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Theses and Dissertations

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Analyzing The Influence Oxygen Deprivation Has On The Capability Of Listeria Monocytogenes To Induce Listeriosis In Gerbils, Jillian Leigh Harris May 2016

Analyzing The Influence Oxygen Deprivation Has On The Capability Of Listeria Monocytogenes To Induce Listeriosis In Gerbils, Jillian Leigh Harris

Theses and Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes is food-borne pathogen that causes listeriosis in individuals with a compromised immune system and pregnant women. This pathogen can survive in anaerobic conditions present in specially packaged foods as well as the gastrointestinal tract. The purpose of this study is to evaluate virulence of L. monocytogenes F2365 in anaerobic conditions. Another goal of this study is to establish gerbils as the ideal animal model since descrepancies exist in current models. Gerbils were orally infected with one of four doses: 1) phosphate buffered saline, 2) 5X106CFU aerobic dose, 3) 5X108CFU aerobic dose, and 4) 5X106CFU anaerobic dose. Results indicate …

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Developing Assisted Reproductive Technologies For Endangered North American Amphibians, Cecilia Jane Langhorne May 2016

Developing Assisted Reproductive Technologies For Endangered North American Amphibians, Cecilia Jane Langhorne

Theses and Dissertations

An alarming number of anuran (frog and toad) species are facing the threat of extinction in the wild. In efforts to address this conservation crisis, captive breeding programs are rapidly being established at zoos and research institutions worldwide. However, the captive management of anurans can be challenging, as their reproduction is a tightly regulated hormonal response to environmental stimuli, often unknown or absent in captivity. Consequently, ex-situ breeding efforts tend to be greatly hindered by a paucity of knowledge in anuran reproductive physiology and, for many species on the brink of extinction, time is running out. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), …

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Lamb Wave Based Active Damage Identification In Adhesively Bonded Composite Lap Joints, Prateek Jolly May 2016

Lamb Wave Based Active Damage Identification In Adhesively Bonded Composite Lap Joints, Prateek Jolly

Theses and Dissertations

Bonding composite structures using adhesives offers several advantages over mechanical fastening such as better flow stress, weight saving, improved fatigue resistance and the ability to join dissimilar structures. The hesitation to adopt adhesively bonded composite joints stems from the lack of knowledge regarding damage initiation and propagation mechanisms within the joint. A means of overcoming this hesitation is to continuously monitor damage in the joint. This study proposes a methodology to conduct structural health monitoring (SHM) of an adhesively bonded composite lap joint using acoustic, guided Lamb waves by detecting, locating and predicting the size of damage. Finite element modeling …

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Investigating "Lithic Scatter" Variability: Space, Time, And Form, Kate M. Manning May 2016

Investigating "Lithic Scatter" Variability: Space, Time, And Form, Kate M. Manning

Theses and Dissertations

Using flake dimensions and attributes commonly agreed are associated with site use, occupation age, and occupation duration, it was argued that relative estimations of site function and occupation age could be determined using debitage. This is particularly beneficial for assemblages that have little to no diagnostics that could provide a general cultural period for one or more occupations at a site. The results of this study suggest that, although certain attributes are generally associated with lithic production stage, relative age, and duration indicators, they were not all applicable within this study. The methods employed were relatively successful; however, reducing the …

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Genetic Characterization Of Antimicrobial Activities Of The Bacteria Burkholderia Contaminans Ms14 And Pseudomonas Chlororaphis Ufb2, Peng Deng May 2016

Genetic Characterization Of Antimicrobial Activities Of The Bacteria Burkholderia Contaminans Ms14 And Pseudomonas Chlororaphis Ufb2, Peng Deng

Theses and Dissertations

Burkholderia contaminans MS14 shows excellent antimicrobial activities against a wide range of pathogens. Complete sequence analysis reveals that the MS14 genome harbors multiple gene loci that contribute to its antimicrobial activities and lacks key virulence features commonly found in pathogenic Burkholderia species. A mutagenesis study identified the genes required for MS14 antibacterial activities and gene expression profiling targeted a polyketide synthase (PKS) gene cluster. Site-specific mutagenesis confirmed the PKS gene cluster is directly related to MS14 antibacterial activities and the PKS gene product is predicted to be the MS14 antibacterial compound. Strain UFB2 isolated from Mississippi shows significant antifungal and …

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Interactions Of Organodithiols With Gold And Silver Nanoparticles In Water, Manuel Gadogbe May 2016

Interactions Of Organodithiols With Gold And Silver Nanoparticles In Water, Manuel Gadogbe

Theses and Dissertations

Organodithiols including para-aryl dithiols (PADTs, HS-(C6H4)n-SH, n = 1, 2 and 3) and alpha, omega-alkanedithiols (ADTs, HS-(CH2)n-SH, n = 2, 4, …) with two distal thiols have been used extensively in molecular electronics, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and quantum electron tunneling between two gold or silver nanoparticles (AuNPs and AgNPs). The popular belief is that these dithiols cross-link noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) as monolayer dithiolate spacers. Reported is the finding that PADTs predominantly exist as monothiolate forms on AuNPs or AgNPs. No PADT-induced NP cross-linking was observed regardless of NP/PADT concentration ratios. 1,4-benzenedimethanethiol (HS-CH2-(C6H4)-CH2-SH) and ADT can be completely deprotonated, …

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Mississippi State University's Makerspace: Founding Of The Factory, Bryan James Patton May 2016

Mississippi State University's Makerspace: Founding Of The Factory, Bryan James Patton

Theses and Dissertations

This paper discusses the creation of a makerspace on Mississippi State’s campus. A makerspace is a location that provides prototyping and design tools, and is made available to students, faculty, and staff. The process of starting, staffing, and funding the space are discussed, as well as, the liability of operating the space. The paper outlines the operation of the space as a student organization partnered with the university, and the unique approach of networking existing campus resources into a shared organizational structure.

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The Effect Of Residential Housing On Graduation Rates Among Students At A Rural Mississippi Community College, Arna A. Nance May 2016

The Effect Of Residential Housing On Graduation Rates Among Students At A Rural Mississippi Community College, Arna A. Nance

Theses and Dissertations

Graduation rates in community colleges in academic programs are declining, which negatively impacts funding for these institutions. Enrollment processes of community colleges, and the ease of transferring credit hours, deter students from meeting criteria for graduation. The objective of this study is to determine the effect that residential housing has on graduation rates among community college students in Mississippi. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design to look at graduation rates over a 2-year period of time to study graduation rates of residential and commuter students controlling for other demographic characteristics. A higher percentage of commuter students (18%) graduated …

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Role Of Dde Exposure In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Association With Biochemical Markers And Diabetes Prevalence, Antonio Bartholomew Ward May 2016

Role Of Dde Exposure In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Association With Biochemical Markers And Diabetes Prevalence, Antonio Bartholomew Ward

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and beta cell dysfunction. T2D prevalence has been increasing with not all clear causes identified, while the use of synthetic chemicals has risen. Because genetics can only explain a small percentage of disease development, more attention is being given to associations of environmental chemical exposure and disease. Epidemiological evidence suggests environmental exposure to organochlorine compounds (OC) including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its bioaccumulative metabolite dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) is associated with T2D prevalence and is hypothesized to play a role in contributing to T2D. The purpose of this …

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Optimizing Carbon To Nitrogen Ratios To Improve Nitrogen Removal In Agricultural Drainage Ditches, Derek Ronald Faust May 2016

Optimizing Carbon To Nitrogen Ratios To Improve Nitrogen Removal In Agricultural Drainage Ditches, Derek Ronald Faust

Theses and Dissertations

Since 1961, a fourold increase in application of fertilizers in the United States has helped to double crop yields. Nutrients not used by crops are often transported to aquatic ecosystems adjacent to agricultural fields. In the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, nutrients enter agricultural drainage ditches and are transported to receiving water bodies, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The annual occurrence of a hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico is caused by nitrogen loads from the Mississippi River Basin. Objectives of these studies were: (1) evaluate how organic carbon amendments affect nitrate-nitrogen removal in agricultural drainage ditch systems, (2) …

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Performance Of Upland Cotton (Gossypium Hirusutum) In Reniform (Rotylenchulus Reniformis) Nematode Infested Soils As Affected By Variety And Seed Treatment, Harry Randall Smith May 2016

Performance Of Upland Cotton (Gossypium Hirusutum) In Reniform (Rotylenchulus Reniformis) Nematode Infested Soils As Affected By Variety And Seed Treatment, Harry Randall Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford and Oliveira) currently infests about 36% of the Mississippi G. hirsutum acres causing economic losses of $130 million annually. For more than 40 years nematodes, including R. reniformis, have been managed using an at-planting treatment of Temik 15G or with soil fumigants like Telone II. With the label loss of Temik 15G and expense of soil fumigants, there is a need to develop an integrated nematode management program centered around nematicide seed treatments (NST) with and without foliar applications of Vydate C-LV. In addition there is a need to better understand how new cotton cultivars …

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Pka-Rap1a Dependent Regulation Of Age-Rage Signaling In Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Rebecca Anne Worsham May 2016

Pka-Rap1a Dependent Regulation Of Age-Rage Signaling In Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Rebecca Anne Worsham

Theses and Dissertations

Type II diabetes mellitus is associated with many detrimental health situations including heart complications. The purpose of this study was to identify a role for PKA-dependent Rap1a signaling in the AGE-RAGE cascade. My hypothesis was Rap1a GTPase increased the downstream effects of AGE-RAGE signaling in diabetes via a PKA-dependent pathway leading to elevated ECM remodeling in the heart. Cardiac fibroblasts were isolated from heterozygous (Het) and diabetic (db/db) mice. To test the hypothesis, gain-ofunction and loss-ofunction treatments were used. PKC-Zeta is known as a major signaling hub that potentially links PKA-dependent and AGE-RAGE signaling cascades so PKC-Zeta inhibition to downregulate …

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Environmental And Growth Rate Effects On Trace Element Incorporation To Calcite And Aragonite: An Experimental Study, Jeremy M. Weremeichik May 2016

Environmental And Growth Rate Effects On Trace Element Incorporation To Calcite And Aragonite: An Experimental Study, Jeremy M. Weremeichik

Theses and Dissertations

The subsumed work of this dissertation is comprised of three independent but interrelated studies which seek to further the understanding of processes which govern the coprecipitation of trace elements with calcite and aragonite minerals. These studies investigate the effects of: 1) pressure on crystal morphology and trace element incorporation to aragonite; 2) growth rate on uranium partitioning between calcite and fluid; 3) aqueous Mg/Ca on the magnesium partitioning to low-magnesium calcite. The importance of this work is to determine how the environment of formation and growth rate influences the geochemistry of CaCO3 in order to improve existing paleoproxies and develop …

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Estimation Of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentration In The Mississippi Sound Using Modis Imagery, Danielle Merritt May 2016

Estimation Of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentration In The Mississippi Sound Using Modis Imagery, Danielle Merritt

Theses and Dissertations

The discharge of sediment-laden rivers into the Mississippi Sound increases the turbidity of coastal waters. The concentration of suspended particulates is an important parameter in the analysis of coastal water quality factors. The spatiotemporal resolution associated with satellite sensors makes remote sensing an ideal tool to monitor suspended particulate concentrations. Accordingly, the presented research evaluated the validity of published algorithms that relate remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) with suspended particulate matter for the Mississippi Sound. Additionally, regression analysis was used to correlate in situ SPM concentrations with coincident observations of visible and near-infrared band reflectance collected by the MODIS Aqua sensor …

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Maximizing The Informal Education Of Death Valley National Park Ichnofossils, Curt Burbach May 2016

Maximizing The Informal Education Of Death Valley National Park Ichnofossils, Curt Burbach

Theses and Dissertations

Certain sites within Death Valley National Park contain ample ichnofossils, specifically vertebrate animal tracks, dating back to the Pliocene. Since the majority of these track locations are closed to the general public, their scientific significance and educational value toward improving the geoliteracy of the general public remain unexplored. Based on the impressive amount of ichnofossils present at the park, this research investigates how to improve general public geoliteracy through these tracks, using basic principles and supporting concepts of the National Science Foundation’s Earth Science Literacy Initiative, while respecting the security measures of the park and adhering to National Park Service …

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Impact Of Neonicotinoids In Mid-South Row Crop Systems, John Hartley North May 2016

Impact Of Neonicotinoids In Mid-South Row Crop Systems, John Hartley North

Theses and Dissertations

Neonicotinoid seed treatments are widely used and highly effective against early season insect pests of all row crops throughout the Mid-South region of the United States. An analysis was performed to determine the value of neonicotinoid seed treatments across multiple trials in soybean, Glycine max L.; corn, Zea mays L.; cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.; and sorghum, Sorghum bicolor L. production systems across the mid-southern region. Neonicotinoid seed treatments provided significant yield and economic increases when utilized the majority of the time. A second experiment was performed to determine the value of various insecticide classes when utilized in an overall systems …

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An Inventory Of Terrestrial Vertebrates In Aldesa Valley And Estimating Factors That Affect Avian Species Richness And Occurrence, Abdulaziz Subhi Alatawi May 2016

An Inventory Of Terrestrial Vertebrates In Aldesa Valley And Estimating Factors That Affect Avian Species Richness And Occurrence, Abdulaziz Subhi Alatawi

Theses and Dissertations

Conducting species inventories is important to provide baseline information essential for management and conservation. Furthermore, understanding the effects of anthropogenic and environmental factors on species richness and occurrence are crucial to conserve species. Aldesa Valley lies in the Tabuk Region of Saudi Arabia, and because of the presence of permanent water and vegetation, is thought to contain high biodiversity. I estimated avian species richness and occurrence in Aldesa Valley during May 10–August 10 in 2014 and 2015 to detect bird species richness and occurrence. I used generalized linear models and occupancy models for six commonly detected bird species. I recorded …

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Assessing The Impacts Of Climate And Land Use Changes On Water Quantity And Quality In Mississippi, Abdullah Oda Dakhlalla May 2016

Assessing The Impacts Of Climate And Land Use Changes On Water Quantity And Quality In Mississippi, Abdullah Oda Dakhlalla

Theses and Dissertations

This study used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to model 2 watersheds in Mississippi, which are the Lower Pearl River Watershed (LPRW) and the Big Sunflower River Watershed (BSRW), to simulate streamflow, groundwater storage and recharge, sediments, nutrients, and bacteria transport. The LPRW model was calibrated and validated for daily streamflow at 4 locations with R2 ranging from 0.49 to .90 and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) ranging from 0.49 to 0.84. In the BSRW, the model showed good to very good performance for daily streamflow simulation (R2 = 0.53-0.75 and NSE = 0.49-0.72) and seasonal groundwater table depth fluctuations …

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Assessment Of Early Successional Arthropod And Breeding Bird Response To Intercropping Switchgrass Within An Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine Forest, Craig Daniel Marshall May 2016

Assessment Of Early Successional Arthropod And Breeding Bird Response To Intercropping Switchgrass Within An Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine Forest, Craig Daniel Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations are a common land use of the southeastern United States that have the potential to function as a source of cellulosic biomass for biofuel production. A novel land use practice of intercropping switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) between planted loblolly pines has been developed as a potential method of cellulosic biomass production. I evaluated response of arthropods and breeding birds to intercropping switchgrass within loblolly pine plantations compared to typically managed pine plantations. I detected 13 arthropod orders and 44 breeding bird species during 2014 – 2015. Intercropping switchgrass reduced arthropod diversity and evenness, with richness not …

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Assessment Of The Pharmacodynamic Effects Of Cyclosporine In Dogs, Claire Fellman May 2016

Assessment Of The Pharmacodynamic Effects Of Cyclosporine In Dogs, Claire Fellman

Theses and Dissertations

Cyclosporine is a commonly used immunosuppressive drug in dogs, but dosing is often empirical and based primarily on clinical response. Pharmacokinetic monitoring of blood drug concentrations can be performed, but target blood concentrations for various disease states in dogs are not well described. Pharmacodynamic assays measuring the effects of cyclosporine on target cells are being used to evaluate immunosuppressive effectiveness in humans, but have been minimally explored in veterinary medicine. This dissertation describes the development of pharmacodynamic assays for measuring the effects of cyclosporine on canine T cell cytokine production and surface antigen expression. Incubation with cyclosporine in vitro caused …

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U.S. Population Change: The Roles Of Amenities And Transportation, Xuan Zhou May 2016

U.S. Population Change: The Roles Of Amenities And Transportation, Xuan Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

Studying the spatial distribution and redistribution of population has long been a major concern of demography, because population changes can reflect deep and massive social changes. For decades, the major population change was the moving of people from rural to urban regions. However, with the advancement of transportation and information technology, many new regions have become more attractive to people, such as small and new metropolitan, nonmetropolitan, suburban, and rural areas. Traditional migration and population redistribution studies emphasize economic and social factors. Relatively little attention is paid to how natural amenities and transportation affect changes of population size and net …

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Breeding And Brood Rearing Ecology Of Mottled Ducks In The Ashepoo, Combahee, And Edisto Rivers Basin, South Carolina., Molly Rebecca Kneece May 2016

Breeding And Brood Rearing Ecology Of Mottled Ducks In The Ashepoo, Combahee, And Edisto Rivers Basin, South Carolina., Molly Rebecca Kneece

Theses and Dissertations

Mottled ducks (Anas fulvigula) are a non-migratory waterfowl species endemic to the western Gulf Coast, with a separate, genetically distinct subspecies (A. fulvigula fulvigula) occurring in peninsular Florida. Birds from Texas, Louisiana, and Florida were released in coastal South Carolina from 1975-1983, and banding data suggest an expanding population. I monitored 72 mottled duck nests and captured and radio-marked 196 pre-breeding and nesting females between 2010 and 2014 to study breeding ecology of these birds in the Ashepoo, Combahee, Edisto Rivers Basin. Nest success averaged 12% and varied with vegetation height and year. Indicated breeding pair surveys revealed breeding mottled …

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Cardiac Extracellular Matrix: Structure, Biomechanics In Myocardial Infarction, And Heart Regeneration, Bryn Brazile May 2016

Cardiac Extracellular Matrix: Structure, Biomechanics In Myocardial Infarction, And Heart Regeneration, Bryn Brazile

Theses and Dissertations

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States. Once a person suffers from a MI, the heart wall will undergo a dynamic and time dependent change, as it goes through the inflammatory phase, proliferative phase, and healing phase. During these phases, the necrotic tissue is removed, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) that holds the cardiomyocytes is altered by an increase in type I collagen, which leads to a scar formation in the infarcted area. The goal of this dissertation is to better understand the role of the cardiac ECM biomechanics in …

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Characterization Of Exosomes From Mammalian Circadian Clock Cells, Dan Zhao May 2016

Characterization Of Exosomes From Mammalian Circadian Clock Cells, Dan Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

Suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) is the master circadian pacemaker that generates coordinated rhythms and drives oscillations in other peripheral tissues. Extracellular vesicles (exosomes) have been implicated in cell-to-cell communication and the regulation of circadian clock. However, mammalian clock-derived exosomes have not been characterized. This thesis examine the contents of exosome released from SCN2.2 cells in vitro using a combination of proteomics, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatic analyses. SCN2.2 cells-derived exosomes, that carry unique microRNAs and proteins, could be taken up by fibroblast cells in vitro. Interestingly, several unique microRNAs and proteins found in SCN2.2 cells-derived exosomes have shown circadian rhythmicity in other …

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Early Growth And Survival Of Shumard Oak And Nuttall Oak Planting Stocks, Johnathan Reeves May 2016

Early Growth And Survival Of Shumard Oak And Nuttall Oak Planting Stocks, Johnathan Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

Hurricane Katrina damaged 1.4 million hectares of forestland in Mississippi. Hardwood timber accounted for 40 percent of the damage. A cost-effective method of artificial regeneration is necessary to restore this resource. Bareroot, containerized, and EKOgrown® seedlings of Quercus shumardii and Quercus nuttallii were planted on two sites for evaluation of survival and growth. Survival was recorded monthly during the first growing season, and at the end of each growing season. Growth was measured at the end of each growing season. Survival was extremely low in 2014. Containerized seedlings suffered a total loss due to freezing at the nursery, and a …

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Ecological Determinants Of Avian Productivity And Aviation Risk In Semi-Natural Grasslands, Tara Jenise Conkling May 2016

Ecological Determinants Of Avian Productivity And Aviation Risk In Semi-Natural Grasslands, Tara Jenise Conkling

Theses and Dissertations

Growing concerns about climate change, foreign oil dependency, and environmental quality have fostered interest in perennial native grasses (e.g. switchgrass [Panicum virgatum]) for bioenergy production while also maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, biofuel cultivation in marginal landscapes such as airport grasslands may have detrimental effects on aviation safety as well as demography and conservation efforts for grassland birds including Dickcissels (Spiza americana). In 2011–2013 I studied the response of avian populations to vegetation composition and harvest frequency of switchgrass monocultures and native warm-season grass (NWSG) mixtures at B. Bryan farms in Clay Co. MS, USA. Four treatments incorporating switchgrass …

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Effect Of Hot Water Immersion Treatment (Hwt) On The Quality Of 'Keitt' Mangoes In Ghana, Akua Tiwaa Sebe May 2016

Effect Of Hot Water Immersion Treatment (Hwt) On The Quality Of 'Keitt' Mangoes In Ghana, Akua Tiwaa Sebe

Theses and Dissertations

Currently, Ghana does not use Hot Water Treatment (HWT) as a phytosanitary control measure for mangoes. The effect of HW on the quality of ‘Keitt’ mangoes in Ghana was evaluated. Mangoes were washed with chlorinated water or hot water treated at 47°C for 70 min and stored at 25°C for 8 days. There was no treatment*Storage effect (P> 0.05) on the variables studied. Mangoes TA decreased (P<= 0.05) and pH increased with storage time. HWT had no impact on mango quality but had 50% reduction in decay during storage.

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Engineered Cartilage On Chitosan Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds For Osteochondral Defects, Anuhya Gottipati May 2016

Engineered Cartilage On Chitosan Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds For Osteochondral Defects, Anuhya Gottipati

Theses and Dissertations

Articular cartilage provides an almost frictionless surface for the articulating ends of the bone. Cartilage functions to lubricate and transmit compressive forces resulting from joint loading and impact. If the cartilage is damaged, through traumatic injury or disease, it lacks the ability of self-repairing as the tissue lacks vascular system. If the injuries to articular cartilage are left untreated, they may progress to Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease, is one of the leading disabilities in the United States. Tissue engineering has the potential to regenerate healthy hyaline cartilage, which can alleviate pain and restore the functions of normal tissue. This …

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A Biogeochemistry Approach To Geographic Origin And Mortuary Arrangement At The Talgua Cave Ossuaries, Olancho, Honduras, Monica Michelle Warner May 2016

A Biogeochemistry Approach To Geographic Origin And Mortuary Arrangement At The Talgua Cave Ossuaries, Olancho, Honduras, Monica Michelle Warner

Theses and Dissertations

Isotopic assays, including stable carbon, stable oxygen, and radiogenic strontium were measured for 37 individuals from the Talgua cave ossuaries to understand human movement and mortuary practice during Formative Period Honduras. Likelihood assignment models demonstrated that the individuals had diverse childhood geographic origins within the surrounding valleys. This shows that different kin or ethnic groups from diverse geographic origins were utilizing the ossuaries. Five possible ‘non-local’ individuals were identified from the radiogenic strontium and stable oxygen isotope datasets, suggesting minimal human movement into northeast Honduras from outside Lower Central America. The low number of ‘non-local’ individuals at Talgua Caves also …

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Assessment Of Contamination Levels And Estimation Of Dietary Intake Of Heavy Metals From Selected Imported Fruits And Vegetables In Ghana, Eric Dzimado May 2016

Assessment Of Contamination Levels And Estimation Of Dietary Intake Of Heavy Metals From Selected Imported Fruits And Vegetables In Ghana, Eric Dzimado

Theses and Dissertations

Levels and dietary intake of heavy metals were assessed and evaluated in thirty two samples of fruit and vegetables collected from supermarkets in Accra, Ghana using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Differences (p <= 0.05) existed in Pb, Cd and Ni concentrations across the commodities collected. Levels of Pb, Cd and Cr exceeded safe limits established by FAO and EU. Washing reduced Cr in cabbage by 59% (p <= 0.05) but only reduced Pb in grapes by 12% (p ˃ 0.05). Estimated daily and weekly intake through fruit and vegetable consumption were below provitional tolerable dietary intake established by the FAO. Although estimated dietary intake obtained in this study were below the maximum established limits, increased comsumption of these fruit and vegetables may bring about adverse health implications for the exposed population.

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