Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Lower Rio Grande River Water Quality Transportation Numerical Model For Bi-National River Management, Jose O. Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

Traditionally, water quality modelling has focused on modelling individual water bodies. However, water quality management problems must be analyzed at the larger scale to include influences from various water bodies that are interconnected. This paper provides a study on the hydrologic and quality transportation calculation by developing a hydrodynamic (unsteady state) channel routing model using a water-balanced approach. A one dimension Lagrangian river model was developed and applied to the 210 plus miles for the lower Rio Grande River Basin from the Falcon Dam to the head water of Brownsville that pours onto the Gulf of Mexico. This model can …

A Novel Method For Synthesis Of Hydroxytyrosol, Emmanuel Onobun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hydroxytyrosol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenolethanol, a naturally occurring polyphenol most common in olive tree (Olea europaea), is one of the most effective member of the polyphenols family, because of its remarkable antioxidant activity, its ability to inhibit oxidation of low density lipids (LDL), and its protection against DNA oxidative damage. Hydroxytyrosol, which is widely used in cosmetics and food supplements industries, can be purchased as an olive oil extract that contains low concentration of hydroxytyrosol besides other polyphenols. The price and low natural abundance of hydroxytyrosol make alternative synthetic sources very attractive. In this research, a novel method for the synthesis of pure …

A Study On Factors Affecting Sleep During Pregnancy In Clinical Trials, Zihan Yan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Regular sleep is required for sensory processing, learning, and brain plasticity. During pregnancy, poor sleep quality and dysregulation of hormones are all associated with increased risk for diseases like postpartum major depression^[1]. Seventy-eight percent of pregnant women experience sleep problems at some point during pregnancy according to the National Sleep Foundation's 1998 Women and Sleep poll_. Chronodisruption is a frequent sleep disturbance experienced by pregnant women that can be primary or due to co-morbid conditions^[2]. For this reason, chronodisruption, which includes insomnia, is currently regarded as one of the most important factors determining pregnancy outcome. …

How To Enhance Interdisciplinary Competence—Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Learning Versus Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning, Mirjam Brassler, Jan Dettmers

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Interdisciplinary competence is important in academia for both employability and sustainable development. However, to date, there are no specific interdisciplinary education models and, naturally, no empirical studies to assess them. Since problem-based learning (PBL) and project-based learning (PjBL) are learning approaches that emphasize students’ collaboration, both pedagogies seem suitable to enhance students’ interdisciplinary competence. Based on the principle of constructive alignment and four instructional principles on interdisciplinary learning, this paper proposes that students profit more from interdisciplinary PBL (iPBL) than interdisciplinary PjBL (iPjBL). A pre-post study was conducted with a sample of 95 students participating in iPBL and 183 students …

Application Of Support Vector Machine Modeling And Graph Theory Metrics For Disease Classification, Jessica M. Rudd

Published and Grey Literature from PhD Candidates

Disease classification is a crucial element of biomedical research. Recent studies have demonstrated that machine learning techniques, such as Support Vector Machine (SVM) modeling, produce similar or improved predictive capabilities in comparison to the traditional method of Logistic Regression. In addition, it has been found that social network metrics can provide useful predictive information for disease modeling. In this study, we combine simulated social network metrics with SVM to predict diabetes in a sample of data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. In this dataset, Logistic Regression outperformed SVM with ROC index of 81.8 and 81.7 for models with …

Evidence Of Intermittent Residency In The Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus Ursinus)., Megan Foley

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

This study found evidence of intermittent, multi-year residency periods in northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) using stable isotope ratios in vibrissae and canine teeth. Northern fur seals migrate from the Bering Sea during summer months to lower latitudes and slightly warmer waters of the northeastern Pacific Ocean and California Current in the winter. To determine the length of time spent away from the Bering Sea, growth rate was estimated using the covarying oscillations δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N, estimated to be 0.09 mm/day. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in vibrissae from 30 male …

Modeling De Novo Granulation Of Anaerobic Sludge, Anna Doloman, Honey Varghese, Charles D. Miller, Nicholas Flann

Computer Science Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: A unique combination of mechanical, physiochemical and biological forces influences granulation during processes of anaerobic digestion. Understanding this process requires a systems biology approach due to the need to consider not just single-cell metabolic processes, but also the multicellular organization and development of the granule.

Results: In this computational experiment, we address the role that physiochemical and biological processes play in granulation and provide a literature-validated working model of anaerobic granule de novo formation. The agent-based model developed in a cDynoMiCs simulation environment successfully demonstrated a de novo granulation in a glucose fed system, with the average specific methanogenic …

An Integrated Bioinformatic/Experimental Approach For Discovering Novel Type Ii Polyketides Encoded In Actinobacterial Genomes, Wubin Gao

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

Discovery of new natural products (NPs) is critical both for diseases treatment and crops protection. Numerous NP biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in sequenced microbial genomes allow identification of new NPs through genome mining. Developing an integrated bioinformatic/experimental approach for discovering novel type II polyketides (PK-IIs) facilitates investigation of this family of NPs in an efficient, systematic way. Here, we developed an approach to analyze ketosynthase α/β (KSα/β) gene sequences to predict PK-II core structures, allowing us to target novel PK-II BGCs either from isolated genomic DNA or genomes from the NCBI databank, and to isolate novel PK-IIs produced by these …

Water Current, Volume 49, No. 3, Summer 2017

Water Current Newsletter

New University competition is “Testing Ag Performance Solutions”

Summer brings research work, students, tours and farm shows

Trophic Dynamics Of Flathead Catfish In The Missouri River Bordering Nebraska, Dylan R. Turner

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding the trophic dynamics of large, riverine ecosystems is complex and requires knowledge from several inputs and outputs of the ecosystem. Most riverine ecosystems have been altered in some way whether through damming, channelizing, or diverting water. The Missouri River is not immune to these anthropogenic alterations. The river has dams throughout its middle portion and is channelized from Sioux City, Iowa to its confluence with the Mississippi River. Flathead Catfish pylodictus olivarius are one of the most ecologically harmful introduced species but little research has looked at the influence native populations of Flathead Catfish have on native prey populations …

Formulation, Characterisation And Stability Assessment Of A Food Derived 1 Tripeptide, Leucine-Lysine-Proline Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles, Minna Khalid Danish, Giuliana Vozza, Hugh Byrne, Jesus Maria Frias, Sinead Ryan

Articles

The chicken or fish derived tripeptide, Leucine-Lysine-Proline (LKP), inhibits the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme and may be used as an alternative treatment for pre-hypertension. However, it has low permeation across the small intestine. The formulation of LKP into a nanoparticle (NP) has the potential to address this issue. LKP-loaded NPs were produced using an ionotropic gelation technique, using chitosan (CL113). Following optimisation of unloaded NPs, a mixture amount design was constructed using variable concentration of CL113 and tripolyphosphate at a fixed LKP concentration. Resultant particle sizes ranged from 120-271 nm, zeta potential values from 29-37 mV and polydispersity values from 0.3-0.6. …

Antifungal Potential Of Copper(Ii), Manganese(Ii) And Silver(I) 1,10-Phenanthroline Chelates Against Multidrug-Resistant Fungal Species Forming The Candida Haemulonii Complex: Impact On The Planktonic And Biofilm Lifestyles, Rafael M. Gandra, Pauraic Mc Carron, Mariana F. Fernandes, Lívia S. Ramos, Thaís P. Mello, Ana Carolina Aor, Marta H. Branquinha, Malachy Mccann, Michael Devereux, André L. S. Santos

Articles

Candida haemulonii, Candida haemulonii var. vulnera and Candida duobushaemulonii, which form the C. haemulonii complex, are emerging etiologic agents of fungal infections known to be resistant to the most commonly used antifungals. The well-established anti-Candida potential ofmetal complexes containing 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands encouraged us to evaluate different copper(II), manganese(II), and silver(I) phen chelates for their ability to inhibit planktonic growth and biofilm of C. haemulonii species complex. Two novel coordination complexes, {[Cu(3,6,9-tdda)(phen)2].3H2O.EtOH}n and [Ag2(3,6,9-tdda)(phen)4].EtOH (3,6,9-tddaH2 = 3,6,9-trioxaundecanedioic acid), were synthesized in a similar fashion to the other, previously documented, sixteen copper(II), manganese(II), and silver(I) chelates employed herein. Three isolates of …

Investigating Students’ Basic Needs And Motivation In College Chemistry Courses With The Lens Of Self-Determination Theory, Yujuan Liu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

More graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathmetics (STEM) fields are needed to keep our nation’s preeminance in the global fields of technology and science. However, fewer than 40% of students who intend to major in STEM fields when entering college complete a STEM degree. Therefore, it is important to explore factors to improve student persistence in STEM fields at the college level as well as to understand the interrelationship between student motivation, academic achievement, and persistence. Motivation is strongly associated with student achievement and persistence; meanwhile, academic achievement can also affect persistence. Self-determination theory (SDT) represents a framework of …

Carbon And Nutrient Balances In Microalgal Bioenergy System, Eunyoung Lee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated life cycle environmental impacts and benefits of an integrated microalgae system with wastewater treatment system using an integrated process modeling approach combined with experimentation. The overall goal of this research is to understand energy, carbon and nutrient balances in the integrated system and to evaluate the environmental impacts and benefits of the integrated system from a carbon, nutrient, and energy perspective. In this study, four major research tasks were designed to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and economic sustainability of the integrated system, which included development of an integrated co-limitation kinetic model for microalgae …

Honey Bee Gut Dysbiosis: A Novel Context Of Disease Ecology, Kirk E. Anderson, Vincent A. Ricigliano

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The honey bee microbiota has become a hot-spot of recent research. Highly co-evolved with its host, the hindgut microbiota of a worker honey bee consists of six bacterial species shown to occur reliably in particular proportions. Altered microbiota structure is associated with host deficiencies, and a variety of bacteria found throughout the hive environment can dominate the worker gut suppressing or displacing microbiota function. The synthesis presented here suggests environmental insults alter gut bacterial balance, leading to decreased host function and disease progression. Specific functional groups of native bacteria represent a model system to investigate dysbiosis and the evolution of …

An Assessment Of Constructed Wetland Treatment System Cells: Removal Of Excess Nutrients And Pollutants From Municipal Wastewater In Lakeland, Florida, Molly Klinepeter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater treatment wetlands are proven valuable alternatives to the treatment of wastewater in a more natural environment. These wetlands can be natural or constructed, and come in a variety of types and sizes. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficiency of water treatment for nutrients and pollutants utilized by the City of Lakeland in treating their municipal wastewater by wetland treatment system cells. This study is important in order to ensure the successful use of the wetland, as well as to determine the impacts previous phosphorus mining use may have on the effectiveness of treatment. Following FDEP …

Standardization Of Clinical Assessment And Sample Collection Across All Perch Study Sites., Jane Crawley, Christine Prosperi, Henry C Baggett, W Abdullah Brooks, Maria Deloria Knoll, Daniel E Park, +Several Additional Authors

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

Background.: Variable adherence to standardized case definitions, clinical procedures, specimen collection techniques, and laboratory methods has complicated the interpretation of previous multicenter pneumonia etiology studies. To circumvent these problems, a program of clinical standardization was embedded in the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study.

Methods.: Between March 2011 and August 2013, standardized training on the PERCH case definition, clinical procedures, and collection of laboratory specimens was delivered to 331 clinical staff at 9 study sites in 7 countries (The Gambia, Kenya, Mali, South Africa, Zambia, Thailand, and Bangladesh), through 32 on-site courses and a training website. Staff competency …

Investigation In To The Stabilizing Effects Of The Modified Base Archaeosine In Trna And The Identification Of The Fluorescent Product Of Base Treatment Of Nad(P)+ Cofactors, Ben Turner

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation covers two projects linked by their involvement in the modification of tRNA bases.

The first project focused on an investigation of a role for the modified base Archaeosine, the ubiquitous modification in tRNA in the archaeal domain. Initial work was performed on a set of in vitro prepared tRNA modified to feature either the canonical guanine base at position 15, preQ₀ (TGT product) or Archaeosine (ArcS product). There was very little difference in the thermal stability of tRNAs containing these modifications in the halophilic H. volcanii tRNA^Ser or E. coli tRNA^Gln. In tRNA^{Gln …}

Species Identification Of Necrophagous Insect Eggs Based On Amino Acid Profile Differences Revealed By Direct Analysis In Real Time-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, Justine E. Giffen, Jennifer Y. Rosati, Cameron M. Longo, Rabi A. Musah

Publications and Research

The colonization of decomposing remains by necrophagous insects such as blow flies is of forensic importance because the progression through the various stages of insect development can be correlated to time of death. The ability to infer this information hinges on accurate determination of the fly species that are associated with the entomological evidence collected. This evidence can include eggs, larvae, pupae, and puparial casings. Determination of the egg’s identity is particularly challenging because the eggs of multiple species are morphologically very similar. We report here that the species identity of fly eggs can be determined from their chemical fingerprint …

Climate Change, One Health And Mercury, L. K. Duffy, T. Vertigan, B. Dainowski, K. Dunlap, Amy Hirons

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Climate change is occurring on both regional and global scales. The use and global distribution of toxic metals is increasing and affecting environmental, animal and human health as a result of air, water and food contamination. Mercury (Hg) in major forms Hg°, Hg²⁺ and methyl mercury (CH₃Hg⁺) are increasingly available around the globe. Both metal and organic contaminants are impacting the health of all species on the planet. Mercury is an example of a metal that can cause or aggravate a disease state, for example, diabetes. Habitat stewardship is needed to maintain a healthy system, …

Assessing Parturition Date Synchrony For North Dakota Ungulates, Eric S. Michel, Jonathan A. Jenks, William F. Jensen

The Prairie Naturalist

Reproductive parameters such as conception date, and therefore parturition date, influence offspring characteristics such as sex ratio and birth mass. For example, late-conceiving reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) produced more female than male offspring compared to those who conceived early (Holand et al. 2006). Females that conceive later and therefore give birth later also can produce lighter offspring compared to those who conceive early (Schwartz et al. 1994, Holand et al. 2006). Because birth mass is positively related to adult body mass (Michel et al. 2015), conception and parturition date likely affect adult phenotype. In turn, this may influence survival because heavy …

Notes: Examining The Potential Competitive Effects Of Ventenata Dubia On Annual And Perennial Grasses, Shawn Mckay, Lesley R. Morris, Christopher E. Morris, Elizabeth A. Leger

The Prairie Naturalist

Portions of the United States are becoming increasingly dominated by annual species, with cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae [L.] Nevski) as the most common and well-known invaders (Bansal et al. 2014). Other invasive annual species also are present and increasing in abundance, including ventenata (Ventenata dubia [Leers] Coss.), an invasive annual grass that has been expanding within the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, and Great Plains regions of the United States. Ventenata was first reported in North America in 1952 in Washington (Old and Callihan 1987) and has since spread to 7 western states in the USA (CA, …

Diel And Monthly Movement Rates By Migratory And Resident Female Pronghorn, Paul F. Jones, T. Andrew Hurly, Chelsea Jensen, Karl Zimmer, Andrew Jakes

The Prairie Naturalist

Animal movement patterns are variable, with certain species primarily being diurnal and others nocturnal. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) are regarded as diurnal animals moving predominately during daylight hours. Anecdotal accounts, however, suggest that pronghorn move during the night but the extent, frequency, and importance of these nocturnal movement behaviors are unknown. To evaluate movements, we combined global positioning system relocation data from collared female pronghorn in the Northern Sagebrush Steppe between 2003 and 2007 with sunrise/sunset data within a geographical information system platform. We assessed whether mean and maximum movement rates were influenced by diel period (dawn, day, dusk, and night), …

Incorporating Place And Space: A Hierarchical Spatial Approach To Exploring Preventable Congestive Heart Failure Hospitalizations In New York City, Rachael Weiss Riley

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Faced with rising medical care costs, increasing prevalence, and widening health disparities, preventing congestive heart failure (CHF) hospitalizations is a central public health concern. Despite evidence of geographical clustering in preventable CHF admissions, there is a lack of research designed to examine spatial patterning of CHF and the local area neighborhood determinants that contribute to this variability. This study sought to assess and evaluate the importance of both space and place in analyzing preventable CHF hospitalizations and readmissions by applying appropriate statistical techniques, clarifying the assumption inherent in each method, and interpreting the findings within the context of existing …

Spatial Analysis Of Time Between Two Consecutive Dental And Two Consecutive Well-Child Visits For Foster Care Youth, Chenyang Shi

Dissertations

Foster care youth is a medically vulnerable population. Poor dental health and irregular well-child visits may cause serious health-related issues, such as mental disorder, nutrition imbalance, tooth damage, etc. Michigan requires all youth in foster care to receive annual dental and well-child visits. Usually, the study of foster care well-child and dental visits include two parts: time between two consecutive visits (gap time) and number of visits. For this study, a longitudinal-spatial model that has the flexibility to analyze the well-child/dental gap times and number of visits was developed. The longitudinal data (2009-2012) on Michigan foster care youth from 10 …

Frequency Of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease And Subclinical Atherosclerosis Among Young Mexican Americans, Clarence Gill, Kristina Vatcheva, Jen-Jung Pan, Beverly Smulevitz, David D. Mcpherson, Michael Fallon, Joseph B. Mccormick, Susan P. Fisher-Hoch, Susan T. Laing

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome, whose criteria are risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of NAFLD, its association with subclinical atherosclerosis, and factors that may account for this association in Mexican Americans. In a population based cross-sectional sample drawn from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort in Texas, carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis, was measured. Abnormal carotid ultrasound study was defined as mean cIMT >75th percentile for age and gender and/or plaque presence. NAFLD was defined as steatosis by ultrasound in …

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, June 2017, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Midwest Food Recovery Summit Updates
--- Reminder: RCRA Changes Now in Effect
--- Industry News

Controlling Factors That Potentially Against Transmission Of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever At State Elementary Schools In Yogyakarta, Tri Baskoro Tunggul Satoto, Nur Alvira, Tri Wibawa, Ajib Diptyanusa

Kesmas

Sekolah dasar merupakan tempat yang dapat mengakibatkan peningkatan penyakit dengue pada anak karena faktor lingkungan, adanya potensi penularan, belum adanya system manajemen lingkungan yang baik dan beberapa upaya pengendalian yang tidak lagi efektif. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor yang berpotensi terhadap penularan demam berdarah dengue bagi anak, sehingga sistem kewaspadaan dini dapat ditegakkan. Jenis penelitian ini adalah analitik dengan rancangan potong lintang. Penelitian dilaksanakan pada 91 sekolah dasar negeri di Kota Yogyakarta. Variabel yang diobservasi adalah serotype virus DEN, resistensi insektisida, kepadatan vektor,dan kondisi fisik sekolah. Analisis data menggunakan analisis deskriptif dan korelasi-regresi (a = 0.05). Hasil menunjukkan bahwa …

Impact Of Women’S Empowerment On Infant Mortality In Indonesia, Hanik Stiyaningsih, Febri Wicaksono

Kesmas

Secara umum, otonomi dan pemberdayaan perempuan menjadi salah satu faktor penting dalam pembangunan. Kurangnya otonomi dan pemberdayaan perempuan dapat menyebabkan hasil negatif pada kesehatan dan kematian anak. Belum terdapat penelitian terkini yang menganalisis hubungan antara pemberdayaan perempuan dan kematian bayi di Indonesia. Penelitian ini berusaha mengisi kekosongan tersebut dengan menelusuri pengaruh pemberdayaan perempuan terhadap kematian bayi di Indonesia. Sampel berjumlah 9.754 perempuan berusia 15-49 tahun yang terakhir melahirkan pada periode tahun 2007-2012 diambil dari Survei Demografi dan Kesehatan Indonesia 2012. Pemberdayaan perempuan diukur dengan menggunakan indeks komposit yang dibangun dari delapan indikator dari tiga dimensi pemberdayaan perempuan, yaitu partisipasi dalam …

Counterfeit Medicines In Socioeconomic Perspective, Desy Nuryunarsih Nuryunarsih

Kesmas

Obat-obatan palsu berpotensi mencapai 70% dari pasaran obat internasional dengan proporsi terbanyak ditemukan di negara berkembang. Meningkatkan kesadaran masyarakat akan adanya obat-obatan palsu akan secara langsung memengaruhi permintaan produk obat palsu yang akhirnya akan mengurangi kegiatan pemalsuan obat. Akan tetapi, meningkatkan pengetahuan masyarakat akan bahaya obat-obatan palsu tidaklah mudah sebab profesi kesehatan masyarakat harus juga mempertimbangkan keberagaman faktor-faktor sosial, ekonomi dan pendidikan. Laporan ini menelaah artikel jurnal yang ditelaah oleh kelompok seminat, laporan media, laporan resmi pemerintah dan non-pemerintah. Sebanyak 179 artikel (dari 1990 sampai 2014) ditelaah untuk mengetahui hubungan antara indeks pembangunan manusia (IPM) dari USA, Jepang, Brasil, Iran, …