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Localization Of Francisella Pathogenicity Island-Encoded Secreted Proteins And Their Secretion System, Rebekah Frances Hare

Biological Sciences

Intracellular pathogens have evolved virulence genes that allow them to exploit host cells for their life cycles, and virulence genes are commonly located in pathogenicity islands, such as the Francisella pathogenicity island of Francisella tularensis. The Francisella pathogenicity island is linked to virulence, intracellular growth, and a type VI secretion system. Since the Francisella pathogenicity island encodes a secretion system, I hypothesize that Francisella pathogenicity island encoded proteins are secreted during infection of host cells. The molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this bacterium are not well understood and there are no readily available tools for studying these mechanisms. …

Effects Of Increased Snow On Growth And Allocation Patterns Of Arctic Plants, Claire E. Addis

Biological Sciences

While summer warming in the Arctic has led to an increase in shrub cover on the tundra, winter processes may enhance shrub growth. In particular, greater snow accumulation around shrub patches may alter plant growth by insulating soil and facilitating overwinter nitrogen mineralization by microbes, thereby increasing nutrients available to plants at spring thaw and influencing growth patterns. We used three snow fences located across a gradient of shrub height and density at Toolik Field Station to compare plant growth and nutrient uptake on either side of the fences. Species behaved individualistically, with some showing increased growth and nutrient uptake …

A Data Analytic Methodology For Materials Informatics, Osama Yousef Abuomar

Theses and Dissertations

A data analytic materials informatics methodology is proposed after applying different data mining techniques on some datasets of particular domain in order to discover and model certain patterns, trends and behavior related to that domain. In essence, it is proposed to develop an information mining tool for vapor-grown carbon nanofiber (VGCNF)/vinyl ester (VE) nanocomposites as a case study. Formulation and processing factors (VGCNF type, use of a dispersing agent, mixing method, and VGCNF weight fraction) and testing temperature were utilized as inputs and the storage modulus, loss modulus, and tan delta were selected as outputs or responses. The data mining …

A Multi-Compartment Model Of The Normal Menstrual Cycle: Integrating Hormonal, Ovarian, And Endometrial Elements, Victoria Lea Wolf

Theses and Dissertations

The uterine endometrium undergoes cyclical phases of cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and menstruation under the influence of the ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Since the data necessary to create a classical kinetic model of these signaling pathways is lacking, we used a Boolean network approach that includes the influences of various growth factors and the differential expression of their receptors under the influence of estrogen and progesterone. Results show a gain in endometrial tissue and loss of tissue during menstruation that mirrors what can be expected over the course of a normal menstrual cycle in women, where the endometrium typically …

A Petroleum Energy, Greenhouse Gas, And Economic Life Cycle Analysis Of Several Automotive Fuel Options, Matthew Carter Doude

Theses and Dissertations

A vehicle fuel’s life does not begin when that fuel is pumped into the tank or the battery is charged. Each kilowatt-hour of fuel that is used has a history traceable back to its original feedstock, be it crude oil, corn, solar energy, or others. In this thesis, a life cycle analysis is performed on E10, E85, B20, hydrogen, and electricity, with the well-to-pump fossil fuel energy use and greenhouse gas emissions compared. Results are presented in the form of either energy or mass per kilowatt of fuel at the plug or at the pump. An analysis of the economic …

Alternative Nitrogen For Subsequent Southern Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L.) Production Using Cool-Season Legumes, Mitchell Blake Holmberg

Theses and Dissertations

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has become an important bioenergy crop. Warm, winter temperatures in the southeastern USA allow for fall establishment and winter growth of cool-season legumes that may provide nitrogen to the spring perenniating crop of switchgrass. Data indicates variation due to year and location, but hairy vetch plots provided a greater nitrogen percentage in the subsequent biomass production of switchgrass. In 2011, switchgrass fertilized with 56 kg ha-1 N was greater than the control and in 2012 it was greater than the 28 kg ha-1 N treatment. Variation around the means prevented clear separation among other treatments. The …

The Effect Of Feeding Native Warm Season Grasses In The Stocker Phase On The Quality Of Beef Loin Steaks, Vikram Pandurang Kurve

Theses and Dissertations

Native Warm Season Grasses (NWSG) provide excellent wildlife habitat and are well adapted to the Southeastern United States. Steaks that were obtained from cattle fed NWSG in the stocker phase and finished on grain and tall fescue were subjected to simulated retail display for 0, 3, 6, and 9 days (graininished) and 0, 3, and 6 (forageinished) days respectively. Grain finished carcasses graded as choice and select while forage finished carcasses were both select and standard. Fat percentage was higher and moisture was lower in steaks from grain finished carcasses when compared to forage finished cattle. Lipid oxidation was lower …

Biomass Gasification: Catalytic Steam Reforming Of Tars Using Nickel Supported Zeolites And Montmorillonite, Prashanth R. Buchireddy

Theses and Dissertations

Tars have been identified as one of the major impurities associated with the utilization of biomass gasification fuel gas. Tars may result in blockages, plugging, corrosion and catalyst deactivation, leading to serious operational and maintenance problems during biomass gasification. Therefore, tar removal is essential to insure economic and effective fuel gas utilization. This study investigates the catalytic activity of zeolites, and nickel-supported zeolites for tar removal. Tests were conducted using a bench scale reactor and naphthalene as a model tar compound. Zeolites with varying pore sizes and acidity were tested to evaluate the effect of pore size and acidity on …

Biomass To Biofuel: Catalysis, Monitoring, And Utilization Of Biochar, Bidhya Kunwar

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of my research was the exploration of the conversion of biomass to an alternative liquid fuels. One focus was on online monitoring for the optimization of biomass gasification to improve the production of synthesis gas. To accomplish this goal, required development, assembly and testing of an instrument to monitor synthesis gas production from biomass gasification. Requirements for simplicity and the ability to separate complex mixtures of analytes to aid in their identification led to the development of a low cost, autosampling, portable gas chromatograph for the continuous online monitoring of biomass gasification during the production of synthesis gas …

Developing An Interactive Web-Based Database For Teaching Plant Materials, Kanchana S. Weerasinghe

Theses and Dissertations

In today’s increasingly fast-moving, complex, and competitive world, the need for flexibility and creativity in teaching and learning is crucial. For that reason, innovative educational methods should be introduced. In education, web-based learning and portable devices are emerging as teaching and learning aids which can be efficient and effective tools. Learning use and identification of ornamental plants are the main objectives of the plant materials courses offered by Department of Plant and Soils Sciences at Mississippi State University (MSU). The professors, teaching assistants (TA), and students use the MSU gardens to study and identify ornamental plant species. This can be …

Developing Management Recommendations For Hydrilla (Hydrilla Verticillata L.F. Royle) In The Ross Barnett Reservoir: A Community Approach, Bradley Todd Sartain

Theses and Dissertations

In order to develop recommendations for management of hydrilla at Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi a number of techniques were utilized. Point intercept surveys were conducted within known hydrilla sites at Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi in order to quantitatively assess chemical management for hydrilla control. Hydrilla tuber data were also collected during the winter and spring of 2012 and 2013. Tuber data were compared between the Ross Barnett Reservoir and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in order to see the effects of chemical management on hydrilla tuber bank dynamics. Water exchange data were collected using Rhodamine WT dye at Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi to …

Developmental Effects And Selection Pressure Of Genuity Vt3 Pro Field Corn On Corn Earworm, Helicoverpa Zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Michael Benjamin Von Kanel

Theses and Dissertations

Transgenic corn and cotton expressing crystalline (Cry) insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) were commercially introduced in 1996. This technology has greatly improved the control of several key lepidopteran insect pests tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Farbricius), pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella (Dyar), and European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, has been more difficult to control using Bt crops and supplemental insecticide applications are often needed to prevent economic losses. A major threat to the longevity of transgenic technology is the evolution of resistance, especially when an insect pest infests both …

Diffusive Gradients In Thin Film (Dgt): A Proposed Method To Find Geochemical Predictors Of Sediment Oxygen Demand, Jonathon Michael Geroux

Theses and Dissertations

Sediment Oxygen Demand (SOD) is the fluctuation of dissolved oxygen between the sediment from the overlying water. The method to acquire SOD values is inefficient and troubled by unreliable equipment. Diffusion gradients in thin film (DGT) are proposed as a potential method to collect geochemical proxy measures that can be used as SOD predictors. Field deployment of the DGTs was conducted at two locations to compare recovery and accuracy against ex-situ centrifuge methods. The results indicated DGT can be used as a statistically significant geochemical method. A principle component analysis was used to determine if reduced iron and manganese collected …

Preliminary Investigation Of Cellular Lipid Extraction Using Electroporation As An Enhancement Technique, Robert Mccomas

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the use of electroporation as an extraction method of lipids in oleaginous microorganisms. Electroporation is the process of placing a voltage gradient across a lipid membrane to create pores that vary in size and longevity with voltage magnitude and pulse duration. Once the voltage gradient is removed, the lipid membrane will seal the pore. The use of electroporation on oleaginous microorganisms to extract stored lipids could be a useful tool if the microorganism is allowed to regenerate and produce more lipids. Three high-lipid media were investigated: soybeans, Rhodococcus opacus (bacteria), and Rhodotorula glutinis (yeast). This study investigates …

Longitudinal Distribution Patterns And Habitat Associations Of Juvenile Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus Kisutch In Tributaries Of The Little Susitna River, Alaska, Kevin Michael Foley

Fisheries

Understanding how headwater streams function as rearing habitats for juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch is essential for effective population management and conservation. To inform habitat restoration activities within the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Alaska, I determined upstream distribution limits, validated abundance estimates, and established fish habitat relationships in two headwater stream tributaries of the Little Susitna River in 2010-11. Using a low-effort, spatially continuous sampling approach and linear mixed-effects models, I related local- and landscape-scale habitat associations to abundance estimates. All-aged coho salmon composed approximately 98% of all fish sampled and inhabited the entire stream length to their upstream limits. Age-1+ fish …

Toothed Whale Interactions With Longline Fisheries In Alaska, Megan J. Peterson

Fisheries

Killer whale (Orcinus orca) and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) depredation occurs when whales damage or remove fish caught on longline gear. This project used a mixed methods approach incorporating Generalized Linear and Additive Modeling techniques and social research methods, such as semi-directed interviews and written questionnaires, to evaluate: 1) spatio-temporal depredation trends, 2) depredation effects on groundfish catch rates, and 3) socio-economic implications of depredation avoidance and changing fishing practices due to whale interactions. The occurrence of killer whale depredation varied by target species and area based on National Marine Fisheries Service longline survey data and observer commercial fishery data …

The Effects Of Ocean Acidification On Walleye Pollock (Theragra Chalcogramma) Early Life History Stages, Elena R. Fernandez

Marine Biology

Since the Industrial Revolution of the late 1700's, atmospheric and marine carbon dioxide levels have drastically increased. Ocean acidification is the result of the shift in the marine carbon cycle caused by the increase in marine and atmospheric carbon dioxide. Changing environmental conditions caused by ocean acidification have been shown to have adverse effects on different marine species as well as life history stages. As a result, ecologically and economically important teleost fish species such as walleye Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) could be adversely affected by ocean acidification conditions. This study explores the responses of walleye pollock eggs and larvae incubated …

Pacific Walrus Use Of Higher Trophic Level Prey And The Relation To Sea Ice Extent, Body Condition, And Trichinellosis, Jill-Marie Seymour

Marine Biology

The changing Arctic ecosystem may prompt Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) to change their usual diet of lower trophic level prey (e.g., benthic invertebrates) by increasing the consumption of higher trophic level prey (HTLP). Prey-switching may have consequences to walrus populations through increased energetic costs, increased stress response, declines in body condition, and exposure to diseases, including the zoonotic parasite Trichinella spp. Trichinella is possibly transmitted to walruses via predation or scavenging on seals. The goal of this study was to quantify reliance on HTLP using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, and assess potential correlations among consumption of HTLP …

Herbicide Safening To Aid In The Establishment Of Three Native Warm Season Grass Species, Jesse Spencer Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Difficulties with stand establishment are a major factor limiting further agronomic use of native warm season grasses. One significant cause of stand failure is competition with rapidly growing annual weed species during the early development of the perennial native grass. Broad spectrum preemergent herbicides can provide the needed weed control, but only if tolerance exists in the desired grass. Herbicide safeners, synthetic compounds that protect crops from herbicide injury, applied as seed treatments offer a potential strategy to achieving the needed herbicide tolerance where it does not naturally occur. This study tested the efficacy of five herbicide safeners (benoxacor, fenclorim, …

Induction Of Heat Shock Proteins In Cold- Adapted And Coldacclimated Fishes, Laura Elizabeth Teigen

Biological Sciences

I examined the effects of oxidative stress and changes in temperature on heat shock protein (Hsp) levels in cold-adapted and cold-acclimated fishes. Adaptation of Antarctic notothenioids to cold temperature is correlated with high levels of Hsps, thought to minimize cold-induced protein denaturation. Hsp70 levels were measured in red- and white-blooded Antarctic notothenioid fishes exposed to their critical thermal maximum (CTMax), 4°C warm acclimated, and notothenioids from different latitudes. I determined the effect of cold acclimation on Hsp levels and the role of sirtuins in regulating Hsp expression and changes in metabolism in threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, cold-acclimated to 8°C. Levels …

Opportunistic Survey Data Of Common Gull (Larus Canus) And Other Detections In An Urban Environment, Downtown Fairbanks, Interior Alaska During Mid-May 2014, Falk Huettmann, Mark Spangler

Faculty

This dataset presents a Common Gull (Mew Gull, Larus canus, Taxonomic Serial Number TSN 176832) survey data set for urban areas and stripmall parking lots (app. 300mx600m), super markets, fast food restaurants, gravel pits, small ponds and the riverside (Chena) in Fairbanks, interior Alaska located app. 120 miles south of the arctic circle. We did geo-referenced 50 point surveys and detections in a rapid assessment fashion. Some opportunistic data were also taken when cruising. Gull data included detection width to obtain correction factors. Data were geo-referenced with a GPS in decimal degrees (latitude and longitude, geographic datum of WGS84) collected …

Meaning-Making Among Medical Students: Development Of A Quantitative Measure Of Self-Authorship, Robert Fallar

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Preparation for and application to medical school, as well as the subsequent medical training of matriculating students, can have an important impact on psychosocial development. The premedical baccalaureate is the traditional preparation for medical school, although many medical schools also offer a separate entry path through early assurance programs that provide conditional acceptance in the sophomore year of college. These programs may provide freedom in the remainder of the baccalaureate program to explore the liberal arts, which could be a source of differential development of non-cognitive skills among medical students. Self-authorship is defined as the ability to define one’s beliefs, …

The Evolutionary History Of Reproductive Strategies In Sculpins Of The Subfamily Oligocottinae, Thaddaeus J. Buser

Fisheries

The sculpin subfamily Oligocottinae is a group of 17 nearshore species and is noteworthy for the fact that it contains both intertidal and subtidal species, copulating and noncopulating species, and many species with very broad geographic ranges. These factors, as well as the consistency with which the constituent genera have been grouped together historically, make the Oligocottinae an ideal group for the study of the evolution of a reproductive mode known as internal gamete association (IGA), which is unique to sculpins. I conducted a phylogenetic study of the oligocottine sculpins based on an extensive molecular dataset consisting of DNA sequences …

Population Genetics And Mating Structure Of Blue King Crab (Paralithodes Platypus), Jennifer L. Stoutamore

Fisheries

Blue king crab (Paralithodes platypus Brandt, 1850) has been an economically important species in Alaska since the 1970s, but its abundance has decreased substantially since the mid-1980s. Despite Fishery closures, abundances have not rebounded to previous levels. This failure has highlighted the dearth of information on the species and the need for research into genetic population structure and reproductive biology in order to better inform management efforts. Blue king crab tissue and hemolymph samples were collected from eight geographically distinct locations in Southeast Alaska, the Bering Sea, and Russia (n = 770). Allele frequencies at 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci were …

2014 Lynn University Commencement Program - Undergraduate Day Students, Lynn University

Commencement Programs

The commencement program for Lynn University's 2014 Undergraduate Day Students, held on Saturday, May 17, 2014 in the Count and Countess de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center.

The commencement speaker was David Flink, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Eye to Eye.

The Effect Of Groundwater Withdrawals From The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer On Water Quantity And Quality In The Mississippi Delta, Jeannie R B Barlow

Theses and Dissertations

Watersheds within northwestern Mississippi, a productive agricultural region referred to as the Delta, were recently identified as contributors of total nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes to the Gulf of Mexico. Water withdrawals for irrigation in the Delta have altered flow paths between surface-water and groundwater systems, allowing for more surface-water losses to the underlying alluvial aquifer. In order to understand how to manage nitrogen in a watershed, it is necessary to identify and quantify hydrologic flow paths and biogeochemical conditions along these flow paths, which ultimately combine to determine transport and fate. In order to evaluate the extent and role of …

The Renaissance Of Isothermal Titration Calorimetry, Vu Hoang Le

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a composite of some of the research that I have conducted during the course of my PhD study. The larger goal of this dissertation is to renew the interests among the scientific community for an otherwise under-appreciated technique called Isothermal Titration Calorimetry. The resurgence of calorimetry in the biophysical community and the shift to investigations of more complex biological systems signal a real need for more sophisticated analysis techniques. This dissertation expounds on new ITC analysis methods that we have developed as well as results from the study of thermodynamic properties of higher order DNA structures. In …

The Social And Political Resiliency Of Communities And Implications For Disaster Policy: A Case Study Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Tonya Thornton-Neaves

Theses and Dissertations

Societal risks to disasters are continually increasing and the scope of policy issues surrounding emergency management in the United States remains inundated with a number of challenges. Examining the connection between social capital and political trust is paramount as prior studies have documented that if communal networks are disrupted, there will be a lasting negative impact upon the community. As such, there are specific events that cause added strain which make certain time periods for examining levels of resiliency relevant. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill that occurred on April 20, 2010, represents a large-scale, technological disaster. Not only was there …

Quantification And Analysis Of Mortuary Practices At Morton Shell Mound (16ib3), Iberia Parish, Louisiana, Jessica Caroline Stanton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to assess the mortuary program at Morton Shell Mound (16IB3) using osteological and spatial analyses. Because of the fragmented and commingled nature of the remains, the analysis of mortuary practices includes quantitative assessment of the elements, examination of bone fracture patterns, and distributional analyses of the fragments. The collection includes 15,714 fragments with a total of 93 individuals represented. The elements exhibit primarily late-stage postmortem fractures, and are randomly distributed throughout the mound. These data indicate a complex mortuary program that that may have been used for longer than 900 years. Morton has the …

Sequencing And Analysis Of The Flavobacterium Columnare Atcc 49512 Genome, Hasan Cihad Tekedar

Theses and Dissertations

Flavobacterium columnare is a Gram negative fish pathogen that causes columnaris disease, which infects populations of wild and cultured fish species. However, pathogenic mechanisms of F. columnare are largely unknown. The purpose of this research is to obtain the complete sequence of the F. columnare ATCC 49512 genome to advance pathogenesis research and increase our understanding of this pathogen. To accomplish this, genome sequencing by using Sanger and 454 sequencing was conducted. The sequences were assembled, gaps were filled, and the circular genome was autoannotated. The F. columnare genome size is 3.2 Mb and AT rich (68.5% AT). It contains …