, Xuewei Zhu, Lijun Ma, Praveen Sethupathy, Sudha B. Biddinger, John S. Parks

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Plasma membrane (PM) free cholesterol (FC) is emerging as an important modulator of signal transduction. Here, we show that hepatocyte-specific knockout (HSKO) of the cellular FC exporter, ATPbinding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), leads to decreased PM FC content and defective trafficking of lysosomal FC to the PM. Compared with controls, chow-fed HSKO mice had reduced hepatic (1) insulin- stimulated Akt phosphorylation, (2) activation of the lipogenic transcription factor Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein (SREBP)-1c, and (3) lipogenic gene expression. Consequently, Westerntype diet-fed HSKO mice were protected from steatosis. Surprisingly, HSKO mice had intact glucose metabolism; they showed normal gluconeogenic gene …

The Female Urogynecological Microbiome: Determining Niche Specificity, Krystal Thomas-White

Dissertations

Contrary to dogma, urine is not sterile. Recent discoveries show that the female urinary bladder contains a unique microbiome,with differences in healthy and disease states. This female urinary microbiome (FUM) is distinguishable from vulvo-vaginal contamination; yet, only the few centimeters of the urethra separate these two niches. Recent studies show that the most common bladder organisms are Lactobacillus, Gardnerella, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and a diverse group of anaerobes, the same genera commonly found in the vagina. Thus, we asked if the bladder and vaginal microbiomes are interconnected.

Previous work suggests a link between these two niches. The vaginal tract of reproductive …

Examining The Regulation Of Kv7 K+ Channels In Airway Smooth Muscle Cells And Their Potential As Novel Therapeutic Targets For The Treatment Of Asthma, Jennifer Haick

Dissertations

Asthma is a disease characterized by nonspecific and exaggerated airway narrowing, termed airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), which involves the excessive contraction of airway smooth muscle. Despite the fact that airway smooth muscle is widely studied and understood to play a role in AHR, little is known about the specifics of that role. Our laboratory recently found that Kv7 potassium (K+) channels are expressed in airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs). Kv7 channels are voltage sensitive K+ channels whose outward flux of K+ ions promotes a negative resting membrane voltage in excitable cells, thereby opposing electrical excitability. Inhibition of K+ channels is known …

Role Of The Interleukin-22 And Stat3 Signaling Pathway In Gut Barrier Maintenance Following Intoxication And Burn Injury, Adam M. Hammer

Dissertations

More than half of patients admitted to burn centers for treatment have measurable alcohol levels in their blood. Intoxication that precedes a traumatic burn injury leads to worsened patient outcomes, including higher rates of infection and sepsis. The intestines harbor the largest concentration of bacteria in the human host. Any disruption of the intestinal barrier as a result of intoxication and burn injury could contribute to infection and/or sepsis from gut-derived microbes. Previous work has demonstrated that the intestinal barrier becomes leaky, and that administration of interleukin-22 (IL-22) significantly reduces gut barrier leakiness following alcohol and burn injury. However, the …

Endocytic Vesicle Rupture In The Pathogenesis And Propagation Of Neurodegenerative Proteinopathies, William P. Flavin

Dissertations

Numerous pathological amyloid proteins spread from cell-to-cell during neurodegenerative disease, facilitating the propagation of cellular pathology and disease progression. Understanding the mechanism by which disease-associated amyloid protein assemblies enter target cells and induce cellular dysfunction is therefore key to understanding the progressive nature of such neurodegenerative proteinopathies. In this study, we utilized an imaging-based assay to monitor the ability of disease-associated amyloid assemblies to induce the rupture of intracellular vesicles following endocytosis, as well as to elucidate the cellular consequences of this damaging mechanism of invasion. We observed that the ability to induce vesicle rupture is a conserved feature of …

Behavioral Symptoms, Functional And Cognitive Recovery Post-Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Seema Nasser

Dissertations

Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) accounts for 80–90% of the nearly two million traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that occur each year. The psychological consequences of MTBI can be extensive and can persist well beyond the acute injury, profoundly impacting the lives of the individual, their families, and society. A substantial number of MTBI patients suffer depressive mood, fatigue, and poor sleep (i.e., behavioral symptoms) for weeks and months post-injury. These symptoms reduce quality of life and delay the return to previous cognitive and functional status. Behavioral symptoms of depressed mood, fatigue, and poor sleep commonly co-occur and thus may constitute …

Characterization Of Quorum-Quenching Lactonases And Plp-Dependent Aminotransferases: Structure, Mechanism And Alternative Turnover, Romila Nina Mascarenhas

Dissertations

Cell-to-cell communication by bacteria is essential for the regulation of gene expression important in colonization, biofilm formation, virulence and other processes. This communication is called "quorum-sensing" and is mediated by small molecules called autoinducers. One major class of autoinducers used by gram-negative bacteria is N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL's). Enzymes capable of disrupting this communication are called "quorum-quenching" catalysts and have proven to be invaluable biochemical tools for understanding quorum-sensing pathways. Quorum-quenching enzymes hold promise for application in anti-biofouling, agriculture, aquaculture, bioremediation and other synthetic biology settings. However, the mechanisms that these enzymes use to recognize and process their substrates are …

Exploring The Impact Of Collective Bargaining Agreements On Employee Performance Management, Nana Gyesie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As of 2014, union density in the United States had dropped compared to union density during the 1950s. Collective bargaining agreements are the foundational agreement for all issues related to salary, benefits, and working conditions. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore how collective bargaining agreements hindered or enabled managers from creating and sustaining high performance work practices. The conceptual framework included Walton and McKersie's work on behavioral theories for labor negotiations, human capital, and collective bargaining, and Huselid's work on high performance work practices. Fifteen respondents across 5 labor unions in Washington DC were selected through …

Identification, Diagnosis, Counseling, And Referral Of Overweight Military Dependent Children To Reverse Early Childhood Obesity, Gerald William Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 1980, the obesity rate in children 5 to 11 years of age has increased from 7% to 18%. The lack of structured physical activity and poor dietary habits childhood are primary risk factors for obesity related comorbidities in adulthood. Guided by primary care providers, families can reverse childhood obesity by implementing healthy dietary habits and engaging in structured physical activity. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop an evidenced-based policy with procedures to standardize the timely and consistent identification of overweight children at a primary care clinic serving military families. With an emphasis on obesity prevention …

Roles Of Community Pharmacists In Improving Oral Health Awareness In Plateau State, Northern Nigeria, Olaniyi O. Taiwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is poor oral health awareness in Nigeria. This is mainly attributed to limited access to correct information on oral health as well as a lack of oral health care providers. The impact of the poor oral health awareness is worse in Northern Nigeria due to the uneven distribution of oral health care workers and training facilities. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to describe the roles of community pharmacists (CPs) in Plateau State, Nigeria as sources of oral health information. Theoretical framework for this study was the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Background knowledge and practices of oral …

Paths To Tier 1 Genomics Implementation: A Survey Of Chronic Disease Directors, Amy Ponte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although evidence is currently available for population-based genetic screening and testing of individuals and their family members for certain hereditary chronic disease conditions (Tier 1), few states have integrated these genomic applications into chronic disease prevention programs. State and territorial chronic disease directors (CDDs) could provide the leadership needed to deliver these applications in more states. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an association exists between current chronic disease genomics funding or specific state genomic activities and the level of knowledge and interests in genomics by these directors. Rogers's diffusion of innovations (DIT) theory was used to …

Breast Cancer, Mana'olana/Hope, And The Experience Of Native Hawaiian Women, Karla Marie Calumet

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among women. A diagnosis of cancer is a stressful event that requires an individual to adapt to new stressors. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the perceptions of mana'olana/hope and living with breast cancer among Native Hawaiian women. The conceptual framework of this phenomenological study was positive psychology. Data collection included in-depth interviews with 5 Native Hawaiian women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Data coding and analysis resulted in identification of 8 themes.

The themes included: (a) mana'olana /hope is the essence …

The Association Between Dietary Flavonoid Intake And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Systemic Inflammation, And Comorbidity Burden, Tennador Sanderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Dietary habits may have an impact on COPD through anti-inflammatory mechanisms. For this cross-sectional secondary data analysis study, the advanced model of the epidemiology triangle was used as a guide to assess the association between total daily flavonoid intake and COPD diagnosis, COPD severity, systemic inflammation, and comorbidity burden. Data from over 5,100 male and female participants aged 30 and older were obtained from the 2007-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The prevalence of COPD was 5.2% according to spirometry data. Multiple …

Instructional Strategies That Promote Cultural Competence In Nutrition And Dietetics Education, Cecile Adkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Changing demographics in the United States to a minority-majority culture require health care professionals who are culturally competent to provide appropriate care to patients. In a university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, a gap existed between student education and the culturally competent professional practice of entry-level registered dietitians. Using Freire's notion of social justice and Vygotsky's constructivist theory as the conceptual frameworks, the purpose of this study was to explore educators' instructional strategies that promoted cultural competence in nutrition and dietetics education. The research questions examined how educators described the instructional practices they employed to promote cultural …

Food Waste Reduction Strategies In Supermarkets: The Lived Experiences Of Perishable Food Managers In Michigan, Kelly K. Zimmermann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At the retail level, 25% of sellable food is wasted, and perishable foods account for 72% of food waste in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the food waste reduction strategies used by supermarket perishable food department managers, which are covered under the Good Samaritan Food Donation Acts (state and federal). The participant population was comprised of 17 managers who are responsible for perishable foods departments (bakery, deli, meat, dairy, and produce) at local, regional, and national supermarkets in Midland, Michigan. Goal systems theory served as the conceptual framework lens for which the …

Education And The Development Of On-Farm Identity: Dairy Farm Women's Experiences, Amy Leigh Spangenberg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women throughout the world have found emancipation through education. Yet, there has been no research on the role that education plays in dairy farm women's primary, on-farm identity development and how farm women's identities develop. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine dairy farm women's perceptions of previous learning (education) and its influence on their primary, on-farm identity development. The feminist standpoint theory provided the framework for this study. A homogeneous, purposeful sample of 10 active dairy farm women were interviewed using individual, face to face, semistructured questions to answer the question: What are dairy farm women's perceptions …

Predictors Of Compliance With The Food Safety And Inspection Service's Listeria Rule, 2012-2015, Amadou Samb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 1987, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has implemented a zero-tolerance policy for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products, which culminated with the implementation of the Listeria rule in 2003. While researchers have extensively examined human listeriosis and its causative agent, Lm, there remained a significant gap in the current literature regarding how, singly or in combination, establishment size, RTE product type, Listeria alternative used, and FSIS district of production predict compliance with the Listeria rule. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between establishment size, RTE product type, …

Evolution Of The Kinetics And Dynamics Of Heme-Crevice Loop Regulating Chemistry In Human Cytochrome C, Shiloh M. Nold

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Cytochrome c, cytc, is a metalloprotein that plays primary roles in electron transport and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Much of the chemistry that cytc is involved with is regulated by a highly conserved region known as the heme crevice loop, consisting of residues 70-85. Only three of these residues (those at positions 81, 83 and 85) are not universally conserved within the evolutionary timeline. Here I look to elucidate possible evolutionary roles for several of the key residues known to be important in regulating heme chemistry of cytc.

I first address the role that lysine …

Evolution Of Molt Phenology In Dwarf Hamsters, Zachary Clare-Salzler

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Environmental seasonality presents many challenges for survival. In response, organisms from across the tree of life exhibit adaptive phenology, which can facilitate survival from season to season. In particular, many species are white in the winter and brown in the summer where winter snow cover alters the visual environment. There is an extensive body of literature describing the physiological and cellular regulation of this trait in the Siberian dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus), but there are major shortcomings in our understanding concerning the evolution and molecular regulation of mammalian skin phenology. Notably, little is known about the genetic basis …

Contributions Of Gene Copy Number Variation To Genome Evolution And Local Adaptation Of The Cyanobacterium Acaryochloris, Amy L. Gallagher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Acaryochloris is a recently discovered genus of cyanobacteria, unique in its use of an uncommon chlorophyll as its major photosynthetic pigment, and in its peculiar genome dynamics. Members of this genus exhibit increased genic copy number variation (CNV), which is thought to be primarily derived from gene duplications and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Acaryochloris provides an ideal system to explore mechanisms behind maintenance of gene duplicates and the influence of CNV in local adaptation. Here, I propose a mechanism for retention of gene duplicates of the bacterial recombinase, RecA, in Acaryochloris genomes and provide preliminary evidence that these paralogs are …

K-Mer Analysis Pipeline For Classification Of Dna Sequences From Metagenomic Samples, Russell Kaehler

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Biological sequence datasets are increasing at a prodigious rate. The volume of data in these datasets surpasses what is observed in many other fields of science. New developments wherein metagenomic DNA from complex bacterial communities is recovered and sequenced are producing a new kind of data known as metagenomic data, which is comprised of DNA fragments from many genomes. Developing a utility to analyze such metagenomic data and predict the sample class from which it originated has many possible implications for ecological and medical applications. Within this document is a description of a series of analytical techniques used to process …