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Sensory Evaluation and Consumer Acceptance of a Protein Enriched Energy Bar
No full textABSTRACT
Sensory Evaluation and Consumer Acceptance of a Protein Enriched Energy Bar
Brennah Groves
This study evaluated the sensory properties and consumer acceptance of a protein enriched energy bar. The objectives of this study were to 1) formulate a high-protein energy bar containing at least 20 g of protein per 100 g serving, and 2) determine whether increasing the protein content in an energy bar would enhance the sensory evaluation and improve consumer acceptance among collegiate athletes. The control energy bar featured a shortbread base, date caramel with whey protein, a nougat layer, and a chocolate coating. Additional collagen protein was incorporated into the nougat layer of the experimental protein bars. Macronutrient composition was confirmed using ReciPal, an online nutrition analysis and labeling software (ReciPal, Mamaroneck, NY, USA). Control and high-protein energy bars were presented to both male and female athletes, ages 18-22, in sports such as rowing, swim, gymnastics, and soccer (n=91). Athletes were instructed to taste each bar and evaluate attributes such as appearance, taste, and texture using a 5-point Hedonic scale where 1 = dislike extremely and 5 = like extremely. They were also asked which sample they preferred. In addition, athletes were given a questionnaire to ascertain their purchasing behaviors towards protein bars. Nutritional analysis confirmed that the experimental protein bar contained 22 g protein, 55 g carbohydrates and 16 g fat per 100 g sample. There were no significant differences between the control and protein-enriched formulations for appearance and taste (p \u3e 0.05). However, the high-protein bar had significantly better texture scores (p = 0.0191). When participants were asked to choose which bar they preferred, there was no significant difference with 46 respondents preferring the control and 45 respondents preferring the protein-enriched bar. The majority of participants, 80%, primarily consider protein content when purchasing commercial energy bars. Additionally, over half of the participants want at least 20g of protein per bar. Despite adding more protein, consumer preference remained unchanged, indicating that increased protein content can improve nutritional value without compromising sensory attributes
Sensory Integration in the Intensive Care Unit Environment
No full textThose admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) commonly experience deficits in areas linked with cognition, mental health, and physical functioning (Rapolthy-Beck et al., 2023). Delirium is the most common complication among individuals who are mechanically ventilated, which can be associated with adverse outcomes, including increased mortality, cognitive decline, and decreased functional outcomes (Martinez et al., 2017). The primary purpose of the capstone project was to create a sensory-based program for patients admitted into the ICU. The program aimed to enhance the quality and consistency of care, ultimately reducing the prevalence of delirium. By doing so, it seeks to improve a patient’s quality of life and functional outcomes. A cohort design was implemented, and participants were followed over 6 weeks, with 8 control participants and 8 protocol participants. Participants included in the protocol had a shorter mean length of stay, length of intubation, and higher mean Glasgow Coma Scale scores upon discharge compared to those receiving standard care. Overall, participants benefited from consistent routines and involvement with occupational therapy, demonstrated by the decreased length of stay, decreased length of intubation, and higher Glasgow Coma Scale
If Heaven Has a Heart
No full textIn this novel, an American “seeker” (“Soaring Bear” is just one of his names) goes missing on the tranquil shores of Guatemala’s Lake Atitlán. A series of colorful narrators joins forces to investigate his fate — including his American ex, his Indigenous wife, his buddy from Boston, a lovestruck waiter, and a repentant elderly sinner with an eye for supernatural forces. Through their adventures, the narrators learn much about Soaring Bear — including his run-ins with a European drug dealer, his problematic relationship with a local religious cult, and his extreme capacity for both love and cruelty — while discovering even more about themselves. Finally, the arrival of Soaring Bear’s no-nonsense, culturally insensitive mother provokes a graveside melee and an ultimate revelation about Soaring Bear’s fate
The Quick DASH Reformed: Increasing the Holisticity and Occupational Nature of Upper Extremity Therapeutic Evaluation
No full textBackground: The QuickDASH is one of the most common upper extremity (UE) focused patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) utilized within current practice. Despite its high utilization rate, there are still many concerns surrounding the QuickDASH, including its applicability to certain populations, difficulty with cross-cultural adaptation, and limited psychosocial evaluation. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a reformed version of the QuickDASH, the OT-DASH, that included modernized and occupation-focused language to achieve increased client applicability and yield more accurate comparisons between client perceptions of dysfunction and their true clinical presentations. Theoretical framework: The Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance model was utilized to analyze and transform the QuickDASH with the goal of developing a more holistic assessment of clients and their type of UE dysfunction. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, the efficacy and applicability of the QuickDASH were compared to the OT-DASH to determine how each assessment reveals functional performance and whether there were statistically significant differences between how patients responded to each questionnaire regarding the same injury or disability. A sample cohort of 167 patients recruited from the WVU Medicine UE orthopedic office was utilized for data collection over 8 weeks. Results: The sample population reported overall lower dysfunction scores on the OT-DASH compared to the QuickDASH. There was a statistically significant difference, and a strong, positive correlation found between the mean scores of perceived level of dysfunction (p \u3c .001; r = .83). Between the perceived relevance, there was a strong, positive correlation but no statistically significant difference found (p \u3c .085; r = .86). There were six primary themes derived related to applicability, compensatory methods, response difficulty, interpretation difficulty, psychosocial symptoms, and questionnaire recommendations. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the QuickDASH remains an effective measure of UE physical dysfunction. The OT-DASH also demonstrated success in achieving applicability and holisticity as an UE evaluation measure, specifically with the inclusion of evaluating psychosocial symptoms following physical dysfunction. Further research is recommended to facilitate the development of the most effective means of holistic UE evaluation into current practice
Comparison of compositional characteristics of protein extracted from spent hemp seed cakes by one-step defatting with organic solvents followed by isoelectric solubilization precipitation using strong and weak acids
No full textHemp seed cakes (HSC) are the byproduct of pressing hemp seeds for oil and are a significant agricultural waste product, with hundreds of tons produced annually. These nutrient-rich cakes have potential for sustainable applications in animal feed and food products. However, they could offer even greater value to the food industry through further extraction of the lipids and separation of the proteins they contain. Protein is a key nutritional component and companies are seeking cost-effective, time-efficient processes to concentrate protein from underutilized resources like HSC. Hexane (HEX) is a common solvent used in one-step defatting processes but may cause issue with consumers who want green processing in food products. Using alternative organic solvents such as ethanol (EtOH) may appeal to these consumers as EtOH is commonly found in beverages such as beer, wine, and liquor. Therefore, the first objective of the study was to determine the lipid extraction efficiency and proximate composition of HSC after one-step defatting by either HEX or EtOH. Each organic solvent was mixed separately with HSC in a 1:5 ratio (1:5 HSC: HEX or EtOH) for 18 hr. Lipid was separated from the remaining solid portion by Buchner funnel-assisted drying. Lipid reduction rate and proximate composition of the starting HSC and the HSC defatted using HEX or EtOH were determined. HEX achieved a greater lipid reduction rate (71.1%) than EtOH (18.7%) in defatted HSC. Both HEX and EtOH effectively removed lipids from the HSC; however, HEX-defatted HSC was more efficient, leaving only 3.29% lipid content after extraction, compared to 9.27% remaining with EtOH-defatted HSC following one-step defatting (P
The second objective of this study was to use a pH-shift process based on isoelectric solubilization and precipitation (ISP) to separate protein from HEX-defatted HSC. Proteins were solubilized using sodium hydroxide (NaOH), separated from remaining lipid and fibers, and precipitated using either glacial acetic acid (GAA) or hydrochloric acid (HCl). Proximate composition and protein recovery yield between the use of GAA and HCl were determined. There were no significant differences (P\u3e0.05) in protein recovery yield between GAA and HCl, with an average of approximately 8% protein (protein-to-nitrogen conversion factor = 5.3) extracted from defatted hemp seed cake flour. Proximate composition of the extracted protein showed significant differences in concentrations of protein and lipids from the defatted HSC, regardless of precipitation acid, with the concentration of protein increased above 80% and the lipids reduced to less than 10% (NCF= 5.3). Results of this study confirmed that both HCl and GAA are effective at recovering protein from HSC using a pH-shift process. These protein isolates have potential in the food industry as a value-added ingredient to improve the nutrient profile of food products
Media Power and Racial Representation: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Football Player, Tyreek Hill’s Police Encounter
No full textThis thesis critically examines how mainstream media outlets construct and perpetuate racial narratives through their coverage of high-profile incidents involving Black public figures. Using the case study of NFL player Tyreek Hill’s encounter with Miami-Dade police on September 8, 2024, the research employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) to analyze news articles from six major outlets: The New York Times, NBC News, CBS News, ESPN, Fox News and CNN. The study explores how language choices, framing techniques, and contextual elements in media reporting influence public perceptions of race, celebrity and criminal justice. Findings reveal that while media coverage foregrounds Hill’s celebrity status, it often neutralizes the racial dynamics of the incident and privileges institutional voices over marginalized perspectives. Systemic critiques of racial inequality are largely absent, with most outlets relying on procedural or individualized framing. The research shows the urgent need for more equitable media practices and highlights the transformative potential of counter-narratives in challenging entrenched biases. This study contributes to ongoing conversations about responsible journalism and racial justice in contemporary society, by revealing the subtle mechanisms through which media discourse shapes societal attitudes toward race
When the Empires Strike Again: The Effects of an Imperial Past on the Post-Cold War International Order
No full textAlthough on the surface empires appear to be ancient and irrelevant political constructs from a distant past, I argue in this dissertation that even after the empire officially dissolves, the core of the bygone empire continues its political existence in the mindsets of the empire-bearing people. This is mainly explained through certain imperial memories, glories and traumas, that have permeated into these states’ identities. In these so-called post-imperial states, then, such a unique experience of having functioned as an empire translates into foreign policy behavior that is patterned, predictable, but also puzzling especially regarding certain issues with an imperial baggage. By analyzing the post-imperial foreign policy choices of three states– Russia, Turkey, China– through the lens of the paradigms of neorealism, constructivism/Social Identity Theory (SIT) and Domestic Politics, I show how post-empires cycle through the phases of (1) acquiescence, (2) rebuilding, (3) revival, and eventually (4) overcommitment/decline. The findings indicate that after the loss of the empire, the successor states first acquiesce into the international order set up by the victorious status quo powers and formulate complacent and reactive foreign policies. Second, based on certain external shocks which signal that they are not accepted as an equal partner, they will engage in rebuilding of material capabilities and follow cooperative policies aiming to be fully integrated into the global order. Third, if the post-empires’ power and prestige are increased but still not admitted into the club of status quo powers, they will experience a revival of imperial consciousness and follow more proactive, independent, bold and aggressive policies. In this stage, they will be more likely to engage in self-defeating and risky behaviors. And finally, once resources are overcommitted to such risky policies, the post-empires will fall into decline. With this theory, my dissertation greatly contributes to our understanding of empires but also provides the missing link between the evolution of imperial identities and contemporary state behavior in the post-Cold War liberal international order
Multifaceted Life Skills Training and Job-Orientation Supports For Individuals in Vocational Rehabilitation Programming
No full textThere is growing support for those with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) in the transition process and within the workplace, however, there are areas that need to be addressed to facilitate further inclusion and success in this domain. There are structured institutions within the community that extend support for those transitioning out of high school, focusing on aligning with life training and professional skills while promoting societal integration by delivering services directly and avoiding isolation within traditional service environments (Accardo & Whitman, 2011). Growing research highlights the necessity of providing resources that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in achieving independent living and community integration (Mann & Wang, 2021). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected across the 14-week capstone, primarily before and following the eight-week daily living skills program to a) assess participants’ insight into daily occupations, b) change in self-perception following the tailored program, c) an insight into barriers surrounding computer-based learning modules for new hires. It was determined that a significant change in both self-perception of functional abilities and accommodating readability of learning material was established due to the addition of occupational therapy in the transition towards vocation. The outcomes of this research have provided insight into the effects and importance of incorporating principles of occupation therapy into non-traditional entities to facilitate the vocational and functional outcomes of those involved
The Effects of Strip Clearcutting on Natural and Artificial Northern Red Oak Regeneration in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Stand
No full textThere are well-known difficulties associated with regenerating oak stands throughout the Central Hardwoods region. To successfully regenerate oak, competitive sources of advance reproduction are required ahead of harvesting—a condition that is rarely present, especially on productive sites. While treatments that enhance seedling competitiveness (e.g., midstory removals, burning, vegetation control) are available, in practice, these are rarely implemented and/or effective because of large treatment costs and/or because they require delaying harvest.
As a potential alternative practice, we report the 10-yr results of a strip clearcut regeneration method. This method removes alternating 45-m wide strips across a mixed Appalachian hardwood forest, where the initially harvested strips provide timber revenue while simultaneously elevating understory light levels to increase oak seedling size within the residual strips. Additionally, we investigated the shade patterns of strip clearcuttings with varying strip width layouts for the purpose of informing a more appropriate strip width to regenerate oak.
Ten years after strip clearcutting, I found competitive, natural oak advance reproduction within the residual strips. Natural northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedling densities (\u3e10000 stem ha-1) were greater than densities of any other species. Northern red oak seedlings were most competitive one-quarter of the way into the residual strips from either edge. While large densities of competitive northern red oak seedlings occurred along the edges of the residual strips, the edges were also associated with competitive black birch (Betula lenta L.) and black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) reproduction. By contrast, in the cut strips, black birch and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) were the dominant stems and oaks were almost nonexistent. Using dominance probabilities to model regeneration success I found that the oak reproduction within the residual strips and along strip edges was sufficient to regenerate those areas to 20% northern red oak overstory dominance.
In addition to the natural reproduction, we planted and measured northern red oak seedlings across the same cut and residual strip positions. Nine years after planting, seedling survival was greatest within residual strips, and lowest within cut strips, although average growth was greater in the cut strips. Planted seedlings along strip edges had the best combination of survival (about 70%) and growth with the average height of edge seedlings exceeding competitive size in 2024. I also used dominance probabilities to calculate the required planting density to regenerate 20% stocking of dominant and codominant oaks 20 years after harvest. Ten years following the initial strip harvests, based on the survival and growth of planted seedlings, the required planting density ranged from 2500-4500 trees/ha to meet a 20% stocking goal.
In order to better understand the shading associated with this and other variations of strip widths I used calculations of solar position to determine theoretical shade patterns for three different arrangements of strip clearcut harvests. Strip clearcut combinations comprised 75-ft-wide (0.625 × tree height) residual and cut strips (H1), 150-ft-wide (1.25 × tree height) residual and cut strips (H2), and 75-ft-wide residual strips and 150-ft-wide cut strips (H3). Harvest H3 had the greatest amount of light hitting the forest floor within residual strips, along strip edges, and within cut strips. Harvest H1 had a greater amount of light hitting the forest floor in the center of residual strips than in harvest H2; however, H1 had a lesser amount of light in all other portions of the strip pairings. I conclude that harvest H1 or H3 would provide a better understory light regime for oak seedling development within residual strips than harvest H2
