Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 991 - 1020 of 10913

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Development And Evaluation Of A Retrofittable Variable Rate Applicator Controller, Ahmed Abdalla Jan 2024

Development And Evaluation Of A Retrofittable Variable Rate Applicator Controller, Ahmed Abdalla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The need to optimize resource utilization while increasing crop productivity is paramount. This research proposes a Low-cost Retrofittable Variable Rate Applicator Controller (VRAC) that aims to leverage the adoption of Variable Rate Technologies. The controller operates via the Raspberry Pi platform, a Global Positioning System (GPS), a stepper motor drive, and an anti-slip wheel encoder. The VRAC allows precise, on-the-fly control of variable-rate application of farming inputs. It utilizes GPS with 10 cm accuracy to pinpoint geographic coordinates in real-time. A wheel encoder measures traveling speed with a slip-resistant wheel design for precise RPM readings. The Raspberry processes the data, …


Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Oviposition Preferences And A Survey Of Fungal Pathogens On Native Milkweeds (Asclepias) Of The Northern Great Plains, Grace Damiano Jan 2024

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Oviposition Preferences And A Survey Of Fungal Pathogens On Native Milkweeds (Asclepias) Of The Northern Great Plains, Grace Damiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations are experiencing significant declines due to habitat loss caused by land use changes. Much of the American Midwest where milkweed, the only host plant of the monarch butterfly, was once much more abundant has been converted to a predominantly agricultural landscape. There are nineteen species of milkweed native to the northern Great Plains region occupied by South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Some of these milkweed species may be preferable to monarch butterflies for different reasons, including morphological factors such as stem length, species-level chemical factors, and temporal factors. As monarch …


Competition Between Bradyrhizobium Strains For Soybean Nodulation, Lilia Ernestina Montanez Hernandez Jan 2024

Competition Between Bradyrhizobium Strains For Soybean Nodulation, Lilia Ernestina Montanez Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) has surged as a natural strategy to provide available nitrogen to crops by taking advantage of diazotrophs, microorganisms that can reduce atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia. Soybean, a major crop, greatly benefits from BNF by forming endosymbiotic relationships with rhizobacteria from the genus Bradyrhizobium, which culminates in the formation of specialized organs called nodules, where nitrogen fixation occurs. This is known as Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation (SNF). Inoculation of soybean fields with high nitrogen fixing Bradyrhizobium strains to stimulate SNF is being used as a strategy to increase crop productivity and nitrogen content. However, in North America, SNF …


Development And Characterization Of Transparent Soil Using Biodegradable Polysaccharides, Said Badshah Jan 2024

Development And Characterization Of Transparent Soil Using Biodegradable Polysaccharides, Said Badshah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


Increasing Retention Of Women In Hunting And Fishing, Shelby Isensee Jan 2024

Increasing Retention Of Women In Hunting And Fishing, Shelby Isensee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite national declines in hunting and fishing, women are making inroads in historically male-dominated sports. To further encourage women’s participation, states established programs to recruit, retain, and reactivate [R3] hunters and anglers. Women are participating in these programs and other recreational groups to access opportunities to learn skills and grow their networks. Yet, very little is known about what programs are offered for women, what aspects of programs are most effective to support women’s retention in these activities, and what women’s hunting and fishing groups are available across the landscape. To address these questions, I collected qualitative data from participant …


Effects Of Storage Regimes On Chemistry, Functional Properties, And Vitamin Profile Of Different Varieties Of Chickpea, Shirin Kazemzadeh Pournaki Jan 2024

Effects Of Storage Regimes On Chemistry, Functional Properties, And Vitamin Profile Of Different Varieties Of Chickpea, Shirin Kazemzadeh Pournaki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chickpea (cicer arietinum) samples from five distinct varieties (crown, royal, orion, sierra, and frontier) were subjected to varying storage conditions to investigate the impact of temperature and relative humidity (rh) on their chemical, functional, physical properties, and vitamin b profile. over 360 days, samples were stored at two temperatures (21°c and 40°c) and three rh levels (40%, 55%, 65%), with collections made every 90 days. initial observations focused on key chemical properties including moisture, protein, fat, and total starch content. subsequently, protein and starch fractions were isolated for further analysis, employing techniques such as sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (sds-page) …


Effects Of Isoacids Supplementation In Lactating Cows’ Diet Varying In Forage Fiber Level On Performances, Feed Efficiency, And Milk Fatty Acids Profile, Sumon Ahmed Jan 2024

Effects Of Isoacids Supplementation In Lactating Cows’ Diet Varying In Forage Fiber Level On Performances, Feed Efficiency, And Milk Fatty Acids Profile, Sumon Ahmed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


Investigating The Role And Mechanism Of Host Cell Death In Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Virus Infection, Michelle Steyn Jan 2024

Investigating The Role And Mechanism Of Host Cell Death In Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Virus Infection, Michelle Steyn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


Evaluation Of Soybean Meal Versus Distillers Co-Products As A Protein Supplement For Finishing Beef Cattle: Effects On Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Efficiency Of Dietary Net Energy Utilization, Cassidy R. Ross Jan 2024

Evaluation Of Soybean Meal Versus Distillers Co-Products As A Protein Supplement For Finishing Beef Cattle: Effects On Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Efficiency Of Dietary Net Energy Utilization, Cassidy R. Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two randomized complete block design experiments were conducted to: 1) examine the effects of soybean meal with or without additional soybean hulls in replacement of modified corn distillers grains plus (MDGS) solubles on growth performance efficiency of dietary net energy utilization and carcass traits responses in finishing beef steers, 2) determine if partial or complete replacement of dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) with solvent-extracted soybean meal (SBM) in diets based upon high-moisture ensiled corn influences growth performance, efficiency of dietary net energy utilization, sera urea-N (SUN) concentrations, or carcass traits in finishing beef steers. Experiment 1 was a 118-d …


Breast Tissue As A Local Drug Reservoir For Anticancer Therapy In Breast Cancer, Saniia Shchinar Jan 2024

Breast Tissue As A Local Drug Reservoir For Anticancer Therapy In Breast Cancer, Saniia Shchinar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer, particularly the estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) subtype, remains a formidable challenge in oncology. Traditional oral therapies for ER-positive breast cancer, such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) like Tamoxifen (TAM) and Toremifene (TOR), often encounter issues related to limited bioavailability, metabolic complications, and significant systemic side effects. These side effects include the risk of blood clots, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, menstrual cycle disruptions, and uterus cancer, which can hinder long-term adherence to preventive therapy. The exploration of local drug delivery into breast tissue presents a promising alternative to tackle these challenges. In this study, we explored the feasibility of …


Integrating Early Season Clover Cover Crops As A Living Mulch In Broccoli And Transitional Organic Winter Squash Production In Eastern South Dakota, Alexis Rose Barnes Jan 2024

Integrating Early Season Clover Cover Crops As A Living Mulch In Broccoli And Transitional Organic Winter Squash Production In Eastern South Dakota, Alexis Rose Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Managing weeds, improving soil health, and reducing the use of plastic mulch continue to be priorities for South Dakota vegetable farmers. Farmers have expressed an interest in integrating cover crops into their farm systems. Clover cover crops used as a living mulch within and along cash crop rows may aid in weed suppression, nitrogen fixation, and prevent soil erosion. However, prior research has shown challenges of incorporating living mulch due to yield decreases. Research conducted in 2022 and 2023 in eastern South Dakota investigated the effects of four clover and four in-row soil management treatments on broccoli and organic winter …


The Spatial Ecology Of Plains Spotted Skunks In South Dakota: Insights From Species Distribution, Resource Selection, And Co-Occurrence Models, Kara M. White Jan 2024

The Spatial Ecology Of Plains Spotted Skunks In South Dakota: Insights From Species Distribution, Resource Selection, And Co-Occurrence Models, Kara M. White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The plains spotted skunk (Spilogale interrupta) is a data-deficient small carnivore native to the central plains of North America that has experienced significant population declines. My dissertation investigates the species’ distribution, habitat associations, and interspecific interactions in South Dakota, providing crucial information for conservation actions. In Chapter 1, I developed ensemble distribution models on a broad scale, incorporating species location data from 1985–2020, environmental factors, and six predictive modeling algorithms. I identified key predictors including mean temperature diurnal range and proportion of area as pasture, and estimated ~31,300 km2 of potential habitat, predominately in eastern South Dakota. In Chapter 2, …


Utilizing Soil Sensors To Assess Soil Health And Investigating Cover Crops Impact On Methane Emission, Shailesh Pandit Jan 2024

Utilizing Soil Sensors To Assess Soil Health And Investigating Cover Crops Impact On Methane Emission, Shailesh Pandit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil health is influenced by climate change, cultural practices, topography, crop rotations, cover crops, soil parent materials, and soil biota. Interactions between these factors can improve or reduce soil health. This thesis investigates two topics, using soil sensors to provide a rapid assessment of soil health, and the impact of cover crops on soil biological activity and greenhouse gas emissions. Chapter 1 explores the use of two types of sensors to measure apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and provides examples on the use of these sensors. Even though both sensors measure ECa using different processes, they provide useful information about temporal …


Abelson (Abl) Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Reduce Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus (Prrsv) Replication In Vitro, Jenna Parliament Jan 2024

Abelson (Abl) Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Reduce Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus (Prrsv) Replication In Vitro, Jenna Parliament

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus from the Arteriviridae family. PRRSV causes respiratory illness and reproductive failure in infected pigs. Outbreaks occurring in the United States and worldwide cause significant economic losses annually. Abelson (Abl) tyrosine kinase is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, which plays a central role in regulating many cellular processes such as actin reorganization, cell proliferation and differentiation by transducing extracellular and intracellular signals. Abl inhibitors have been shown to restrict the entry of membrane fusion of enveloped viruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome …


Evaluation Of Nutrient Removal From Modified Woodchips And Organic Matter Leached From Tree Leaves After Simulated Wildfire Thermal Alteration, Zengyue Wang Jan 2024

Evaluation Of Nutrient Removal From Modified Woodchips And Organic Matter Leached From Tree Leaves After Simulated Wildfire Thermal Alteration, Zengyue Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) from stormwater runoff, carrying a variety of contaminants, presents substantial challenges to water treatment processes and public health. Among the primary pollutants, phosphate and nitrate significantly contribute to the degradation of water quality, resulting in issues such as eutrophication and methemoglobinemia. Tree leaves, which are a major source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in forested watersheds and serve as a key fuel for wildfires, further exacerbate these challenges. Post-wildfire, the altered DOC is mobilized by precipitation, leading to stormwater runoff that impacts natural water bodies and complicates treatment processes, particularly through the formation of hazardous disinfection …


Methods For Optimizing Detection And Evaluating Habitat Use Of North American River Otters In South Dakota, Jessica Speiser Jan 2024

Methods For Optimizing Detection And Evaluating Habitat Use Of North American River Otters In South Dakota, Jessica Speiser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) play a critical role as an apex predator in riverine ecosystems. A challenging species to survey using traditional methods, they remain understudied in non-forested regions, such as the Northern Great Plains, where habitat degradation and landscape fragmentation may reduce habitat quality and availability and disrupt landscape connectivity. This thesis aims to improve detectability and investigates the habitat use of river otters in South Dakota to better understand habitat needs of otters and improve their continued recovery and management. My first chapter provides a brief overview of river otters and their ecological roles in freshwater …


Nitrogen Fertilizer Placement And Rate Impacts Sunflower Seed Yield, Oil And Protein Content, Rojina Kafle Jan 2024

Nitrogen Fertilizer Placement And Rate Impacts Sunflower Seed Yield, Oil And Protein Content, Rojina Kafle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

South Dakota accounts for about 36% of the total US commercial sunflower production and nitrogen is a major input. Costs related to N fertilizer demand economically optimum N rates. This study investigated the impact of the N fertilizer placement method (broadcast vs band) and rate (0, 28, 56, 84, 112, 140 kg N ha-1) on leaf chlorophyll content, head diameter, seed yield, seed oil, and protein concentration of three sunflower hybrids in 2022 and 2023. The experiment was conducted at Brookings (eastern SD- conventional till, 66 cm rainfall) using an oil-type hybrid and at central SD sites (no-till, 57 cm …


Reimagining Hunting Through Women's Decision Space, H. Nash Jackson Jan 2024

Reimagining Hunting Through Women's Decision Space, H. Nash Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 14.4 million people hunt in the United States, yet only 3.1 million (22%) of these hunters are women. To enhance women’s participation, many state natural resource agencies aim to reduce barriers and create pathways for women to hunt. Previously, researchers surveyed women to understand and describe barriers to their full participation in hunting. However, this methodology often just quantifies the different barriers without describing the interconnectedness and how the complexity of barriers can impact women’s participation in hunting. This thesis instead took an inductive research approach with the goal of better understanding women’s perspectives when faced with complex barriers. …


Lidar Remote Sensing And The Monitoring Of Brazilian Amazon Forest Structure: Tackling Issues And Finding New Possibilities, Pedro Valle De Carvalho E Oliveira Jan 2024

Lidar Remote Sensing And The Monitoring Of Brazilian Amazon Forest Structure: Tackling Issues And Finding New Possibilities, Pedro Valle De Carvalho E Oliveira

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Amazon is the largest tropical forest in the world and around 60% of it is in Brazil. The amount of carbon stored in the region uncertain, the impacts of land use and climate changes are unknown, and what drives the dynamic of the forest structure is still under a heated debate. Optical remote sensing has been used for a long time to assist the monitoring of the Brazilian Amazon. However, optical remote sensing only allows a comprehensive study from the top of the forest canopy. In contrast, lidar remote sensing of forests can produce robust information regarding the canopy …


Translocations Of North American Bison Across Large Climatic Gradients: Impacts On Thermoregulation, Body Size, And Helmintic Infection, Hayden Wolfe Jan 2024

Translocations Of North American Bison Across Large Climatic Gradients: Impacts On Thermoregulation, Body Size, And Helmintic Infection, Hayden Wolfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year, one-eighth of all North American bison (Bison bison) are translocated, often across large climatic gradients. Over the last 16 years bison have been translocated from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota to establish six herds across the United States central grasslands in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. Influence of climatic gradients on herd-level thermoregulation, body size, and helmintic infection were evaluated. Overall, 1174 thermal images and 1050 fecal samples were collected between 2021 and 2023. Physiological heat flux was used to measure thermoregulation, asymptotic body mass (ABM) was used for body size, and helminth genera abundance …


Anemia In Highly Prolific Sows: Implications On Piglet Outcomes, Farrowing Complications, And Longevity Considerations, Katlyn A. Mcclellan Jan 2024

Anemia In Highly Prolific Sows: Implications On Piglet Outcomes, Farrowing Complications, And Longevity Considerations, Katlyn A. Mcclellan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


Computational Characterization Of Extracellular Electro-Osmotic Flow During Tissue Repair, Ashley Jorgensen-Blocker Jan 2024

Computational Characterization Of Extracellular Electro-Osmotic Flow During Tissue Repair, Ashley Jorgensen-Blocker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electrical stimulation (ES) therapy promotes the healing of chronic epidermal wounds and suppresses the degeneration of articular cartilage. Despite the success of ES therapy, the underlying mechanisms by which ES promotes tissue repair are largely unknown, preventing the standardization and optimization of treatments. One proposed mechanism involves electro-osmotic flow (EOF), electrically driven water flow generated within close proximity to the cell surface. EOF induces the transport of macromolecules and removes metabolic wastes and inflammatory molecules from these dense tissues through interstitial flow. This dissertation investigates the application of weak electric fields (EFs) to non-excitable cells and the generation of EOF …


Ecophysiology Of Bradyrhizobium Diazoefficiens Usda 110, Armaan Kaur Sandhu Jan 2024

Ecophysiology Of Bradyrhizobium Diazoefficiens Usda 110, Armaan Kaur Sandhu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With increasing demand for soybean, maximizing plant yield is important yiel is dependent on nitrogen availability, but nitrogen fertilizers can meet the plant's needs but have severe environmental impacts. An economically and environmentally sustainable approach is to enhance nitrogen availability through Biological Nitrogen Fixation by symbiotic rhizobia, Bradyrhizobium, an efficient nitrogen fixer for soybean. This symbiosis begins with attachment of rhizobia to legume roots. Root and rhizobia surface properties play a significant role in this attachment. Another major factor affecting root colonization is bacterial competition ability. There is a lack of knowledge on the role of bacterial surface properties, competition …


Beef Hot Carcass Weight Influences Proteolysis, Clay J. Carlson Jan 2024

Beef Hot Carcass Weight Influences Proteolysis, Clay J. Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to determine the influence of beef hot carcass weight on proteolysis to better understand early postmortem proteolysis. Beef tenderness formation is influenced by various factors, such as temperature decline and proteolysis. Limited focus has been given to the effects of carcass weight on proteolysis. This study aimed to investigate the influence of increased beef hot carcass weight (HCW) on proteolysis of four muscles (serratus ventralis, longissimus thoracis, longissimus lumborum, and semitendinosus) during early postmortem aging times. Beef steers (n =12) were harvested and categorized into two weight groups: lightweight (LW; HCW = 349 ± …


Improving Stream Connectivity In South Dakota, Colton Rainier Curtis Jan 2024

Improving Stream Connectivity In South Dakota, Colton Rainier Curtis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stream connectivity is crucial for fish movement and genetic diversity in fragmented landscapes. Road-crossings often act as barriers, disrupting hydrology and isolating fish populations. The Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) has developed rapid road-crossing assessment protocols and tools to prioritize restoration projects. However, managers lack tools for planning, directing, and initiating roadcrossing assessments. Managers also require modeling approaches to effectively identify and monitor road-crossings across dynamic stream networks. Presented here is a case study offering a roadmap for effective implementation of collaborative road-crossing assessments and prioritization of remediation projects, alongside an exploration of predictive modeling approaches to identify problematic crossings …


2,3,4 Trihydroxybenzoic Acid, A Plant Secondary Metabolite Inhibits Cancer Cell Growth, Mina Akter Jan 2024

2,3,4 Trihydroxybenzoic Acid, A Plant Secondary Metabolite Inhibits Cancer Cell Growth, Mina Akter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nature offers many sources such as fruits, beverage crops, vegetables, herbs, spices, tea, dark chocolate, and wine, that are rich in hydroxybenzoic acids (HBAs). They are a prominent phenolic acids with excellent biochemical and antioxidant properties. Due to the vast dietary health benefits of HBAs such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, immunoregulatory, antimicrobial, antithrombotic, antidiabetic, anticancer properties and cardioprotective capabilities, they are attracting the attention of physicians and researchers alike to understand their mechanisms of action. It is anticipated that the understanding of the role of HBAs for their greater use in diet/supplements is beneficial to reverse common illnesses such as inflammation, …


Identification And Characterization Of Three Novel Rumen Bacterial Species In Sheep Fed A Concentrate Diet, Reid Frederick Anema Jan 2024

Identification And Characterization Of Three Novel Rumen Bacterial Species In Sheep Fed A Concentrate Diet, Reid Frederick Anema

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sheep production in the United States is a popular venture for both small farmers and large enterprise owners, as there is a market for end products such as wool and meat. One major factor of raising sheep is nutrition as an adequate diet will allow an animal to reach its full genetic potential for growth. With that in mind, the composition of the diet must be formulated to benefit the animal. Ruminants have the ability to use a variety of plants that are often inedible for humans to create products that humans can consume. These varying feedstuffs, whether they include …


Elucidating The Role Of Sialic Acid In Tumorigenic Pathways, Kakali Das Jan 2024

Elucidating The Role Of Sialic Acid In Tumorigenic Pathways, Kakali Das

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hypersialylation is a prognostic biomarker in cancer cells. The upregulated sialic acid expression on cancer cells facilitates tumorigenesis by playing a critical role in cancer cell proliferation and growth, immune evasion, cell signaling, and metastasis by interacting with various carbohydrate-binding molecules. Sialic acids on cancer cell surface undergo various modifications like O-acetylation at positions 4,7,9 de-acetylation and addition of glycolyl group at position 5. In our first chapter we analyzed the effect of de-acetylated sialic acid on migration via selectin binding in colon cancer cell line HCT116 and in lung cancer cell line A549. Selectins are calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecules …


Refining The Inverse Lipschitz Constant For Injective Relu Networks, Cole Rausch Jan 2024

Refining The Inverse Lipschitz Constant For Injective Relu Networks, Cole Rausch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we study the Inverse Lipschitz Constant (ILC) of injective ReLU layers. We study the tightness of the ILC lower bound established in Puthawala et al. Our approach has three components. First, we find that the conditions for injectivity on lines yield a weaker condition than the general condition given in Puthawala et al. Second, we perform numerical experiments to judge the tightness of the existing ILC lower bound and find that bound is overly conservative. Third, we identify the source of the potential slack in the proof of the existing ILC bound, and perform further numerical experiments …


Isolation And Characterization Of Bacteriophages From Fish Tank Samples, Oluwaseyi Oluwagbeminiyi Oladele-Ajose Dec 2023

Isolation And Characterization Of Bacteriophages From Fish Tank Samples, Oluwaseyi Oluwagbeminiyi Oladele-Ajose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bacteriophages (phages) are viral obligate intracellular parasites that infect bacteria. Research has been carried out on alternative treatment plans for bacterial infections due to the increase in antibiotic resistance. Phages have been proposed as an alternative to antibiotics. This research focused on the isolation and characterization of bacteria from small aquariums. A total of 42 bacterial isolates were isolated from seven different fish tank water samples and were tested to determine if they possessed phages. Spot plaque assay revealed presence of lytic phage for only one of the isolated bacterial strains, which was determined to belong to Enterobacteriaceae family based …