Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of The Environmental Impacts Of Bridge Deck Runoff, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Lauren Swadener, Ekizabeth G. Jones

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Bridges are located in very close proximity to receiving waters, and regulatory agencies often require specific stormwater control measures for bridge deck runoff. While there is some information available on roadway runoff, few studies have focused on bridge deck runoff. Currently, there is no information available regarding the impacts of bridge deck runoff on receiving waters in Nebraska. Due to the cost, maintenance, and design issues associated with implementing structural controls for bridge deck runoff, it is important to develop a better understanding of the relationship between bridge deck runoff and potential impacts to receiving streams. The objectives of this …

Analysis Of Electromagnetic Stimulation Of Transport In Water For Geoenvironmental Applications, Mahsa Azad

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Air sparging is a popular soil and groundwater remediation technique, which enables the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through diffusing contaminant-free air into saturated zones of soil. However, the VOC removal process is slow due to the soils' low permeability, and might take months to years depending on the type of the soil and contaminant. The goal of this thesis is to study the effect of electromagnetic (EM) waves —with minimal heat generation— on transport mechanisms such as diffusion, in order to improve airflow and expedite the cleanup process using air sparging or similar technologies. Because water dipole molecules …

A Critical Analysis Of The Kyoto Protocol Using Monte Carlo Simulation And Magicc, Penny Lambert

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted the Kyoto Protocol in December 1997. Emissions data from national registries were used to quantify the total anthropogenic emissions of signatory parties between 1990 and 2009, found to have been reduced by approximately 18 percent of base year levels. Using IPCC Special Report Emissions Scenarios (SRES) as a practicable baseline for non-mitigation, three distinct intervention scenarios were constructed from target and observed emissions reductions under the Protocol to investigate their climatic implications against unabated anthropogenic carbon by the end of the 21st century. MAGICC Version 5.3 was used to model forecast …

In Vitro Assessment Of The Survivability Of Lactobacillus Casei Dn-114 001 And Lactobacillus Casei Shirota, Within Commercialised Food Matrices, In The Upper Gastrointestinal Tract, Rosie Wills

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The aim of this study was to determine the survivability of probiotics; Lactobacillus casei Shirota and Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001, within their respective commercialised food matrices YakultÃ’ and ActimelÃ’, during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal transit. Original and Light/Fat Free varieties of each brand were assessed to determine whether nutritional composition affected bacterial survival rate. Strains were exposed to 3 hours of simulated gastric transit at pH 2, using Hydrochloric Acid (32%) and Pepsin (3mg ml-1), followed by 2 hours of simulated duodenal transit, at pH 6.5, using Bile Salts (0.3% w/v) and Sodium Hydroxide (4M). Samples were serially diluted with …

A Preliminary Study Into The Use Of Canopy Invertebrates And Sampling Techniques In Relation To Forest Indicators In A Fragmented Scottish Woodland - Application And Management, Natalie Walsh

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Caledonian forests within the Scottish Highlands have experienced severe fragmentation and currently remain as small isolated habitats. Canopy invertebrates within these forests play an important role in ecosystem functioning and may be potentially used as forest indicators for the use in forest management. Four different low-cost invertebrate trapping methods were deployed into birch, oak and Scots pine trees, comparing family diversity and composition between tree and trap types. Data on canopy spread, tree height and d.b.h were also tested to see if they influenced family composition of invertebrates. Collected data found little difference in family diversity and composition between tree …

Fluorescent Proteins And Chromoproteins In Phylum: Cnidaria, Mario Lewis

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Green fluorescent protein was first discovered in Aequorea victoria. Its significance in a continually expanding range of scientific applications led to the discovery of an abundance of homologous fluorescent proteins and non-fluorescent chromoproteins in a variety of species in the phylum Cnidaria. The document reviews the various proposed hypotheses on the biological functions and biochemistry of fluorescent proteins and chromoproteins, wherein a full resolution remains elusive and is the subject of on-going debate. Mutagenesis has provided novel variants and insights into the relationship between the spectral characteristics and chromophore structures of fluorescent proteins that encompass the visible spectrum. Fluorescent proteins …

Effects Of Algal Toxicity On The Clearance Rate Of The Blue Mussel (Mytilus Edulis), Samantha Bowgen

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of toxic strains of Karlodinium veneficum on the clearance rate of Mytilus edulis. Suspensions of the toxic strain and the non-toxic strain of K. veneficum, mixed with an alternative non-toxic species, Prorocentrum micans, were made and performed as parallel experiments in order to compare their effects on clearance rate. Clearance rate was measured by taking samples from suspensions every five minutes up to 30 minutes, and counting the algal cells found within each sample using a Sedgewick rafter slide. No significant difference was found between the two experiments (F (9.322, …

Effects Of A Gardening Task On Chocolate Craving, Sarah-Jane Baugh

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Two concepts, craving and nature, were brought together to investigate the effects of a gardening task on chocolate craving. Participants (n = 105) completed a chocolate craving induction before taking part in one of three, five minute tasks (gardening, plasticine, counting). Measures of craving, mood, arousal, attention and heart rate were recorded. The gardening task was found to have beneficial effects with participants experiencing significant changes in energetic arousal (p= .01) and feeling good (p< .01); however, no significant effects were found in the other measures.

Location, Demographic, Lifestyle And Behavioural Influences On Household Participation In Bournemouth Borough Council's Kerbside Recycling Scheme, Stephanie Rooke

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Bournemouth Borough Council (BBC) is performing well in recycling and currently has a recycling rate of 63.9%, but there is still room for BBC to improve the efficiency of the existing ‘Big Bin’ dry kerbside recycling collection scheme and increase the recycling rate further. The aim of the study was to identify the socio-economic groups which participate the least, or contaminate the most, in BBC’s kerbside recycling scheme. A participation survey was carried out over three consecutive collection cycles for three recycling rounds ‘RW1, RW2 and RW5’ to measure how many times each individual household set out their recycling bin …

The Conservation Biology And Ecology Of The African Leopard Panthera Pardus Pardus, Ross Tyzack Pitman

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The African leopard Panthera pardus pardus is an apex predator, and a reliable indicator of a healthy ecosystem. Currently assessed as ‗near threatened‘ by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, leopards are exposed to a range of threats that include: habitat loss and/or degradation, depletion of natural prey, conflict with people, consumptive- and non-consumptive practices, and the illegal trade of leopard products. Leopards have disappeared from 37% of their historical range, and are continuing to decline. Leopards have been extirpated across many areas of Africa, especially where people are densely populated, which has left patchily distributed leopard populations throughout …

Biologging Science: Advances In Our Knowledge Of Seabirds And Their Behaviours, David Evans

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The use of miniature tags attached to free-living animals to record data is termed ‘biologging’. This procedure has been used to study seabirds since the 1970’s and our knowledge of their behaviour, physiology and migration has advanced through the decades, along with the potential for conservation of species. Technological advances in recent years have improved data resolution and storage, enabling a better understanding of seabirds and their environment

The Ecology Of Tardigrades, Emma Northcote-Smith

The Plymouth Student Scientist

No abstract provided for this article.

The Effects Of Logging And Fragmentation On Bird Diversity, Bethany Mccarthy

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Deforestation and forest degradation is occurring globally at an alarming rate. The annual net loss of forest cover has been reduced in the past decade through sustainable forest management and conservation measures. Despite this, the remaining forest is becoming increasingly degraded with the total area of primary forest declining. Avian diversity has been shown to decline in degraded and fragmented forests due to logging activities. In this review the impacts of logging on avian communities are assessed by comparing diversity between primary forest and degraded secondary forest, industrial plantations and forest fragment sizes. The major organisations and current initiatives that …

Ammonia Measurements And Emissions From A California Dairy Using Point And Remote Sensors, Kori D. Moore, E. Young, C. Gurell, Michael D. Wojcik, Randy S. Martin, G. E. Bingham, R. L. Pfeiffer, J. H. Prueger, J. L. Hatfield

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Ammonia (NH3) is an important trace gas species in the atmosphere that can have negative impacts on human, animal, and ecosystem health. Agriculture has been identified as the largest source of NH3, specifically livestock operations. NH3 emissions from a commercial dairy in California were investigated during June 2008. Cattle were held in open-lot pens, except for young calves in hutches with shelters. Solid manure was stored in the open-lot pens. Liquid manure from feed lanes was passed through a solids settling basin and stored in a holding pond. Passive sensors and open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometers (OP-FTIR) were deployed around …

Impact Of Sampling Frequency On Annual Load Estimation Of Total Phosphorus And Total Suspended Solids, Amber Spackman Jones, Jeffery S. Horsburgh, David King Stevens, Nancy O. Mesner, Ronald J. Ryel

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The determination of sediment and nutrient loads is typically based on the collection and analysis of grab samples. The frequency and regularity of traditional sampling may not provide representation of constituent loading, particularly in systems with flashy hydrology. At two sites in the Little Bear River, Utah, continuous, high-frequency turbidity was used with surrogate relationships to generate estimates of total phosphorus and total suspended solids concentrations, which were paired with discharge to estimate annual loads. The high frequency records were randomly subsampled to represent hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly sampling frequencies and to examine the effects of timing, and resulting …

A Multifunctional Solar Panel Antenna For Cube Satellites, Olutosin C. Fawole

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This work presented the design of a single antenna structure that can perform the functions of about four antennas. The antenna is to be applied on a new kind of very tiny satellites. These satellites are called CubeSats. In contrast to an ordinary antenna that works at a single frequency band, the antenna designed will be able to work at about three different usable frequencies. In addition, it will be possible to make the waves emitted by the antenna to have multiple senses of rotation or no rotation at all. The multiple functional capability of the antenna will lead to …

Design And Construction Of A Tunable Light Source With Light Emitting Diodes For Photosynthetic Organisms, Nathan Phillipps

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis describes and documents the design and construction of a light source which is tunable and has the ability to mimic the spectral output of the sun in the photosynthetic active radiation range (400 - 700 nm). To adjust the spectral output at different wavelengths different types of LEDs were chosen and combined. This thesis describes the design, construction, testing, and suggestions for further improvements to this light source. The light source is comprised of 900 LEDs with 26 different peak wavelengths within the photosynthetically active radiation range. The light source is made tunable through the use of a …

Closed-Loop Thrust And Pressure Profile Throttling Of A Nitrous Oxide/Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene Hybrid Rocket Motor, Zachary W. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hybrid motors that employ non-toxic, non-explosive components with a liquid oxidizer and a solid hydrocarbon fuel grain have inherently safe operating characteristics. The inherent safety of hybrid rocket motors offers the potential to greatly reduce overall operating costs. Another key advantage of hybrid rocket motors is the potential for in-flight shutdown, restart, and throttle by controlling the pressure drop between the oxidizer tank and the injector. This research designed, developed, and ground tested a closed-loop throttle controller for a hybrid rocket motor using nitrous oxide and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene as propellants. The research simultaneously developed closed-loop throttle algorithms and lab scale …

Examination Of Nonpoint Source Nutrient Export From A Snowfall-Dominated Watershed, Lindsey Deboer Carrigan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined nonpoint source pollution via tributaries to Pineview Reservoir. Since few literature values of export coefficients are available for snowfall-dominated watersheds such as Pineview, locally scaled rates were quantified using an upstream-downstream bracketing technique. Nitrogen and phosphorus grab samples were manually collected and discharge measurements were conducted during the annual study period. Additionally, high-frequency monitoring sensors that measured EC, temperature, turbidity, and water level were deployed at the up- and downstream sites to represent short-duration transport events and to examine watershed processes on a more representative time scale.

Daily nutrient loads were estimated from grab samples and flow …

Assessing Retinal Structure In Complete Congenital Stationary Night Blindness And Oguchi Disease, Pooja Godara, Robert F. Cooper, Panagiotis I. Sergouniotis, Melissa A. Diederichs, Megan R. Streb, Mohamed Genead, J. Jason Mcanany, Andrew R. Webster, Anthony T. Moore, Adam M. Dubis, Maureen Neitz, Alfredo Dubra, Edwin M. Stone, Gerald A. Fishman, Dennis P. Han, Michel Michaelides, Joseph Carroll

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

To examine retinal structure and changes in photoreceptor intensity after dark adaptation in patients with complete congenital stationary night blindness and Oguchi disease.

Design

Prospective, observational case series.

Methods

We recruited 3 patients with complete congenital stationary night blindness caused by mutations in GRM6, 2 brothers with Oguchi disease caused by mutations in GRK1, and 1 normal control. Retinal thickness was measured from optical coherence tomography images. Integrity of the rod and cone mosaic was assessed using adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy. We imaged 5 of the patients after a period of dark adaptation and examined layer …

Comparing Risk-Taking And Digit Ratio (2d:4d) In Offenders And Non-Offenders, Taja Anderson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Offenders differ from non-offenders in their propensity to engage in risk-taking behaviour. The ratio of the index and ring fingers (2D:4D), a proxy of prenatal testosterone exposure, has been linked to risk-taking behaviour. The present study compared risk-taking in 45 male offenders and 66 non-offenders using the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). Furthermore, it sought to determine the relationship between their 2D:4D ratios and risk-taking behaviours. No significant differences were found between the two groups in their risk-taking behaviour and no significant correlations were found between 2D:4D and risk-taking in either group. These findings are discussed in relation to previous …

How Will Ocean Acidification Affect Marine Photosynthetic Organisms? A Review, Michael Jarrold

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Atmospheric carbon dioxide is increasing year on year, mainly as a result of burning fossil fuels. Although carbon dioxide dissolves in the oceans, mitigating atmospheric effects, it does result in a reduction of the alkalinity of sea water; an effect termed Ocean Acidification (OA). The subsequent changes in carbon chemistry will most likely affect marine photosynthetic organisms in a number of ways; including the ability of organisms to build calcium carbonate shells or skeletons (calcification) and primary production. Previous work indicates that both processes respond to OA, but not always in the same way. Consequently the aim of this review …

Investigating Placebo Mechanisms: Could A Pdp System Exist?, Francesca Payne

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Placebo mechanisms are a neglected area of research. Kirsch’s (1985) response expectancy theory described the stimulus-placebo response process as direct and unmediated. However, Hyland (2011) argued that the placebo effect is mediated by a parallel distributed processing (PDP) system, whereby all cognitive input is processed simultaneously, resulting in perseveration of the placebo effect. The present study examined this theory by utilising a TENS device as a placebo ‘effecting’ reaction times to a computer task, with an additional cognitive load task to further test the PDP system’s existence. Although a general placebo effect was found that increased in the cognitive load …

Development And Evaluation Of Beat Management Practices (Bmps) For Highway Runoff Pollution Control, Daniel Edward Jones

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Other Student Research

As non-point source pollution, storm water runoff is one of the main contributors to stream impairment in the United States. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requires Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) to obtain a permit under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) to manage this pollution. Many municipalities and non-traditional MS4s such as the Nebraska Department of Roads are under federal regulations that require new developments or redevelopments of a certain size to capture (and treat) runoff from all new impervious surfaces (roofs, driveways, sidewalks, and so forth) onsite, instead of allowing it to run into …

Implementation Of Magnetic Resonance Elastography For The Investigation Of Traumatic Brain Injuries, Thomas Boulet

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a potentially transformative imaging modality allowing local and non-invasive measurement of biological tissue mechanical properties. It uses a specific phase contrast MR pulse sequence to measure induced vibratory motion in soft material, from which material properties can be estimated. Compared to other imaging techniques, MRE is able to detect tissue pathology at early stages by quantifying the changes in tissue stiffness associated with diseases. In an effort to develop the technique and improve its capabilities, two inversion algorithms were written to evaluate viscoelastic properties from the measured displacements fields. The first one was based on …

Application Of Carbon Dioxide Towards The Development Of Smart Materials, Green Reaction Schemes And Metallic Nanoparticle Synthesis, Fiaz Mohammed

All Dissertations

Global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions have steadily risen over the last 50 years, with 34 billion tons of CO₂ released in 2009 alone. Its potential as a greenhouse gas has negatively affected of our lives and environment by the resulting ocean acidification and climate change. To mitigate atmospheric CO₂, various strategies have been implemented for CO₂ separation, capture, storage and use as a chemical feedstock. The use of CO₂ in various chemical industries is attractive as its non-flammable, non-toxic, and relatively inert properties have made it an inherently safer alternative to traditional organic …

Environmental And Biological Applications And Implications Of Soft And Condensed Nanomaterials, Pengyu Chen

All Dissertations

Recent innovations and growth of nanotechnology have spurred exciting technological and commercial developments of nanomaterails. Their appealing physical and physicochemical properties offer great opportunities in biological and environmental applications, while in the meantime may compromise human health and environmental sustainability through either unintentional exposure or intentional discharge.
Accordingly, this dissertation exploits the physicochemical behavior of soft dendritic polymers for environmental remediation and condensed nano ZnO tetrapods for biological sensing (Chapter two-four), and further delineate the environmental implications of such nanomaterials using algae- the major constituent of the aquatic food chain-as a model system (Chapter five).
This dissertation is presented as …

Develop Novel Frap Techniques For Determining Anisotropic Solute Diffusion In Cartilaginous Tissues, Changcheng Shi

All Dissertations

Cartilaginous tissue is a connective tissue composed of specialized cells (e.g., chondrocytes and fibroblasts) that produce a large amount of extracellular matrix (ECM), which is comprised mostly of collagen fibers, abundant ground substance rich in proteoglycan, and elastic fibers. It is characterized by its avascular structures within the tissue, implying that nutrition for normal tissue cells, for maintaining a healthy ECM, is mainly supplied through diffusion from nearby vascularized tissues and synovial fluid. Poor nutritional supply to the cartilaginous tissue is believed to be an important factor leading to tissue degeneration. Moreover, due to the complex collagen fiber structures, the …

Improving The Mechanical Properties Of Polymers By Adding Self-Healing Capabilities, Alma Perez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The addition of self-healing capabilities to polymers through the dispersion of First Generation Grubbs’ Catalyst (FGGC) and poly(urea-formaldehyde) (PUF) microcapsules filled with dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) as the healing agent, has been investigated by various experimental techniques such as Optical microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Tensile tests, Raman Spectroscopy, and Themogravimmetric Analysis (TGA). Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed the morphology of the surface of the PUF microcapsules, the diameter size distribution and the thickness of the shell, and their structure when dispersed in the polymeric matrices. Photos taken after the tensile test showed broken microcapsules on both polymer matrices having released the …

A Mechanistic Model Of Early Fcεri Signaling: Lipid Rafts And The Question Of Protection From Dephosphorylation, Dipak Barua, Byron Goldstein

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present a model of the early events in mast cell signaling mediated by FcεRI where the plasma membrane is composed of many small ordered lipid domains (rafts), surrounded by a non-order region of lipids consisting of the remaining plasma membrane. The model treats the rafts as transient structures that constantly form and breakup, but that maintain a fixed average number per cell. The rafts have a high propensity for harboring Lyn kinase, aggregated, but not unaggregated receptors, and the linker for the activation of T cells (LAT). Phosphatase activity in the rafts is substantially reduced compared to the nonraft …