Life Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Heat Stress And Dietary Amino Acid Density On Nutrient And Energy Partitioning In Broilers, Jean-Remi Teyssier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The simultaneous increase in the global demand for animal-based protein products and the rise in temperature associated with global warming pose important challenges to the poultry industry. Heat stress (HS) occurs when an animal’s heat production (HP) surpasses its capacity to dissipate heat into the surrounding environment, ultimately leading to reduced feed intake (FI) and negative impacts on performance. A better understanding of bird responses to elevated temperatures is required to propose effective nutritional strategies that mitigate the adverse effects of HS. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to characterize the nutritional and physiological mechanisms explaining the loss in performance and carcass …

A Pilot Study Of Students’ Ethical Decision Making And Emotional Intelligence, Casandra K. Cox

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Demand for ethical leaders in agriculture is high to meet 21st century goals, while ethics course offerings in land-grant institutions are limited. The purpose of this case study was to establish a baseline of current University of Arkansas Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Science (Bumpers College) agriculture and natural resource program students’ ethical decision making (EDM), as measured by the DIT-2, and emotional intelligence (EI), as measured by STEM-B and STEU-B, determine if EI mean scores predict EDM, and identify relationships between EDM or EI and demographic characteristics or lifespan experiences. An online survey design with probability sampling …

Dry-Aged Beef Flavor Development, And The Effect Of High Levels Of Vitamin-E On Beef Color Stability, Nicolas Herrera

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

Palatability and consumer purchasing are essential factors of fresh meat. To meet consumer expectations during purchasing and consumption, fresh beef must maintain desirable cherry-red color at retail and achieve desirable cooked flavor. Dry-aged beef popularity has grown, and identifying methods to ensure quality dry-aged meat is necessary to maintain demand. To understand dry-aged palatability, this dissertation addressed effects of moisture loss and aging time, fundamental factors of dry-aged beef, using bone-in and boneless strip loins. Study two investigated flavor development using cookery methods and internal temperatures in boneless and bone-in dry-aged beef. In study one, increased dry-aging time (creation effect) …

Identification And Assessment Of Lameness In Sows Through The Utilization Of NuTrack And Gaitfour Systems, Lexi M. Ostrand

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

Lameness is a financial concern for producers and a welfare concern for the animals. Utilizing both the GAITFour and NUtrack systems, gilts’ natural tendencies and gait were analyzed to better understand the onset of lameness and what indicators can be identified in a commercial setting. Beginning at 20 weeks of age, video on replacement gilts was collected for 9 consecutive days and processed using the NUtrack System to identify individual gilts’ distance travelled (m), avg speed (m/s), angle rotated (degrees), and time standing (s), sitting (s), eating (s), and laying (s). NUtrack is a deep learning-based multi-object …

Consequences Of Cow–Calf Production With Limited Perennial Forage Grazing, Hannah Fae Speer

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

Conversion of perennial grasslands to cropland and rising land prices prompts a need to evaluate alternative beef cow-calf production systems. A 3-yr study was conducted comparing beef cow-calf performance between two August-calving cow systems: perennial forage and corn residue grazing; or summer drylot, fall grazing of late-summer-planted cover crop, and corn residue grazing. Cow body condition score differed between systems, but condition of cows in both systems never fell below adequate. There were no differences in pregnancy rates between systems. Calf weaning weights differed between systems each year; differences are attributed to feedstuff quantity, quality, and type available to calves …

Utilizing Mitotalens To Investigate Large Repeats In The Arabidopsis Thaliana Mitochondrial Genome, Cambelle Johnson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Mitochondria are a silly place to store the genetic code. In spite of the ever-present threat of oxidative DNA damage, plant mitochondrial genomes are expansive in size and include noncoding repeat sequences, a small number of which are greater than 1kilobase (kb), known hereafter as “large repeats” (LR). This theme of one or more large repeat pairs is shared across most flowering plants, lending to the belief that they somehow contribute to the plant’s fitness. These repeats exhibit high rates of rearrangement and recombination. Studying repeats in vivo could have large scale implications in hybrid crop production enhancement including eliminating …

Not All Cities Are The Same: Variation In Animal Phenotypes Across Cities Within Urban Ecology Studies, Javier Delbarco-Trillo, Breanna J. Putman

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

The sustained expansion of urban environments has been paralleled by an increase in the number of studies investigating the phenotypic changes of animals driven by urbanization. Most of these studies have been confined to only one urban center. However, as the types and strength of anthropogenic stressors differ across cities, a generalizable understanding of the effects of urbanization on urban-dwelling species can only be reached by comparing the responses of urban populations from the same species across more than one city. We conducted phylogenetic meta-analyses on data for animal species (including both invertebrates and vertebrates) for which measures about any …

Do Fas Large Export Sales Reports Move Commodity Futures Markets?, William Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine if the Large Export Reports from the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service have any discernible market-moving impact on particular commodity futures markets. The effect of the reports on futures markets is investigated using four different methods: the average return event study approach, the multiple regression with binary variables model, the autoregressive time series model, and the event spline model. The average returns showed that the FAS's Large Export Sales Reports had no influence on the pricing of wheat futures, but did have a considerable impact on the returns from days before and after the release of …

Tropical Understory And Canopy Twig Ants (Pseudomyrmex): Natural History, Sensory Homing, And Neuroecology., Daniella Prince

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examined the behavior of foraging twig ants, explored the sensory profile of their homing behavior, and investigated the role of habitat use in shaping the sensory neurobiology of species within the genus Pseudomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). In chapter one, I reviewed the ecology of Pseudomyrmex, and introduced the focal species, P. boopis, a neotropical understory-dwelling twig ant. In chapter two, I described the natural history of P. boopis on Barro Colorado Island, Panama—specifically, their nesting habits, activity rhythm, and foraging behavior on understory surfaces. Pseudomyrmex boopis colonies were diurnal and nested in dead twigs in …

Connectivity Of Amygdala Somatostatin-Expressing Neurons And Their Role In Taste-Guided Behavior., Jane Jeruto Bartonjo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The nucleus of solitary tract (NST) and parabrachial nucleus (PBN) represent the first and second central synapses of ascending gustatory information. Neural processing in these nuclei is influenced by descending input from forebrain regions such as the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). In mice, we have shown that somatostatin (Sst) expressing neurons of CeA that project to NST and PBN are largely distinct cell populations and optogenetic inhibition of the CeA/Sst-to-NST subpopulation increases the intake of high concentrations of quinine with no apparent effect on sucrose intake. Synaptic connectivity of these cells is needed to understand the possible mechanisms …

The Role Of E-Liquid Constituents In E-Cigarette-Induced Cardiac Arrhythmia And Autonomic Imbalance., Cory Kucera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Accumulating evidence indicates that exposure to electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) promotes sympathetic dominance and electrophysiologic instability in the heart, potentially culminating in arrhythmogenesis. E-liquids contain various formulations of nicotine and flavorings, but the effects of specific e-liquid constituents and their concentrations on e-cig-induced autonomic imbalance and electrical dysfunction are unresolved. To that end, we tested the hypothesis that e-cigs modify cardiac autonomic balance and ventricular arrhythmogenesis in mice dependent on e-liquid constituent type and concentration. Methods. Using a crossover design and a serial exposure regimen, ECG-telemetered male C57BL/6J mice underwent whole-body exposure to e-cig aerosols generated from e-liquids containing different …

Determinants Of Market Participation Among Milk Producers In Kyrgyzstan, Akhmadjon Nurullaev

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the key factors that drive milk producers to enter the milk market as sellers in Kyrgyzstan. The study utilizes the Life in Kyrgyzstan dataset, a nationally representative survey that tracks 3,000 households and 8,000 individuals throughout Kyrgyzstan. The results were analyzed with two different models: Heckman’s two-stage and the double hurdle models. The results show that regional location, ethnic group origin, risk awareness, dependency ratio, vehicle ownership, total value of assets, distance to agro market, and family shock occurrence significantly impact both market participation and the volume of milk sales. The findings hold great significance in establishing …

Understanding The Environmental And Genetic Influence On Fluctuating Asymmetry And Developmental Instability In Primates, Ashly N. Romero

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the impact of environmental factors on the development and perpetuation of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and sought to understand the role evolution may play in the FA exhibited in two primate populations: the free-ranging Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and the Southwest National Primate Research Center olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis). Demographic, ontogenetic, secular, external, and genetic factors were examined. Specifically, this dissertation investigated FA over all ontogenetic stages, across decades, between sexes, in association with ecological catastrophes, and with tooth pathology to try and tease apart factors that may influence FA and developmental instability. This dissertation …

Risk-Returns Of Forward Contracting Southern Row Crops With Crop Revenue Insurance, Chandan Bhattarai

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the risk and return associated with various levels of forward contracting for southern row crops, specifically corn, soybean, and rice, in conjunction with different coverage levels of the Revenue Protection (RP) crop insurance program and government support plans. Forward contracting is a strategy to manage price risk by transferring ownership of physical grain from a seller to a buyer at a pre-agreed time. RP is a return-based crop insurance program offering coverage levels ranging from 50-85 percent in 5 percent increments, which allows producers to hedge against yield or price risks. Additionally, the study analyzed the effectiveness …

Functional Morphology Of The Platyrrhine Humerus And Talus: Implications For Inferring Locomotor Behavior In Extinct Primates, Liam Michael Zachary

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Platyrrhines are a diverse radiation of primates that exhibit a range of locomotor adaptations. The relationships between extant primate locomotor behavior and variation in postcranial morphology are often used to make functional interpretations of skeletal anatomy in extinct primates. However, a comparative baseline of form-function relationships in the extant platyrrhine postcranium is lacking compared to other primates, which limits understanding of platyrrhine locomotor evolution. The humerus and talus are two of the best represented skeletal elements in the platyrrhine fossil record and are informative of locomotor behavior. Therefore, quantification of morphological variation in extant platyrrhine tali and humeri can provide …

Use Of Microorganisms For The Enrichment Of Zn And Se By Using Solid-State Fermentation, Rashmi Rangaswamaiah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) are essential minerals for human health and naturally found in many food sources. However, the risk of Zn and Se deficiency has been recognized in several countries. As most people throughout the world consume rice, grains, and cereals as staple foods in their daily diet, which contain a certain amount of phytic acid (antinutrients), the phytic acid content inhibits mineral absorption (Zn and Se) by the human body. Moreover, the low levels of Zn and Se content found in the crop's soil also reduce the amount of minerals in the food sources. Therefore, it is …

Molecular Characterization Of Compartment Boundary Formation During Epithelial Remodeling In Drosophila Melanogaster, Samia Parveen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability of epithelial cells to self-organize is crucial for the development of proper tissue structures and organs in multi-cellular organisms. Epithelia consist of inter-connected cells that form flat sheets, and specific groups of cells within these sheets are partitioned into distinct compartments via compartment boundaries (CBs). These CBs are specialized interfaces between cells characterized by stable, high-tension actomyosin cables, which act as fences to prevent movements between adjacent compartments during tissue reorganization. In the early Drosophila embryo, CBs are established in response to the asymmetrical localization of two cell-surface proteins the Leucine-Rich Repeat (LRR) protein Tartan and the Teneurin …

Dietary Histidine: Broiler Responsiveness With And Without Endogenous Histidine Reserve Consideration, Kenneth Blake Nelson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the past, histidine warranted little concern from poultry nutritionists because it was seldom deficient in practical broiler diets. With most essential amino acids now commercially available as feed-grade forms to partially replace intact protein ingredients, histidine and its minimum in least-cost formulation are receiving fresh attention. Published histidine requirement data for broilers are sparce, and many of these studies have been conducted on males within the first three weeks post-hatch. Moreover, rudimentary dose-response experimental designs may not be applicable to estimate histidine requirements in later growth periods because histidine is uniquely stored within the body. In times of dietary …

Beef And Dairy Substitution Effects Associated With Carbon Labeling And An Information Intervention, Sara Gardner Hedgecock

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding consumer perceptions of carbon emissions in agriculture is a critical step to help increase the sustainability of food consumption. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 14.5 percent of all global anthropogenic GHG emissions are estimated to be represented by livestock (FAO), and cattle, raised for beef and milk, are the largest animal species responsible for emissions, comprising over 60 percent of the livestock sector’s emissions. This motivates this study’s analysis of beef and dairy milk products and alternatives. To better understand how consumers may substitute meat and milk products when provided with information about …

Time And Chance Happen To Them All: A Macroevolutionary Examination Of The Effects Of Whole Genome Multiplications, Eric Robert Hagen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Polyploidy, the state of having more than two complete sets of chromosomes, is common in plants and has been linked to several beneficial traits. On the macroevolutionary scale, the effects of polyploidy have been hotly debated for over one hundred years, being alternatively described as an “evolutionary dead end” and the most important discovery in evolutionary biology since Darwin and Wallace. This thesis aims to contribute to the debate by studying the diversification, biogeography, and ecophysiology of polyploid flowering plants with recently developed phylogenetic comparative methods. This dissertation has three chapters. In Chapter I, I review work on the so-called …

Phenotypic And Transcriptomic Characterization Of Rice Snrk1 Mutants Developed By Crispr/Cas9 Mutagenesis, Maria Clara Faria Chaves

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

SnRK1 is a heterotrimeric protein kinase that is composed of a catalytic subunit (α) and two regulatory subunits (β and βγ), and it has a main role in regulating energy homeostasis in the plant by modulating anabolic and catabolic process. SnRK1 phosphorylates and alters the activities of enzymes involved in metabolism and regulates gene expression by altering the activity of chromatin-remodeling enzymes or the transcription factors. Rice contains three functional paralogs of SnRK1α: SnRK1αa (LOC_Os03g17980), SnRK1αb (LOC_Os08g37800), and SnRK1αc (LOC_Os05g45420). This study focused on the function of these SnRK1 paralogs by evaluating the phenotypic and transcriptomic characteristics and the disease …

Insights Into The Characteristics Of Outdoor Recreationists In Utah From A Statewide Survey, Jordan W. Smith, Nate Trauntvein, Casey Trout

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Understanding the characteristics and preferences of outdoor recreationists in Utah can inform the administrative, funding, and management decisions of the many entities who provide outdoor recreation opportunities within the state. There is currently a lack of data on characteristics, preferences, and opinions of the state’s outdoor recreating public. As one component of the analysis supporting the development of the state’s outdoor recreation strategic plan, we launched a short online survey to begin to address this need. The survey was administered in spring of 2023 to an online panel of individuals who indicated that they are current residents of Utah and …

Variable Rates Of Hybridization Among Contact Zones Between A Pair Of Topminnow Species, Fundulus Notatus And F. Olivaceus, David D. Duvernell, Naznin S. Remex, Jeffrey T. Miller, Jacob F. Schaefer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Pairs of species that exhibit broadly overlapping distributions, and multiple geographically isolated contact zones, provide opportunities to investigate the mechanisms of reproductive isolation. Such naturally replicated systems have demonstrated that hybridization rates can vary substantially among populations, raising important questions about the genetic basis of reproductive isolation. The topminnows, Fundulus notatus and F. olivaceus, are reciprocally monophyletic, and co-occur in drainages throughout much of the central and southern United States. Hybridization rates vary substantially among populations in isolated drainage systems. We employed genome-wide sampling to investigate geographic variation in hybridization, and to assess the possible importance of chromosome fusions to …

Editorial: High-Impact Respiratory Rna Virus Diseases, Victor Manuel Patrone-García, Inkar Castellanos-Huerta, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Editorial on the Research Topic

High-impact respiratory RNA virus diseases

Editorial: Fat Metabolism And Deposition In Poultry: Physiology, Genetics, Nutrition Volume Ii, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Editorial on the Research Topic

Fat metabolism and deposition in poultry: physiology, genetics, nutrition Volume II

Research Note: Isolation, Speciation, And Anticoccidial Sensitivity Of Eimeria Spp. Recovered From Wild Turkey Feces In The United States, Carolina Trujillo-Peralta, Aaron Ashcraft, Roberto Señas-Cuesta, Makenly Coles, Xochitl Hernandez-Velasco, Callie Selby, Aaron Forga, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias, Christine Vuong, Lisa Bielke, John R. Barta, Billy Hargis, Danielle Graham

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Between 2018 and 2020, over 100 wild turkey fecal samples were collected from the Eastern and Central thirds of the United States, where commercial turkey production is uncommon. We hypothesized that anticoccidial-sensitive Eimeria spp. would be present in wild turkey fecal samples. Samples containing Eimeria spp. oocysts were amplified in vivo. If propagation was successful, the samples were PCR-speciated and subjected to anticoccidial sensitivity testing (AST) for key members of both ionophore and chemical categories of anticoccidial drugs. The purpose of this study was to isolate Eimeria spp. relevant to commercial turkey production that possessed sensitivity to monensin, …

Assessing The Effects Of A Mixed Eimeria Spp. Challenge On Performance, Intestinal Integrity, And The Gut Microbiome Of Broiler Chickens, Danielle Graham, Victor Petrone-Garcia, Xochitl Hernandez-Velasco, Makenly E. Coles, Marco A. Juarez-Estrada, Juan D. Latorre, Jianmin Chai, Stephanie Shouse, Jiangchao Zhao, Aaron Forga, Roberto Señas-Cuesta, Lauren Laverty, Kristen Martin, Carolina Trujillo-Peralta, Ileana Loeza, Latasha Gray, Billy M. Hargis, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

A mixed Eimeria spp. challenge model was designed to assess the effects of challenge on broiler chicken performance, intestinal integrity, and the gut microbiome for future use to evaluate alternative strategies for controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens. The experimental design involved broiler chickens divided into two groups: a control group (uninfected) and a positive control group, infected with Eimeria acervulina (EA), Eimeria maxima (EM), and Eimeria tenella (ET). At day-of-hatch, 240 off-sex male broiler chicks were randomized and allocated to one of two treatment groups. The treatment groups included: (1) Non-challenged (NC, n = 5 replicate pens); and (2) challenged …

T-Cell Receptor Beta Variable Gene Polymorphism Predicts Immune-Related Adverse Events During Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy, Jeffrey M Conroy, Mingxuan Xu, Abdulrazzak Zarifa, Sapna P Patel, Ying Yuan, Evan Kwiatkowski, Linghua Wang, Jordi Rodon Ahnert, Siqing Fu, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Geoffrey M Lowman, Timothy Looney, Aung Naing

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer treatment. However, they are associated with a unique spectrum of side effects, called immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which can cause significant morbidity and quickly progress to severe or life-threatening events if not treated promptly. Identifying predictive biomarkers for irAEs before immunotherapy initiation is therefore a critical area of research. Polymorphisms within the T-cell receptor beta (TCRB) variable (TRBV) gene have been implicated in autoimmune disease and may be mechanistically linked to irAEs. However, the repetitive nature of the TCRB locus and incomplete genome assembly has hampered the evaluation of TRBV polymorphisms in the …

Ancestral Diversity In Lipoprotein(A) Studies Helps Address Evidence Gaps, Anna F Ballou, Adolfo Correa, Paul S De Vries, Zhaohui Du, Christopher R Gignoux, Penny Gordon-Larsen, Xiuqing Guo, Jeffrey Haessler, Annie Green Howard, Yao Hu, Helina Kassahun, Shia T Kent, J Antonio G Lopez, Keri L Monda, Kari E North, Ulrike Peters, Michael H Preuss, Stephen S Rich, Jie Yao, Rina Yarosh, Michael Y Tsai, Jerome I Rotter, Charles L Kooperberg, Ruth J F Loos, Christie Ballantyne, Christy L Avery, Mariaelisa Graff

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: The independent and causal cardiovascular disease risk factor lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is elevated in >1.5 billion individuals worldwide, but studies have prioritised European populations.

METHODS: Here, we examined how ancestrally diverse studies could clarify Lp(a)'s genetic architecture, inform efforts examining application of Lp(a) polygenic risk scores (PRS), enable causal inference and identify unexpected Lp(a) phenotypic effects using data from African (n=25 208), East Asian (n=2895), European (n=362 558), South Asian (n=8192) and Hispanic/Latino (n=8946) populations.

RESULTS: Fourteen genome-wide significant loci with numerous population specific signals of large effect were identified that enabled construction of Lp(a) PRS of moderate (R

CONCLUSIONS: …

Artificial Light At Night And Social Vulnerability: An Environmental Justice Analysis In The Us 2012-2019, Kehe Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) is an emerging health risk factor that has been linked to a wide range of adverse health effects. Recent study suggested that disadvantaged neighborhoods may be exposed to higher levels of ALAN. Understanding how social disadvantage correlates with ALAN levels is essential for identifying the vulnerable populations and for informing lighting policy.

METHODS: We used satellite data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Black Marble data product to quantify annual ALAN levels (2012-2019), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to quantify social disadvantage, both at …