Digital Commons Network^™

Cattle Preference And Plant Selection Within A Hybrid Grass, P O. Currie, R S. White, K H. Asay

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Recent development of hybrid forage grasses shows promise for advancing grassland agriculture. Previous selections within these hybrids have been based on morphological, reproductive, and adaptive attributes with only limited testing of animal ac• ceptability. Testing of animal preference and selectivity was the primary purpose of the present study. Yearling cattle were tamed and observed for their selectivity in grazing individual plants and genetic lines of F6 crosses between quackgrass (Agropyron repens) x bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum). Animals showed definite preference for individual plants within genetic lines and for different genetic lines. Different animals frequently preferred the same plant or lines …

Combination Range-Pasture Management In South Florida For A Low-Energy Grassland Program, L L. Yarlett

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The semitropical environment of south Florida is favorable for coordinated management of a wide variety of native grass species and improved pasture forages. The decade of the 1980s will emphasize change from forage programs of high energy utilization to those with a low requirement of fossil fuels. For 4 decades, grassland management in south Florida has been primarily pasture establishment created from the rangeland resource. The establishment and management required substantial inputs of fossil fuel. Use and management of rangeland was largely neglected. Ecological concepts as a basis for managing semitropical ranges were not accepted. In recent years practical programs …

Forage Intake Of Cattle As Affected By Grazing Pressure, C D. Allison, M M. Kothmann, L R. Rittenhouse

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A series of trials was conducted in 1977 to determine the effect of level of grazing pressure on organic-matter intake and the relationship between intake and forage disappearance. Levels of grazing pressure studied were 10, 20, 40, and 50 kg forage allowed/animal unit/day (kg/AU/day) for 14-day trials in April, July, and September. A standing crop of forage was measured before, in the middle of, and immediately after each trial. Organic-matter intake was estimated by the fecal output: indigestibility ratio technique. Organic-matter intake was highest in April; cattle also consumed Dlore forage in September than in July. The combination of forage …

Effect Of Herbage Mass And Allowance Upon Herbage Intake By Grazing Dairy Cows, J.A C. Meijs

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An adequate supply of nutrients for grazing animals depends on the intake and nutritive value of herbage. Little information is available on factors affecting herbage intake of grazing cows, particularly for grazing systems that do not involve daily change of animals to a new pasture. Our objectives were to determine the effects of variation in herbage mass ( due to variation in stage of maturity) and of herbage allowance on herbage intake by grazing dairy cows and on efficiency of consumption (herbage con­sumed as a proportion of herbage accumulated). From 1976 to 1979 the herbage intake oflactating cows was determined …

Relation Of Animal Production To Stocking Rate On Cultivated Pastures In Cerrados Areas Of Brazil, C J. Escuder

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The relationships among stocking rate, gain/animal, and gain/ha were compared on six grazed pastures. The experiment was established on an oxisol acrustox in Brazil. The pasture consisted of (1) jaraguagrass (J); (2) jaraguagrass plus legumes (J + L); (3) molassesgrass (M); (4) molassesgrass plus legumes (M + L); (5) pangolagrass (P); (6) Pangolagrass plus legumes (P + L); (7) mixture of grasses (jaragua, molasses, and pangola) plus legumes (JMP + L). Pasture of pangolagrass alone was discarded because of poor establishment. Four stocking rates were applied on each pasture, from 1.0 to 3.4 animals/ha. For all pastures, gains/animal decreased linearly …

Harvesting And Processing Effects On Alfalfa Protein Utilization By Ruminants, R Britton, D Rock, T Klopfenstein, J Ward, J Merrill

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is an efficient and important means of producing supplemental protein for ruminants. This research was undertaken to characterize the value of alfalfa protein for ruminants and to show how the protein is affected by different harvesting or processing regimens. The effects of maturity (prebloom, one-tenth, one half, and full bloom) and processing method (freeze dried [FD], sun cured [SC], and oven heated [HJ), on percentage of nitrogen (N), acid detergent insoluble N (ADIN), in-vitro rumen ammonia release (NH3), and in-situ rumen protein degradation, using dacron bags (BAG), were studied on irrigated alfalfa harvested over 2 years. …

Improving Hay Quality By Ammoniation, K J. Moore, V L. Lechtenberg, K S. Hendrix, J M. Hertel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of hay ammoniation on hay consumption and weight gain by steers when the hay was fed unsupplemented and supplemented with energy and protein. Mature orchardgrass (Dacrylis glomerata L.) hay was baled in early June 1979 and treated with anhydrous ammonia at 30 g/kg of hay. Seven weeks after treatment the hay was uncovered and allowed to aerate for 3 days. It was then fed to weanling steer calves weighing approximately 225 kg each. Similar hay baled from the same field but not ammoniated was fed to separate groups of steers. Both the treated …

Effect Of Solvent Treatments On Intake And Digestibility Of Corn Stover, D M. Schaefer, M R. Ladisch, C H. Noller, V L. Lechtenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Treatment of crop residues with low levels of sodium hydroxide has been shown to improve organic-matter digestibility and animal performance. One objective of these experiments was to evaluate the effects of three treatments -water, sodium hydrox­ide, and chelating metal cellulose-swelling solution-on solubilization of cell-wall components in corn (Zea m£rys) stover. The two latter treatments were balanced for level of sodium hydroxide application, which was .3 .2 % of stover dry matter. The second objective was to determine the effects of these treatments on in-vitro and in-vivo digestibility as well as on consumption of corn stover. Twelve growing ram lambs were …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Organometallic Polymers And Their Cytotoxicity Towards Human Cancer Cell Lines, Paul Peter Slawek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to synthesize organometallic polymers from dialkyl (methyl, ethyl, butyl, cyclohexyl, and octyl) and diaryl (phenyl) tin dichlorides and three organic monomers, dipicolinic acid (DPA), chloramphenicol (CH), and isomannide (IS), using interfacial polymerization. Structure-activity relationships were investigated through physicochemical characterization (light-scattering photometry, proton NMR, and IR spectroscopy) and cytotoxicity was evaluated against six human cancer cell lines (AsPC-1, PANC-1, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, HT-29, PC-3), with cisplatin serving as the reference standard.

Five DPA/tin polymers were synthesized, with IC₅₀ values in the range of 0.60–0.71 μg/mL. Their cytotoxicity was significantly lower than that of cisplatin (0.0023-0.044 μg/mL), suggesting that …

Rehabvr: A Virtual Reality System For Upper-Body Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Rehabilitation, Winnie Brenda Wanjiru Waiya

Computer Science Senior Theses

Physical therapy is a central component of rehabilitation for musculoskeletal conditions, yet adherence to prescribed treatment remains persistently poor. Jack et al. identified pain, boredom, and insufficient feedback as key barriers to treatment adherence in physiotherapy outpatient settings,¹ and Rucinski et al. confirmed that non-adherence rates in orthopaedic populations remain between 50 and 70%, with patients who disengage facing elevated risk of reoperation, progressive functional decline, and poor clinical outcomes.² According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1.71 billion people globally live with musculoskeletal conditions,³ with shoulder pain specifically carrying a community prevalence ranging from 0.67 to 55.2% worldwide and …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Synergistic Bioactive– Organometallic Condensation Polymers, Francesca Isabel Mosca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on the synthesis and structural characterization of polymers with anticipated anticancer and antiviral properties by combining metal-containing Lewis acids, organotin dichlorides (R2SnCl2), Group 4 metallocene dichlorides (Cp2TiCl2, Cp2ZrCl2 and Cp2HfCl2), and triphenyl Group 15 metal dichlorides (Ph3AsCl2, Ph3SbCl2 and Ph3BiCl2), with biologically active Lewis bases, lamivudine, a synthetic nucleoside, and camphoric acid, a dicarboxylic acid, to achieve synergistic effect.

Five classes of polymers were synthesized using interfacial polymerization: lamivudine and organotin dichlorides, lamivudine and Group 4 metallocene dichlorides, camphoric acid and triphenyl Group 15 metal dichlorides, camphoric acid and organotin dichlorides, and camphoric acid and Group 4 …

Using Ai-Assisted Programming To Develop Research Services Tools For Research Impact, Open Access Publishing & More, Gary Lee

FORCE 2026

Academic libraries play a vital role in scholarly communication, As research practices become more data‑driven and interdisciplinary, librarians can help scholars by creating and sharing flexible, customizable tools that align with local workflows and user needs.

AI Assisted programming (sometimes called “vibe coding”) offers a new way for librarians without extensive programming knowledge to develop such tools . This allows previously non-expert librarians to go from conceptual goals to working applications by rapid prototyping, experimentation, and roll-out, resulting in service innovation and improvement.

This presentation illustrates how librarians at HKUST have explored vibe coding with tools like GROK, POE, and …

[2026 Honorable Mention] Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, Daylyn R. Reese

Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award

This research offers unique insights into the creation and development of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (N.M.S.) with a focus on indigenous populations’ roles (primarily Chumash and Costanoan). In this episode, I analyze what makes this NMS different from every NMS precluding it, how it recognizes a new goal in conservation (thrivability), and the areas in which improvements still must be made to authentically include and honor indigenous voices.

Fabrication Of Two-Dimensional Optoelectrical Devices, Holly Walworth

Honors Projects

Optoelectrical devices enable the exploration of interesting quantum states observed in two-dimensional (2D) condensed material systems. 2D materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, exhibit unique electronic properties, including the Fractional Quantum Anomalous Hall effect (FQAHE). The realization of the FQAHE offers a pathway toward topological quantum computing via non-Abelian anyons. Still, fabricating high-quality 2D optoelectrical devices remains a significant experimental challenge. Using mechanical exfoliation and stacking techniques within an inert argon environment, we attempted to fabricate optoelectrical devices using twisted molybdenum ditelluride (tMoTe2) and gallium telluride (GaTe). Three devices were successfully assembled; however, structural defects including hexagonal boron …

The Malaugh Operations And The Quadratic Invariant Gaps Of $\Si_4^C$, Forrest M. Hilton

ETDs from 2020-2029

Connected Julia sets of polynomials generally correspond to laminations, sets of chords of the unit disc that reflect the dynamics of the Julia set. If the circle is measured in revolutions and the polynomials studied are of degree $d$, then the dynamics on the lamination is given by the covering map $\sigma_d(t) := td \pmod 1$ where chords are mapped by their end points. Every lamination has at least one laminational invariant set, which is loosely an invariant complementary component of the lamination. That set has a significant impact on the shape of the Julia set. James Malaugh showed how …

Rfc - Request For Information - Waste Rock Dump Stormwater Runoff Collection System Substitution, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Reliability-Aware Mixture-Of-Agents For Robust Ai-Generated Image Detection, Jake Jump, Yu-Wing Tai

Computer Science Senior Theses

Detecting AI-generated images requires reasoning across multiple levels of evidence, ranging from low-level statistical artifacts to high-level semantic inconsistencies. Existing approaches typically rely on a single class of signals or emphasize complex multi-agent coordination, which limits robustness under distribution shifts and common image degradations. We propose a reliability-aware Mixture-of-Agents (MoA) framework that treats Vision-Language Model (VLM) agents and computational features as complementary experts and aggregates their predictions based on empirically calibrated reliability. Rather than relying on intricate inter-agent reasoning, our approach centers on structured aggregation: high-precision “anchor” agents drive predictions, while weaker but complementary signals are adaptively incorporated to resolve …

Micro-Hyperspectral Imaging Of Phytoplankton Enables Deconvolution Of Mixed Communities For Spaceborne Hyperspectral Remote Sensing, Chisom Okwuchi Emeghiebo

Masters Theses

Characterizing phytoplankton diversity is critical for large-scale biodiversity monitoring and harmful algal bloom (HAB) detection. Here, we present a micro hyperspectral imaging method to characterize reflectance signatures, for the first time across major phytoplankton groups. Spectral variability among taxa in laboratory cultures is interpreted using algal pigment and absorption analyses, demonstrating that pigment composition and absorption govern reflectance features. Chlorophytes and cryptophytes exhibit distinct spectral signatures and are readily distinguishable, whereas diatoms and dinoflagellates show greater spectral similarity, with differentiation relying on subtle reflectance features associated with chlorophyll c₁c₂ near ~463 nm and within 620–650 nm. We further applied this …

Stratigraphic Distribution Of Pleistocene Aves At Fossil Lake In Lake County, Oregon, Cole Bradley Phillips

Masters Theses

The Fossil Lake locality in south-central Oregon is rich in many species of fossil remains and is also home to packages of sandstone that grade upward into finer siltstone or claystone. These packages have been interpreted to represent rising and falling lake levels as a result of glacial transgressive and regressive sequences. The fossil vertebrates and invertebrates have also fluctuated because of the different climates at Fossil Lake. Although the stratigraphic distribution of most classes of animals have been determined, fossil birds have not. Here, the distribution of 329 avian fossils is presented in the stratigraphic framework. The species were …

Social Media Is A Juggernaut: Lagged Correlation Analysis Using Ngram Data On “Internet” And “Social Media” With Amplification By The Advent Of The “Iphone”, William Zywiak, Gao Niu, Nicolas Petrell, Victoria Nichele, Kirsten Hokeness

Mathematics and Economics Faculty Journal Articles

The amount of new information transmitted per day can be overwhelming. The data available through Ngram Viewer allows statistical examination to determine the most salient topics, as well as lagged correlation and lagged variance to support possible causal connections between concepts. Using this database, we determined that COVID, crypto, microplastics, and especially social media are important topics of the last few years. We also present results that suggest the development of the internet and the iPhone fueled the prominence of social media, and the access of the iPhone also increased access to the internet.

Exploring Regenerative Vegetable Systems On The Central Coast Of California, Una S. O'Connell

Master's Theses

As climate change and current agricultural practices place pressure on the long term sustainability and resilience of food production systems, there is growing interest in whether existing agricultural systems can adapt to maintain productivity while improving environmental outcomes.

This study evaluated the effects of regenerative versus standard organic vegetable production systems on yield, insect communities, and weed suppression across three field trials conducted on California's Central Coast. In addition, I collected baseline soil health data for all trials. Trials 1 and 2 were carried out at the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Organic Farm using cabbage and broccoli as cash …

Developing A Humpback Whale Vocalization Detector Using Machine Learning Models, Lucas Kantorowski

Master's Theses

Humpback whale songs are notoriously complex. Identification of humpback whale song units requires bioacousticians to tediously listen, analyze, and annotate collected sound data. Even sparse data requires listening to the entirety of the collected acoustic data. In this study, three hours of audio containing over one-thousand humpback whale song units was collected in Monterey Bay, California.

Prior studies have seen success using convolutional neural networks by performing image classification on hundreds of hours worth of spectrograms. Our study uses traditional machine learning models, as they are less computationally demanding, and require less data.

We use time splitting and Mel-frequency cepstrum …

Updates To The Caniform Fauna (Carnivora, Caniformia) Of The John Day Formation, Oregon, Usa, John D. Orcutt, Kevin C. Talbott, Michael J. Monroe, Nicholas A. Famoso

Biology Faculty Scholarship

The John Day Formation of central Oregon preserves a diversity of Oligo-Miocene caniform carnivorans, many of which were first described from the formation. However, many historically important specimens lack detailed locality or stratigraphic information, complicating any analysis of faunal change through time. Here, we describe 16 new specimens of caniforms from the John Day Formation, most with precise stratigraphic information. We report multiple specimens of the amphicyonids Daphoenus Leidy, 1853, Paradaphoenus cuspigerus (Cope, 1878), and Temnocyon altigenis (Cope, 1878), all previously known from the formation. We also report the first definitive occurrence of the hesperocyonine canid Osbornodon Wang, 1994 from …

Radiotheranostics For Gynecological Pathologies, Joni Sebastiano

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Molecular imaging, specifically positron emission tomography (PET), is vital for detecting disease and understanding its biological makeup. The exploitation of radiolabeled antibodies for PET imaging has proven to be indispensable to the field of molecular imaging over the last several decades. The development of radioimmunoconjugates for use in immunoPET has not only allowed for the sensitive, specific, and high-resolution detection of disease, but has also enabled a deeper understanding of the disease biology, ultimately guiding more personalized therapeutic strategies. Most typically, this technology is harnessed for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, however more recently, the field has explored the …

Reexamining The Croton Aqueduct: A Ward-Level Microhistorical Analysis Of Infrastructure And Cholera Mortality In 1849 New York City, Alexandria R. Toothman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This work reexamines the Croton Aqueduct’s role in public health by shifting analysis from the citywide level to the ward level, revealing that infrastructure expansion did not produce uniform benefits across New York City. When the Croton Aqueduct opened in 1842, it was celebrated as an achievement that would deliver pure water and eliminate disease. However, only seven years after its opening, in 1849, cholera returned with greater force in the Sixth Ward. This work shows that the uneven distribution of Croton infrastructure corresponded with uneven cholera mortality rates, challenging narratives that present Croton as a singular triumph of urban …

A Predictive Coding Account Of Spatial Working Memory Following Prophylactic Levetiracetam Administration Prior To Traumatic Brain Injury, Omeima Mutwali

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) symptom prevention and remediation is an important area of research that would benefit vulnerable groups, including active-duty and veteran soldiers. These patients can sustain penetrative forces in fields of combat or in training, which result in focal lesions that trigger inflammatory and degenerative processes in the brain. Both primary and secondary injuries are associated with changes to cognition, behavior and affective state. This disease poses increased risk of epileptogenesis, as well. Given these outcomes, prior research has evaluated levetiracetam (LEV) as a prophylactic treatment for seizures, cognitive deficits and negative emotionality. LEV acts as a presynaptic …

Cloud Tank: Virtual Reality Performance Instrument For Embodied Audiovisual Remixing, Asya Ulger

Computer Science Senior Theses

Traditionally, live audiovisual performances are made behind a desk using a laptop and an audio controller. This setup restricts the performer’s movements and separates the artist from their work. Moreover, it narrows what counts as the performance to the output alone — the audience is preconditioned to treat the projected image and sound as the whole event, and not the artist producing it. Cloud Tank challenges this by positioning the performer’s body as the instrument, using virtual reality. As the performer, I mix spatialized audio and drive beat-aligned, reactive video layers through hand movement and hand-pose recognition. The audiovisual output …

The Comparative Chemical Analysis Of Colored Henna, Vani D. Bhagwandeen

Student Theses

Henna, a natural dye derived from Lawsonia inermis, is widely used for temporary body art, hair coloring, and cultural decorative practices such as Mehendi. Traditional henna produces a reddish-brown stain through lawsone, a naphthoquinone chromophore that binds to keratin in skin, hair, and nails (Badoni Semwal et al., 2014; de Groot, 2013; Kumar Singh et al., 2015). Commercial henna products have increasingly incorporated synthetic dyes, pigments, and glitter additives to produce a broader range of colors and effects (Blair et al., 2004; Manso et al., 2017; Blackledge & Jones, 2007). Despite their prevalence, limited forensic research has examined the …

Trace: Temporal Rhetorical Analysis And Consistency Evaluation For Legislative Speech, David Hernandez

Master's Theses

Legislators frequently discuss the same policy issues across multiple hearings and legislative sessions, sometimes maintaining consistent positions and other times modifying or reframing their stance over time. Understanding how these positions evolve is important for analyzing political discourse and democratic accountability, yet identifying such shifts at scale remains difficult.

We introduce TRACE (Temporal Rhetorical Analysis and Consistency Evaluation), a system built on the Digital Democracy Database (DDDB) for detecting rhetorical inconsistency in California legislative hearing testimony. TRACE organizes utterances into speaker-anchored timelines indexed by bill and session, then applies hybrid semantic retrieval — combining dense BGE embeddings with BM25 lexical …

Spatiospectral Lobes And Radiation Modeling Of Partially Coherent Supersonic Jet Noise, Tyce Wayne Olaveson

Theses and Dissertations

Noise fields generated by high-performance military jets are known to contain acoustic structures that differ from their simulated and lab-scale counterparts. These differences may limit current noise control efforts, which are designed and tested at scale before being considered for full-scale aircraft. One such noise structure is the presence of spatiospectral lobes, which appear as multiple spectral peaks at single microphone locations and multiple radiation lobes in field reconstructions. This dissertation uses data collected from the T-7A jet noise measurement to characterize the spatial behavior of the spatiospectral lobes as well as their first time-domain description. A multiple wavepacket decomposition …