Digital Commons Network^™

Fermentation Of Glycerol To Biogas Under Isobaric And Variable Pressure Conditions, Benjamin P. Hartenbower

Theses and Dissertations

With consideration to the crude glycerol surplus driven by the growth in biodiesel manufacturing, alternative uses for biodiesel derived glycerol have become increasingly essential. Anaerobic digestion of the glycerol reduces the chemical oxygen demand of the glycerol waste product, while capturing biogas as an energy source that can be used on site to reduce heating cost at a biodiesel facility. In this thesis, kinetic parameters are extracted from batch experimental data and applied to steady state equations. A flow sheet for the application of anaerobic digestion to biodiesel derived glycerol is developed and explored. The economic analysis of the scenario …

Examining The Role Of L-Arginine In Tissues Of The Fetoplacental Unit And Endometrium, Jonathan Michael Greene

Theses and Dissertations

L-arginine is one of the most versatile amino acids due to the fact that it serves as a precursor for many molecules which have important roles in bodily functions including mammalian reproduction. The current studies sought to further examine the role that L-arginine has in mammalian reproduction utilizing both in vivo and in vitro approaches. In the first study, a novel bioluminescent murine pregnancy model was developed to monitor VEGFR2 transcription activity non-invasively in the fetoplacental unit. Secondly, the effect that dietary L-arginine supplementation has during mouse gestation was examined. L-arginine supplementation increased weight gain during the latter third of …

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Microbial Pathogens In Poultry Litter And The Development Of Microbial Inactivation Constants In Waste Application, Brandy Nicole Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

The increase in production farming, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), garners more investigations on the implications to public health regarding the disposal of the wastes of food production animals. In addition to the vast amount of animal manure produced, human biosolids is another waste residual that must be managed. The research focus was the sustainability of foodborne pathogens in waste products and the variables that manipulate these environments such as moisture, temperature, organic matter and time. The first study was designed to analyze spatial differences in microbial populations in broiler litter by investigating the relationship of intra-house …

Nutrient Mitigation Capacity Of Low-Grade Weirs In Agricultural Drainage Ditches, Kent Alexander Littlejohn

Theses and Dissertations

Installation of low-grade weirs in agricultural drainage ditches is being evaluated as an innovative, and cost effective, management practice that decreases nutrient concentrations and loads by increasing water volume and hydraulic residence time of the ditch. Results revealed that weirs significantly increased (P = 0.029) hydraulic residence time (HRT) and ditch water volumes, leading to considerable reductions in outflow water volumes (61%). Furthermore, ditches with weirs achieved greater (P = 0.09) cumulative outflow load reductions (96%) and greater (P = 0.029) concentration reductions during the biogeochemical reduction phase of the experiment. Similarly, field research from Terrace Ditch in Yazoo County, …

Nutritional Profile Of Native Warm-Season Grass Grown As A Mono- Or Multi-Species Pasture, Babatunde Oloyede

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional profile of mono- or multi-species pastures of native warm season grasses. One of four treatments were randomly assigned to Twelve pastures: 1) BG; 2) IG; 3) Mix G; 4) Mix NG. Growing steers (n = 225) were randomly assigned to one of nine pastures. Grass samples were taken from all pastures every 28 days during a four-month period and were analyzed for nutrient composition. Bermudagrass pastures had greater crude protein and ADF, but less NDF concentrations compared with the native warm-season grasses. Crude protein, IVDMD, and NDF IVDMD concentration decreased …

Development, Evaluation And Refinement Of A Body Mass Index Formula For Large Breed Canine Patients, Dena Lynn Lodato

Theses and Dissertations

The current method of quantifying obesity in the veterinary patient is the subjective body condition score; however, scant research has focused on the development of an objective measurement. The present two part study evaluates the ability to create and refine an objective body mass index (BMI) formula for the large breed canine patient. In the first part of this study, seven morphometric measurements were obtained from seventy large breed dogs allowing the creation of five BMI formulas. In the second part of this study, computed tomography images were obtained from twenty-two dogs and the total percent body fat (TBF) was …

Digestibility Of Different Multi-Species Native Warm-Season Grass Mixtures Grown In Varied Harvest Regimen, Janet Moromoke Ogunlade

Theses and Dissertations

Study was conducted to evaluate in vitro digestibility of native warm-season grasses. Three grasses were used: big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium Nash), and indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans Nash). There were no differences in NDF, ADF, FAT and OM of the three grass species. However, DM, hemicellulose and CP were slightly different in the three grass species. Also, the frequency nested in cutting effects was determined. In vitro dry matter disappearance of big bluestem, little bluestem and indiangrass was evaluated to determine rate of disappearance. The 100 % indiangrass revealed the greatest rate of disappearance for IVDMD and …

Isolation, Antibiotic Resistance And Clonal Similarities Of Salmonella Spp. In Catfish And Processing Facilities, Norman N. Arroyo Llantin

Theses and Dissertations

Salmonella spp. is a human pathogen that has been reported in catfish, but with conflicting results. Salmonella spp. was isolated from live catfish, catfish products and the processing environment during catfish production, followed by evaluation of their antibiotic resistance and clonal similarities. Distinction of Salmonella spp. was increased by lowering background microflora with the addition of the antimicrobial novobiocin to the agar media. More than ten Salmonella serotypes were isolated from catfish and catfish products, such as live, chilled fillets, frozen fillets, and conveyor belts in catfish processing facilities. The isolates that were recovered include Salmonella ser. Typhimurium, Barranquilla, Mbadaka, …

Environmental Impacts Of Formaldehyde Released From And Structural Changes Of Medium Density Fiberboard Disposed In A Simulated Landfill, Min Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Wood waste containing formaldehyde based resins are generated yearly and disposed in landfills or burned. No regulations exist in most states and no studies have been conducted to address formaldehyde emission from wood waste buried in landfills. The objective of this study was to: a) determine the amount of formaldehyde released into air and leachate from MDF disposed in a simulated landfill, b) analyze the environmental impacts of leachate containing formaldehyde, and c) investigate change in chemical and morphological properties of disposed MDF. Sampling of MDF, soil and leachate were conducted for determination of formaldehyde weekly for 56 days by …

Evaluating The Use Of Stable Isotopes, Nirs, And Microbial Populations To Detect Dietary Changes In Dairy Calves, Kathryn Marie Cooley

Theses and Dissertations

Three different methods were developed to evaluate nutritional status: stable isotopes, near infra-red reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS), and microbial populations. In the first method, hair samples were collected, analyzed, stable isotope content greatly differed (P < 0.01) between pre- and post-weaning samples. The second method used NIRS spectral patterns and analyzed fecal samples, and a difference was found around 2100 to 2250 nm where diets containing milk showed a peak, and non-milk diets showed a plateau. Finally, the third method involved profiling microbial populations from fecal samples as calves experienced dietary shifts. Total anaerobes, enterics, and clostridium were different (P<0.05) from pre to post-weaning states. Total anaerobe samples differed (P < 0.005) from milk, milk-grain diets to grain and grain-hay diets. Total aerobes, streptococci, and clostridium samples differed (P <0.001) from the milk diet to the other diets. In summary, all three methods showed differences when comparing pre- to post-weaning states.

Understanding The Role Of Personal, Psychosocial And Occupational Factors And Their Interactions On Low Back Pain Severity In Workers, Nirathi Keerthi Govindu

Theses and Dissertations

Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent work-related musculoskeletal disorder. Occupational risk factors have been studied for current ergonomic prevention strategies; however, other underlying mechanisms may exist since not all workers performing the same task develop the same severity. Previous research has identified personal and psychosocial risk factors that also contribute to LBP. Research quantifying the interactive effects of the various personal, psychosocial and occupational factors is limited, along with research on the effect of risk factor combinations on LBP severity. The objectives of this study were to: 1) study the various factors that are known to be involved …

Increasing Milk Replacer Crude Protein Concentrations With Or Without Direct-Fed Microbial Supplementation On Pre-Weaned Holstein Calves During Heat Stress, Adam J. Geiger

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine the effect of modified crude protein (CP) concentrations and a supplemental directed microbial in the milk replacer fed to Holstein calves during elevated ambient temperatures. Fortyour Holstein calves were randomly assigned treatments in a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Weekly and daily measurements were taken and analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS. Calves fed increased CP concentrations in the milk replacer had greater body weight and frame measurements during the pre-weaning phase and at weaning. Directed microbial supplementation led to increased ADG during the post-weaning phase. Directed microbial supplementation and milk replacer modification helped …

First-Year College Seminar As A Tool For Nutrition Education And Food Preparation Skills, Ingrid V. Kobler

Theses and Dissertations

The obesity epidemic is steadily increasing and affecting all age groups. Obesity rates among young adults are scarcely reported but merit special attention as being overweight during young adulthood will likely result in being overweight or obese throughout adulthood. Because college students are still forming lifestyle patterns, the university setting is ideal for intervention and educating young adults on the importance of developing and maintaining healthy behaviors. This study evaluated whether participation in a 16-week first-year college seminar cooking course increased students’ self-efficacy in food preparation skills and dietary behaviors. Significant changes in food preparation skills were observed between before …

Impact Of Water Management And Agronomic Practices On The Performance Of Insecticide Seed Treatments Against Rice Water Weevil, Lissorhoptrus Oryzophilus Kuschel, In Mississippi Rice, Charles Andrew Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Two field trials were conducted to determine the impact of water management on the efficacy of insecticide seed treatments against rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, in rice at the Delta Research and Extension Center during 2011 and 2012. The performance of thiamethoxam, chlorantraniliprole, and clothianidin was evaluated when the permanent flood was established at different timings (6 and 8 weeks after planting) and the effect of flush number (0, 1, or 2) on seed treatment performance was evaluated. Seed treatment efficacy was not impacted by delayed flooding, but 2 flushes reduced efficacy of some seed treatments. Experiments were also …

Fiber Separation From Milled Corn And Sorghum Using The Elusieve Processfor Value Addition To Feed And Biofuel Production, Tejas S. Pandya

Theses and Dissertations

Corn is widely used as animal feed as well as for fuel ethanol production. Fiber present in corn is not digested well by non-ruminants such as chicken and swine. Also, this fiber does not participate in conversion of starch to ethanol. Fiber separation from corn flour using the Elusieve process, a combination of sieving and air classification, would result in high starch animal feed and increase ethanol productivity. The objective of the first part of this dissertation was to understand the effect of retention screen size in the hammer mill on fiber separation from corn flour using the Elusieve process. …

Automatic Segmentation Of Pressure Images Acquired In A Clinical Setting, Anathea Pepperl

Theses and Dissertations

One of the major obstacles to pressure ulcer research is the difficulty in accurately measuring mechanical loading of specific anatomical sites. A human motion analysis system capable of automatically segmenting a patient's body into high-risk areas can greatly improve the ability of researchers and clinicians to understand how pressure ulcers develop in a hospital environment. This project has developed automated computational methods and algorithms to analyze pressure images acquired in a hospital setting. The algorithm achieved 99% overall accuracy for the classification of pressure images into three pose classes (left lateral, supine, and right lateral). An applied kinematic model estimated …

The Design And Validation Of A Computational Model Of The Human Wrist Joint, Afsarul Mir

Theses and Dissertations

Advancements in computational capabilities have allowed researchers to turn towards modeling as an efficient tool to replicate and predict outcomes of complex systems. Computational models of the musculoskeletal system have gone through various iterations with early versions employing dramatic simplifications. In this work, a three-dimensional computational model of the wrist joint was developed. It accurately recreated the skeletal structures of the hand and wrist and represented the constraints imposed by soft tissue structures like ligaments, tendons, and other surrounding tissues. It was developed to function as a tool to investigate the biomechanical contributions of structures and the kinematic response of …

Breastfeeding Influencing Factors In Thai Adolescent Mothers, Supannee Kanhadilok

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Breastfeeding is well established as the optimal method for ensuring healthy infant nutrition. However, many adolescents remain unaware of the role of breastfeeding. Adolescent mothers continue to have the lowest rate of breastfeeding in many countries including Thailand, with only 17% of Thai adolescent mothers continuing to breastfed at 6 months postpartum. Objective: Examine factors influencing breastfeeding behaviors in adolescent mothers, particularly those in Thailand. Methods: This dissertation project involved two research studies focusing on breastfeeding influencing factors in adolescent mothers. The first study was an integrative review of 22 articles published in 2000-2012. The findings revealed that personal …

Sociodemographic Risk Factors Of Glycemic Control For Youth With T1d: Cross-Sectional And Longitudinal Patterns Of Hba1c, Priscilla Powell

Theses and Dissertations

Individual growth curve (IGC) modeling evaluated longitudinal trajectories of glycemic control and diabetes care of youth with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) over three years. IGC modeling allowed comparison of confounded sociodemographic predictors of disease outcomes that included ethnicity, SES, parent marital status, family structure, as well as disease duration, to determine the relative impact of these factors in the evolution of HbA1c and diabetes care throughout adolescence. At baseline, participants recruited from two pediatric endocrinology clinics included 198 youth, ages 9-15 (M age = 12.65, 77% Caucasian, 74% lived with married biological parents, M SES = 45.70) with average HbA1c …

Underlying Conditions, Mariam Eqbal

Theses and Dissertations

The following is a collection of lines, curves, and dots on a plane, representing words fashioned to communicate my ideas about relationships between the thing and the nothing. This thesis is like a map, a contour drawing, an assortment of lines, speaking my thoughts about things in relation to space and time. As something moving, developing into another thing, as a thing sentient, I am viewing, performing, and processing incremental acts. I am looking at water and I can see my reflection break into a thousand pieces. It is like watching time.

Narrowing The Gap Between Imaginary And Real Artifacts: A Process For Making And Filming Diegetic Prototypes, Al Hussein Wanas

Theses and Dissertations

Critical Design uses designed artifacts as a critique of consumer culture. However, the complex nature of these artifacts prompted designers to focus on the artifact and present it in an informative, but relatively isolated fashion.The theoretical framework for this thesis is drawn from a similar, yet more recent, design criterion called Design Fiction. The artifacts of Design Fiction are called Diegetic Prototypes: fictional prototypes that function in the social sphere of a film’s structure. This research develops a method for analyzing and creating artifacts, in reference to psychoanalysis theories on the human psyche and perception of objects. It then explores …

Microbial Evaluation Of The Calamus Heated Gutta-Percha Delivery System, Christopher Smart Dds

Theses and Dissertations

If gutta-percha cartridges are contaminated with bacteria prior to obturation then contamination of the root canal system may result. Successful treatment not only depends on bacterial elimination but also depends on prevention of recontamination. This study was motivated by the observation that endodontists frequently use single use gutta-percha cartridges on multiple patients. The goal of this study was to determine if cross contamination occurred when a single gutta-percha cartridge in the Calamus™ Flow System was used on multiple patients. An effective recovery method was established during a pilot study using Enterococcus faecalis as a sample bacterium. Microbial recovery was obtained …

Transforming Evidence-Based Clinical Obesity Guidelines Into Practice: A Literature Review, Kristin Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

Evidence-based clinical obesity guidelines have been published in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National 1-lemt Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI), and in the United Kingdom by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The first federal clinical obesity guidelines were published by the NI-ILBI in 1998 (Schuster, Tasosa, & Terwoord, 2008). Unfortunately America's health care system seems to have distanced itself from addressing, let alone implementing evidence-based guidelines related …

Analysis Of Contributing Factors To Obesity In Children And Adolescents In Southwest Georgia, Sydney Leigh Worthy

Theses and Dissertations

Today more than 23 million U.S. children and adolescents are either obese or overweight. Hospital costs from obesity-related diseases in youth have increased from $35 million (0.43% of total hospital costs) during 1979 to 1981 to $127 million (1.79% of total costs) during 1997 to 1999. During the Pathway to Med School program, I collaborated with three other students to develop a research project on childhood and adolescent obesity. We conducted surveys at nine different primary care clinics in the southwest Georgia area. Approval was sought by the Institutional Review Board of Phoebe Putney Memorial Health System and Albany Area …

Increasing Breastfeeding Rates In Rural Areas Of The United States: What Do We Know And What Can We Do?, Kristin M. Stabo

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Breastfeeding is the recommended form of infant nutrition. However, breastfeeding rates in the United States (US) are below recommended goals. Rates in rural areas are even lower than in urban areas

Purpose: The purpose of this manuscript was: I) to identify potential barriers to breastfeeding in rural areas, 2) to review what is currently known about breastfeeding interventions that promote successful breastfeeding in rural areas, and 3) to identify interventions that have the potential to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration in rural areas of the US

Conclusion: Numerous interventions to promote and support breastfeeding have been …

Effective Strategies To Improve Medication Adherence In Patients With Mood Disorders, Kathlyn J. Bergeron

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Educating Staff Nurses On The Early Recognition Of Clostridium Difficile In Cancer Patients, Jennie A. Meyer

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Cultural Considerations For Education Strategies Regarding Native American Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Alissa Hoban

Theses and Dissertations

The management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Native American adults can pose challenges for both the provider and the patient. This issue is one that has been long-standing and requires extensive education and investigation into the best management techniques for appropriate care to enhance self-management. Many Native American adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus have difficulties related to self-management of their disease, and effective education and teachings for this population have yet to be solidified within clinical practice. This project entailed an extensive review of literature, which demonstrated a need for culturally congruent diabetes education to be used within …

A Review Of The Impact Of Obesity On Prostate Cancer Progression And Epigenetic Regulation, Colleen Bratney

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Class Is Out: Mental Health Professionals' Social Class Identification And Classist Attitudes Toward Low-Income Clients, Kipp Ryan Pietrantonio

Theses and Dissertations

Social class as a variable of culturally competent psychology remains a misunderstood and understudied phenomenon. This study was designed to explore how mental health providers’ social class of origin and classist attitudes impact their beliefs and treatment of clients from different economic backgrounds. This was accomplished by exploring five domains across two vignettes that varied in SES indicators (Low-­‐Income vs. Middle Class Vignette). The domains of study included classist beliefs, GAF scores with or without treatment over time, positive and negative stereotype endorsement, perceptions of the therapeutic relationship, and potential treatment modalities. Clinicians did not rate the vignettes differently in …