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A Programmatic Geographic Information Systems Analysis Of Plant Hardiness Zones, Andrew Bowen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Plant Hardiness Zone Map consists of thirteen geographical zones that describe whether a plant can survive based on average annual minimal temperatures. As climate change progresses, minimum temperatures in all regions are expected to change. This work programmatically evaluates predicted future climate projection data and converts it to United States Department of Agriculture-defined hardiness zones. Through the next 80 years, hardiness zones are projected to move poleward; in effect, colder zones will lose area and warmer zones will gain area globally. Some implications include changes in crop growing degree days, which could alter crop productivity, migration and settlement of …

The Decline Of Lake Superior's Woodland Caribou: A Historical Gis Analysis, Jordan W. Kelley

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lake Superior’s woodland caribou have been declining since the early 1800s. This thesis asks: why? We hypothesize that as settlers expanded into the region, industrial development in woodland caribou habitat reduced woodland caribou persistence. Using an Historical Geospatial Information System (HGIS) analysis, we find that historical mining and railroad infrastructure are associated with woodland caribou extirpation, while wetlands and protected areas are associated with caribou persistence. We also conducted a stakeholder synthesis of the region to help understand diverse perspectives within and between advocacy coalitions that take different positions on the most effective caribou restoration policies. Beliefs on recovery options …

Using Deep Learning For Children Brain Image Analysis, Rafael Toche Pizano

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Analyzing the correlation between brain volumetric/morphometry features and cognition/behavior in children is important in the field of pediatrics as identifying such relationships can help identify children who may be at risk for illnesses. Understanding these relationships can not only help identify children who may be at risk of illnesses, but it can also help evaluate strategies that promote brain development in children. Currently, one way to do this is to use traditional statistical methods such as a correlation analysis, but such an approach does not make it easy to generalize and predict how brain volumetric/morphometry will impact cognition/behavior. One of …

Genetics Of Pediatric Musculoskeletal Disorders, Lilian Antunes

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric musculoskeletal disorders are an extremely broad category of diseases that are often inherited. While individually rare, collectively these disorders are common, affecting around 3% of live births in the US. Despite the mounting clinical and molecular evidence for a genetic etiology, the cause for many patients with pediatric musculoskeletal disorders remain largely unknown. Major challenges in rare pediatric diseases include recruiting large numbers of patients and determining the significance and functional impacts of variants associated with disease within individuals or families. Whole exome sequencing (WES) is a powerful tool to identify coding variants that are associated with rare pediatric …

Establecimiento De 2.500 M2 De Frijol (Phaseolus Vulgaris) Como Una Alternativa Comercial En El Municipio De El Tarra Y Municipios Cercanos De Norte De Santander, Robinson Meza Rincon

Ingeniería Agronómica

El siguiente trabajo tiene como finalidad proporcionar alternativas de apoyo familiar a través de la implementación, producción y comercialización de frijol (Phaseolus vulgaris), variedad zaragoza rosado en 2.500 m2 y contribuir así a la economía del municipio de El Tarra. De igual forma, la metodología para el desarrollo del proyecto se describe paso a paso, desde el establecimiento, producción hasta la comercialización del cultivo obteniendo resultados no favorables para la comercialización de este producto debido a un problema fitosanitario. Por otro lado, se realizó componente investigación cuyo objetivo fue realizar un análisis de crecimiento de la variedad puyita del cultivo …

El Cultivo De Fríjol (Phaseolus Vulgaris L) Como Un Modelo De Producción Agrícola En La Vereda Mercadillo Del Municipio De Guavatá, José Norvey Mateus García

Ingeniería Agronómica

La progresiva necesidad en la elaboración de alimentos a escala mundial, demanda mayor eficiencia en la creación de excelentes alternativas técnicas especializadas en la producción de cultivos, para colocarlas a disposición de pequeños, medianos y grandes productores de este sector (Escoto, 2013). El proyecto productivo del cultivo de fríjol (P. vulgaris L.) desde el componente agronómico se fundamentó en integrar una estrategia productiva para terrenos con pendientes predominantes, como alternativa transitoria en los lugares donde se realiza renovación de cultivos, principalmente en café (Coffea arabica ), minimizando costos directos en contraste con un aumento de utilidad recaudada. Desde el componente …

Unintended Consequences Of Dna Analysis Delays In North Carolina, Pamela Cook Woodard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The processing of DNA recovered from felony crime scenes often causes delays in trials of up to 3 years, calling into question defendants' rights to a speedy trial. Using Lewin's force field analysis as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative, comparative study was to compare the processing and reporting of results related to DNA testing in 4 states. Survey data were collected from state bar members (n=137), members of a professional law organization (n=149), and members of a state DNA laboratory (n=20). The purpose of this quantitative, comparative study was to determine whether these variables (interagency communications, staff …

Microarray Data Analysis And Classification Of Cancers, Grant Gates

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

When it comes to cancer, there is no standardized approach for identifying new cancer classes nor is there a standardized approach for assigning cancer tumors to existing classes. These two ideas are known as class discovery and class prediction. For a cancer patient to receive proper treatment, it is important that the type of cancer be accurately identified. For my Senior Honors Project, I would like to use this opportunity to research a topic in bioinformatics. Bioinformatics incorporates a few different subjects into one including biology, computer science and statistics. An intricate method for class discovery and class prediction is …

Development And Validation Of Gas Chromatographic Methods For Free Fatty Acid Determination In Dairy Products, David Mannion

Theses

Quantification of free fatty acids (FFA) in dairy products by gas chromatography flame ion'^ation detection is an important requirement for qua'ity, research, nutritional, authenticity and legislative purposes. Common procedures are typically variants of either the fatty acid methyl esterification (FAME) or direct on-column injection methods developed more than two decades ago. This study involved the development of an alternative novel derivatization method using butylation, incorporating automation, reducing solvent usage that is applicable for a wide range of dairy products. The accuracy, precision, linearity, limits of detection and limits of quantification of all three methods were assessed for the quantification of …

Student Perceptions Of Organic Food In Relation To Health, Environment And Pricing, Stacey Paterson

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The organic industry is full of opinions and perceptions, which influence consumer purchasing decisions. A convenience sample of 69 college students between the ages of 19-23 registered in a basic food preparation class participated in this study. A sensory analysis of organic and conventional fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, eggs and dairy measuring categorical taste differences between the two types of food. Student perceptions of organic foods in relation to health, environment and pricing and the likelihood of purchase were also studied. The influence of Diet and Well-being on organic purchases predominantly mattered somewhat to students, while price mattered completely. …

Análisis De La Estructura Y Funcionamiento De La Cadena Láctea En Colombia, Diego Alexander Riaño Cardona, Catalina Sánchez Betancourt

Administración de Agronegocios

El presente trabajo se grado, tuvo como propósito analizar la estructura y el funcionamiento de la cadena láctea. Para dar cumplimiento a este objetivo, se planteó una investigación cualitativa con un diseño analítico, utilizando la recolección de información de fuentes secundarias. Para este análisis nuestro campo de investigación se enfocó en la recolección de datos en tres factores, las relaciones con la economía nacional e internacional, en donde se consideró la información económica y social de la cadena láctea, su interacción con las instituciones públicas y privadas y el marco de políticas que coinciden en su desenvolvimiento. La estructura de …

Testing The Utility Of Environmental Cluster Analysis Based Upon Biodiversity Surrogates Within Geographic Information Systems For Conservation Planning: A Case Study Of Inland Temperate Rainforest In The Northern Rocky Mountains, Matthew J. Heimel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Environmental surrogates have been proposed as a method for addressing a lack of taxonomic data in biodiversity conservation planning. These surrogates, used as variables in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, can be used in classification procedures to classify areas that are hypothesized to support or be able to support a targeted species or community. The peripheral range of the inland temperate rainforest’s (ITRF) in northwest Montana and northern Idaho was used as a case study for testing the utility of a method known as Environmental Cluster Analysis (ECA) within a GIS using abiotic environmental variables encompassing broad environmental attributes to …

Peach Fruit Quality Analysis In Relation To Organic And Conventional Cultivation Techniques, Varun Chandra Koneru

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The USA is the third major world producer of peaches but consumption has decreased over the last two decades. Consumers have cited mealy texture, fruit browning and lack of sweetness as some undesirable characteristics in peaches, which may be related to the decline. The focus of this study was to evaluate the effect of farm management practices on fruit quality. Physical parameters (color, firmness and size), volatiles and metabolite data was collected.
Sensory evaluation indicated transitional organic peaches were liked the best and organically grown peaches were least liked. All the treatments were significantly different from each other and consumers …

Integrating, Developing, And Testing Methods To Generate More Cohesive Approaches To Biogeographic Inference, Mallory Elizabeth Eckstut

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As a fundamental component of the developing discipline of conservation biogeography, broadscale analyses of biotic assembly and disassembly across multiple temporal and spatial scales provide an enhanced understanding of how geologic transformations and climate oscillations have shaped extant patterns of biodiversity. As with any scientific field, there are limitations in the case of biogeographic historical reconstructions. Historical reconstructions are only as robust as the theoretical underpinnings of the methods of reconstruction (including data collection, quality, analysis, and interpretation). Nevertheless, historical reconstructions of species distributions can help inform our understanding of how species respond to environmental change.

My dissertation takes a …

Utilizing Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Analysis In Determining Parentage Of Cattle, Nicole M. Elbert

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Parentage identification within cattle herds is an important aspect of record keeping. It is essential for accurate registration within a purebred association and decision making for production purposes, such as replacement heifer and sire selection. Methods used to identify parentage have evolved from utilizing blood protein antigens, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and microsatellites to the current technology of analyzing DNA profiles for differing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In this preliminary study we analyzed genotype data from 1,066 samples obtained from various cattle breeds. These breeds included Holstein, Angus, Hereford, Irish Black, Jersey, Red Angus, Limousine, Charolais, Brown Swiss and …

Analysis Of An Inkjet Printed Strip Assay For Pregnancy Test In Cattle, Alexandra Windley Kelley

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Using commercially available antibodies, we created a modified ELISA strip assay to determine pregnancy in cattle. The anti‐progesterone antibody was printed on small membrane strips via an Inkjet printer. The strips were subsequently analyzed using varying concentrations of progesterone. The objective of this study was to assess this novel antibody printing process and to determine the binding activity of the anti‐progesterone antibody. The long‐term objective is to develop a pen-side pregnancy test that would cost less than $1.00. In this specific study, it was determined that the anti‐progesterone antibody used did not provide adequate sensitivity for visualization required for pen‐side …

A Two-Year Seasonal Analysis Of Wetland Vegetation At The Mcclintic Wildlife Management Area In Mason County, West Virginia, Anne Carrington Blankenship

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Disturbances play a key role in the structure of ecosystems. Most ecosystems are subject to several different disturbance regimes that occur at different temporal and spatial scales. Studying the effects of disturbances can lead to a better understanding of a vegetative community’s future productivity. However, in order to understand the effects of disturbance, a vegetative community should first be studied before the disturbance occurs. This study analyzes the composition and seasonal variations of vegetative communities in and around four ponds at the McClintic Wildlife Management Area in Mason County, West Virginia during two growing seasons prior to remediation activities in …

Pressurized Hot Water: An Alternative Method Of Nutrient Extraction And Subsequent Analysis For Use In Small-Scale Agriculture, Kristy Susanne Crane

Theses and Dissertations

Soil analysis for small acreage farms in developing countries is often inconvenient and prohibitively expensive using current procedures, yet the information gained from these soil tests could have economical and environmental benefits. The pressurized hot-water (PHW) extraction coupled with colorimetric or turbidimetric analyses shows promise as an alternative to current procedures. Accepted methods of colorimetric analysis for NO3-N and P exist but an alternative method to atomic absorption spectrometry for K analysis is needed. Of the many possible methods to quantify K, tests performed in the Brigham Young University (BYU) laboratory found sodium tetraphenylborate to be unsatisfactory and sodium cobaltinitrite …

Development Of A Solid Phase Micro-Extraction-Gas Chromatographic Method For The Analysis Of Volatile Components In Vanilla Extracts And Flavourings, Tomislav Sostaric

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Vanilla is a very important flavouring agent, it is used as a major ingredient in a number of food products. The taste and aroma results from a specific blend of components present in the extract. There are over 170 volatile components, which all contribute to the flavour of the extract. These volatile components can be present in trace amounts or in relatively high concentrations. The range and concentration of volatile components is somewhat characteristic of the vanilla extract and its origin. Due to the high cost and low availability of natural extract, nature-identical and synthetic flavourings are often used to …

Classification Of Vegetation And Analysis Of Its Recent Trends At Camp Williams, Utah Using Remote Sensing And Geographic Information System Techniques, Thomas G. Van Niel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Current vegetation classes were generated from remotely sensed data to provide coarse-level information for an ecosystem management plan developed at Camp Williams, Utah. Vegetation trend from 1973 - 1993 was also examined via satellite imagery. The data set consisted of Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) and Thematic Mapper (TM) images from July or August of 1973, 1975, 1980, 1988, and 1993.

Two approaches were used to detect vegetation change. The first approach determined overall and cover type trend from standard digital image differencing of soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) images. The second approach used an unsupervised classification of a composite SAVI image …

Does Competition Drive Community Structure? An Analysis Of Grasshopper Competition, H. Joseph Lachowski

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

lnterspecific competition has been broadly defined as a negative-negative relationship between species that share a limiting resource. The impact of competition on ecological communities is a widely debated topic (Schoener 1982). Thus community structure is very complex and, in addition to competition, can be influenced by many factors, including climate, disease, parasites, and predation (Hairston et al. 1960; Stower & Greathead 1969; Wiens 1977). The importance of competition depends upon the importance of other processes (Welden & Slauson 1986).

An Analysis Of Institutional Approaches For Management Of Common Rangeland Resources In Sub-Saharan Africa, Mohale Gabriel Sekoto

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this report is to address the issues that are relevant to the management of common rangeland resources in Sub-Saharan Africa. I feel that the issues presented here are among some of those which are important and need to be considered in order to understand the kind of performance perceived about the efforts to develop the range and livestock in pastoral societies. In this report, three case studies have been reviewed, regarding institutional approaches tried to manage common rangelands. These case studies are about group ranches in Kajiado District, Kenya and in Upper Volta and the Sehlabathebe Grazing …

Use Of Solid-Phase Resins In Pesticide Monitoring, Jenny Bittinger

Honors Theses

The feasibility of using solid-phase resins for monitoring concentrations of pesticides in water was examined. Efforts were made to ascertain relationships between concentrations of a pesticide (methoxychlor) in water and on a resin (AXD-2) under laboratory conditions. Solutions of pesticide in water were drawn through columns of resin. Methylene Chloride was used to absorb the pesticide from the resin. Gas chromatography and ultraviolet spectrophotometry were used to measure concentrations of pesticide.

A Market Analysis For Adult Outdoor Education In Five Western States, Karla Joy Vanderzanden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Organizations that offer Outdoor Education programs for adults are concerned with how to best attract people to their programs. Effective program design begins with a clear understanding of the people to be served. A marketing orientation--meeting the needs of participants--has begun to pervade non-profit management; specific information on the adult market for Outdoor Education remains limited. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize segments based upon the benefits people seek from such an experience. Secondly, this analysis describes current programs 1n a five state region and identifies discrepancies between available and needed services.

A mail survey of …

An Economic Analysis Of Food Policy In The Ivory Coast, Yao Prao Felix

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ivory Coast covers an area of 124,000 square miles with reasonable rainfall for food crops production. But besides what has been called the economic "miracle," the country relies on increasing food imports (rice, wheat, meat, and milk products). At the same time, the country's earnings from the major export commodities are shrinking. So the primary objective was to identify the main causes and circumstances that have resulted in reductions in food production. The major hypothesis was that the present situation is simply the result of policies that have favored cash crops relative to good products. A formal treatment and an …

A Linear Programming Analysis Of Several Determinants Of Profit On A Simulated Northern Utah Dairy Farm, Jay Dee Atwood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of the study was to analyze several determinants of profit on a simulated northern Utah dairy farm. A linear programming model was developed to accomplish this. Optimal conditions on the farm were estimated and then other model applications were made to evaluate the importance of milk price, cropland ownership, and corn silage production and feeding. The significance of cow quality also was estimated.

Optimal conditions on the farm gave rates of return to capital between savings rates and loan rates obtainable at a financial institution. Marginal values derived for land did not support the current asking price of …

An Economic Analysis Of Prairie Dog Control, Alan Robert Collins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Prairie dog control was found to be economically feasible on the Conata basin in South Dakota with future annual maintenance control to prevent re-invasions. The large difference between the present net worth values of the two viewpoints ($2587 for the U.S. Forest Service acting as an agent of the sovereign and $109,011 for the ranchers) was due to the added costs of environmental considerations included in the U.S. Forest Service control program, but assumed not to be included in control by ranchers. In order for prairie dog control to remain economically feasible, annual maintenance control for the U.S. Forest Service …

Economic Analysis Of Long-Term Management Strategies For Two Sizes Of Utah Cattle Ranches, Roger E. Banner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah cattle ranchers realize relatively little profit from ranch ownership and management. This study represents an attempt to identify ranch management strategies that produce more profit over time than do conventional strategies.

To identify optimum management strategies for the long term, analyses of ranches under both normal and adverse ranch operation conditions using the COPLAN linear programming model were made for strategy comparison. To depict these ranch business environmental conditions, production levels were estimated from available biological data and price levels were estimated by indexing 1977 ranch product prices (the most current budget data available for Utah). The variability of …

A Rapid And Specific Gas Chromatographic Analysis For Cysteine-S-Sulfonate To Determine The Distribution Of Sulfite In Mammalian Plasma, Joseph Don Debethizy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It has been shown in previous studies that when sulfite is absorbed by rabbits via either inhalation of SO₂ or oral exposure to sulfite, the hydrated form, bisulfite, interacts with plasma disulfides where it is suspected to be in the form, cysteine-S-sulfonate. A rapid and specific gas chromatographic analysis procedure for cysteine-S-sulfonate has been developed to better study the distribution of sulfite in biological systems. Sulfonated proteins are enzymatically hydrolyzed to ensure stability of the acid labile S-sulfonate disulfide. The hydrolysate is then applied to a 6 cm cation-exchange column and eluted with 0.1 N HCl which elutes the …

A Description And Analysis Of Behavior Patterns Among Uinta Ground Squirrels, Thomas Earl Morse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research describes and analyzes the behavior of free-living Uinta ground squirrels (Spermophilus armatus) temporally, spatially and with reference to differences in sex, age, population density and habitat. In addition, the relationships between local meteorological parameters and time spent above ground are described and analyzed.

The frequency of eight behaviors, feeding, moving, encounters, upright, motionless, grooming, nest gathering and calling, among ground squirrels was found to be labile, varying in frequency with time of day, period of the season, sex, age, population density and habitat, and varying in spatial distribution within the home range.

The dominant behavior, feeding, …