Digital Commons Network^™

Listeria Occurrence In Poultry Flocks: Detection And Potential Implications, Michael J. Rothrock Jr., Morgan L. Davis, Aude Locatelli, Aaron Bodie, Tori G. Mcintosh, Janet R. Donaldson, Steven C. Ricke

Faculty Publications

Foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, and Listeria are a major concern within the food industry due to their pathogenic potential to cause infection. Of these, Listeria monocytogenes, possesses a high mortality rate (approximately 20%) and is considered one of the most dangerous foodborne pathogens. Although the usual reservoirs for Listeria transmission have been extensively studied, little is known about the relationship between Listeria and live poultry production. Sporadic and isolated cases of listeriosis have been attributed to poultry production and Listeria spp. have been isolated from all stages of poultry production and processing. Farm studies …

Induced Aberrant Organisms With Novel Ability To Protect Intestinal Integrity From Inflammation In An Animal Model, Helieh S. Oz

Physiology Faculty Publications

Abstract: Robust and balanced gut microbiota are required to support health and growth. Overgrowth of gut microbial or pathogens can change ecosystem balance, and compromise gut integrity to initiate gastrointestinal (GI) complications. There is no safe and effective modality against coccidiosis. Antibiotic additives routinely fed to food animals to protect against infection, are entered into the food chain, contaminate food products and pass to the consumers. Hypothesis: induced aberrant organisms possess distinct ultrastructure and are tolerated by immunodeficient-animals yet are non-pathogenic, but immunogenic in various strains of chicks to act as a preventive (vaccine) and eliminating the needs for antibiotic …

Interrupted High-Rate Compression Of Porcine Brain Tissue Utilizing The Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar Method, Haden Andrew Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a growing concern among American citizens and globally. This study proposes the use of a novel mechanical testing method for interrupting adult porcine brain tissue while under varying levels of high rate compressive strain to better understand the mechanical response of brain while under TBI inducing conditions. Testing was performed using a polymeric Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) along with customized attachments developed in-house to interrupt tissue samples at strain levels of 15%, 30%, and 40% while being compressed at strain rates of 650, 800, and 900 s-1. Following interruption, the samples were chemically fixed …

Using Molecular Dynamics To Quantify Biaxial Membrane Damage In A Multiscale Modeling Framework For Traumatic Brain Injury, Michael Anthony Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigates the effect of strain state, strain rate, and membrane planar area on phospholipid bilayer mechanoporation and failure. Using molecular dynamics, a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) bilayer was deformed biaxially to represent injury-induced neuronal membrane mechanoporation and failure. For all studies, water forming a bridge through both phospholipid bilayer leaflets was used as a failure metric. To examine the effect of strain state, 72 phospholipid structures were subjected to equibiaxial, 2:1 non-equibiaxial, 4:1 non-equibiaxial, strip biaxial, and uniaxial tensile deformations at the von Mises strain rate of 5.45 × 108 s-1. The stress magnitude, failure strain, headgroup clustering, and …

Bfs News Online, Georgia Southern University

Art: News & Publications (2008-2023)

• Ceramic Artist Kevin Turner visits for workshop, artist talk on handbuilding techniques, translucent porcelain
• Animator, Creator of ‘Doug’ TV Series to Visit Georgia Southern

Preclinical Evaluation Of Spatial Frequency Domain-Enabled Wide-Field Quantitative Imaging For Enhanced Glioma Resection, Mira Sibai, Carl Fisher, Israel Veilleux, Jonathan T. Elliot, Frederic Leblond, David W. Roberts, Brian Wilson

Dartmouth Scholarship

5-Aminolevelunic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence-guided resection (FGR) enables maximum safe resection of glioma by providing real-time tumor contrast. However, the subjective visual assessment and the variable intrinsic optical attenuation of tissue limit this technique to reliably delineating only high-grade tumors that display strong fluorescence. We have previously shown, using a fiber-optic probe, that quantitative assessment using noninvasive point spectroscopic measurements of the absolute PpIX concentration in tissue further improves the accuracy of FGR, extending it to surgically curable low-grade glioma. More recently, we have shown that implementing spatial frequency domain imaging with a fluorescent-light transport model enables recovery of …

Towards A Privacy Rule Conceptual Model For Smart Toys, Laura Rafferty, Patrick C. K. Hung, Marcelo Fantinato, Sarajane Marques Peres, Farkhund Iqbal, Sy-Yen Kuo, Shih-Chia Huang

All Works

A smart toy is defined as a device consisting of a physical toy component that connects to one or more toy computing services to facilitate gameplay in the cloud through networking and sensory technologies to enhance the functionality of a traditional toy. A smart toy in this context can be effectively considered an Internet of Things (IoT) with Artificial Intelligence (AI) which can provide Augmented Reality (AR) experiences to users. In this paper, the first assumption is that children do not understand the concept of privacy and the children do not know how to protect themselves online, especially in a …

Evaluating Different Approaches For The Delivery Of Probiotics To Broilers At Different Life Stages, Claudia Duneska Castaneda Bustillo

Theses and Dissertations

Probiotics are an alternative to increase broiler productivity and flock health. For this reason, the objective of the first study was to evaluate commercially available Bacillus spp. based probiotic products on their ability to reduce Salmonella Heidelberg, in vitro. Results showed that most products reduced the lower concentrations of S. Heidelberg and maintained a reduction for up to 8 h. The second study was conducted to determine if bacterial colonization occurred in a broiler chick after in ovo injection. Using bioluminescence, it was demonstrated that bacteria could migrate and colonize the embryo within 2 h after in ovo injection into …

Sexual Dimorphism In Striatal Dopaminergic Responses Promotes Monogamy In Social Songbirds, Kirill Tokarev, Julia Hyland Bruno, Iva Ljubicic, Paresh J. Kothari, Santosh A. Helekar, Ofer Tchernichovski, Henning U. Voss

Publications and Research

In many songbird species, males sing to attract females and repel rivals. How can gregarious, non-territorial songbirds such as zebra finches, where females have access to numerous males, sustain monogamy? We found that the dopaminergic reward circuitry of zebra finches can simultaneously promote social cohesion and breeding boundaries. Surprisingly, in unmated males but not in females, striatal dopamine neurotransmission was elevated after hearing songs. Behaviorally too, unmated males but not females persistently exchanged mild punishments in return for songs. Song reinforcement diminished when dopamine receptors were blocked. In females, we observed song reinforcement exclusively to the mate’s song, although their …

Sequentially Rotated Virtual Antenna Array Using A Single Conducting Patch, Ali Isam Hammoodi

Theses and Dissertations

Circularly polarized microstrip antennas are attractive due to their low profile, conformability, compatibility with MMIC, and low cost. Numerous circularly polarized microstrip antenna designs have been proposed to achieve high gain with an axial ratio typically less than 3 dB for a narrow range of elevation and azimuth angles around the boresight. One well-known and popular design approach is the sequentially rotated antenna array, in which sufficiently separated, arbitrarily polarized antenna elements and their excitation are progressively rotated and phase shifted in the spatial and temporal domains, respectively. Traditionally, the antenna elements must be excited by a separate feeding network …

Phosphorus Occurrence And Origin In The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer In Northwestern Mississippi, Claire Elise Rose

Theses and Dissertations

The median total dissolved phosphorus concentration (0.41 mg/L P) of groundwater from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s stream nutrient criteria (of 0.1 mg/L P) and the national background for phosphorus in groundwater (0.02 mg/L P). A general association between elevated phosphorus and dissolved iron concentrations suggests that reducing conditions that mobilize iron in the aquifer also may facilitate transport of phosphorus. These elevated concentrations of phosphorus may indicate phosphorus in the study area may be concentrated through irrigation return flow and groundwater discharge, and may contribute to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. …

Phylogeny Of Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) A Morphological Approach With Enhanced Whole Mount Staining Techniques, Christi Jaeger

Theses and Dissertations

A comprehensive review of whole mount staining revealed an enhanced staining method to improve visibility of morphological structures. Ultimately, five factors vital to stain quality were identified, with pH being a primary factor. Phylogenetic relationships of all 22 tribes of Tortricidae, representing 57 genera and 78 species (distributed in Neotropical, Nearctic, Palearctic, Oriental, and Australian regions), were investigated based on 52 morphological characters, including incorporation of 27 novel non-traditional characters of the endo- and exoskeleton. The phylogenetic analysis yielded five equally parsimonious trees (length 389 steps, CI=0.2571, RI=0.7051), a strict consensus (length 392 steps, CI=0.2551, RI= 0.7021) of which produced …

Winter Cover Crops, Fall Applied Poultry Litter, And N Fertilization Effects On Soil Quality And Health Indicators, Apisit Boupai

Theses and Dissertations

Soil quality and health indicators are necessary to monitor and improve the agricultural sustainability. This experiment was conducted at Mississippi State, MS between 2015 and 2016. Soil samples were taken to determine bulk density, enzymatic activity, and total C and N. Results indicated greater bulk density, total C and N, and enzymatic activity for inter-row position than for within the corn row which was disturbed by strip-tillage. Soil bulk density tended to increase with soil depth; however, total C and N and total microbial activity decreased with depth both years. Total soil C and N increased from 2015 to 2016. …

Evaluation Of A Modified Infraorbital Approach For A Maxillary Nerve Block For Rhinoscopy With Nasal Biopsy Of Dogs, Kristen Michelle Fizzano

Theses and Dissertations

A maxillary nerve block via a modified infraorbital approach, applied before rhinoscopy and nasal biopsy, would decrease nociception, minimize cardiorespiratory anesthetic effects, and improve recoveries. In a crossover study, bupivacaine or equivalent volume of saline was administered to 8 healthy dogs via a modified infraorbital approach into each pterygopalatine region. Rhinoscopy and nasal biopsy were performed. Heart rate, blood pressure, plasma cortisol and norepinephrine concentrations, purposeful movement, and pain scores were monitored. Following a 14-day washout, dogs received the alternate treatment on the contralateral side. Blood pressures were significantly higher for the saline treatment than bupivacaine treatment. Plasma cortisol concentrations …

Identification Of Quantitative Trait Loci Contributing Resistance To Aflatoxin Accumulation In Maize Inbreds Mp715 And Mp717, Jesse Spencer Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Pre-harvest contamination of maize grain with aflatoxin is a chronic problem worldwide and particularly in the southeastern U.S. Aflatoxin is a mycotoxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus, an opportunistic ear-rot pathogen of maize (Zea mays). Resistance to aflatoxin accumulation is heritable, and resistant germplasm-lines are available. These lines are derived from “exotic” genetic backgrounds and were released as sources of resistance, not parental inbreds. However, all current sources of resistance are quantitative, which complicates conventional efforts to introgress resistance alleles from unadapted but resistant donor lines to adapted but susceptible recipient lines. Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL) and their …

Impact Of Nanotechnology-Based Semen Purification On Reproduction Of Gilts And Developmental Performance Of Offspring, Casey Lynn Durfey

Theses and Dissertations

Semen contain a heterogeneous population of viable and non-viable (damaged) spermatozoa. Proportions of non-viable spermatozoa interfere with male fertility, with available techniques unable to selectively remove prior to breeding. Nanobiotechnology may allow removal, enriching semen with high quality spermatozoa for improved productivity. Here, we applied double nanopurification with boar semen using functionalized magnetic nanoparticles. Non-viable and viable spermatozoa were magnetically separated and verified through various microscopy imaging. Viable (nanopurified) spermatozoa showed no additional damages. Nanopurification did not interfere with sperm motility and viability, with beneficial effects on motion parameters. Nanopurified spermatozoa maintained fertility following insemination, with resulting offspring indicating no …

Advancing Our Understanding Of The Edwardsiella, Stephen Ralph Reichley

Theses and Dissertations

Diseases caused by Edwardsiella spp. are responsible for significant losses in wild and cultured fishes around the world. Historically, Edwardsiella tarda has been considered the most phenotypically and genotypically heterogeneous member of the genus. Investigations into intraspecific variability of E. tarda demonstrated isolates previously classified as E. tarda actually represent three genetically distinct yet phenotypically ambiguous groups, leading to the adoption of E. piscicida and E. anguillarum as discrete taxa. Current genomic investigations have demonstrated significant differences between these organisms. To this end, real-time quantitative PCR assays were developed to quickly and accurately detect the pathogens in pond water, fish …

By Degree: A History Of Heat In The Subtropical American South, Jason Hauser

Theses and Dissertations

Heat has a history, both because temperatures changed and the way humans understand and experience those temperatures changed. This dissertation excavates that history by examining how southern heat—heat considered distinct to the subtropical American South—affected the social, economic, and political development of the United States. This dissertation argues that southern heat proved consequential for the nation as both a physical force and human construct, and that only by keeping the materiality of relatively high temperatures in conversation with the idea of heat does a full history of southern heat emerge. By looking at how humans interacted with southern heat, both …

Effect Of Water Hardness On Adsorption Of Lead From Aqueous Solution Using Douglas Fir Biochar, Dhara Gogri

Theses and Dissertations

Water pollution due to heavy metals can be hazardous to both the environment and human health. The aim of this research is to provide a low-cost alternative for lead remediation. Biochar was produced from the fast pyrolysis of Douglas fir (DBC). Magnetic biochar (MDBC) was synthesized by mixing aqueous biochar suspensions with an aqueous Fe3+/Fe2+ solution. In chapter I, an overview of lead as an emergent contaminant is given. Different biochar production techniques have been discussed along with different mechanism of adsorption of lead onto biochar. Chapter II is a study of adsorption of lead on DBC and MDBC under …

Effects Of Feed Additive Strategies For Commercial Broiler Production And Gut Health, Courtney Elizabeth Ennis

Theses and Dissertations

The total removal of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) from poultry feed is underway in the United States. Feed additive strategies will be utilized to maintain the efficient growth, health, and economic value found with current commercial broiler production. Experiment 1 investigated the effects of feeding an encapsulated butyric acid and zinc product (EBAZ) at 3 inclusions on d 0- 49 Ross x Ross 708 male and female broiler performance, blood chemistry, and cecal short-chain fatty acid content. These data suggest that EBAZ can be safely included at 0.5 g/kg and at 2.5 g/kg into diets for Ross x Ross 708 …

Body Fat Determination Of Stock-Type Horses In Varying Body Condition By Carcass Dissection, Rump Fat Thickness, And Deuterium Oxide Dilution And Fatty Acid Composition Of Adipose Tissues, Emily Nicole Ferjak

Theses and Dissertations

The primary objectives of the study were to compare 2 body fat (%, BF) prediction methods for stock-type horses by rump fat thickness (RFT) and D2O dilution with actual tissue fat analysis by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and to identify the relationships among BF, BCS, and physical measurements. Secondary objectives were to determine the fatty acid (FA) composition of mesenteric (MS), cardiac (CD), subcutaneous (SC), intermuscular (IM), and leaf fat (LF) and to identify relationships between of FA composition and BCS in horses. Results indicated that D2O dilution is an accurate predictor of BF, and RFT alone does not accurately predict …

Engendering Landscape: A Gendered Analysis Of Migration To The Buffer Zone Of Carara National Park, Costa Rica, Jessica Ann Arends

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses gender as a lens of analysis for understanding the motivations of internal migrants in their decision to move to the 10 kilometer buffer zone of Carara National Park in Costa Rica. The thesis is in reaction to Wittemyer et al.’s (2008) article that statistically demonstrates that population levels at the borders of study selected national parks and protected areas across Africa and Latin America are growing due to in-migration. The study is composed of 30 interviews with Costa Rican migrants who live in three communities inside Carara’s buffer zone. This study used cultural consensus analysis and semi-structured …

Development Of A Pharmacodynamic Assay To Assess The Effect Of Cyclosporine In The Canine Patient, Caitlin Nicole Riggs

Theses and Dissertations

Cyclosporine is used in veterinary medicine to treat a number of inflammatory and immune-mediated conditions, however firm oral dosing protocols have yet to be established in the dog. Traditionally a pharmacokinetic approach, through measurement of blood drug concentrations, has been the primary method of establishing if the given dose is effectively suppressing the immune system. However, there is some debate over how well blood drug concentrations correspond to immunosuppression, since individuals can vary in response to the same drug concentration. Our research group believes that a pharmacodynamic approach could alternatively be used to accurately determine cyclosporine dosages in individual patients …

Efficacy Of Bentonite And Calcium Montmorillonite Clays At Reducing Aflatoxin M1 Transfer In Lactating Holsteins, Sarah Caitlin Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring carcinogens found on grains, particularly in warmer climates. Because of their carcinogenic properties, they are strictly regulated and are only allowed in minimal amounts. Aflatoxin B1, the most potent naturally occurring carcinogen known, is metabolized in the liver to form aflatoxin M1, which is present in the milk of lactating animals. If aflatoxin concentrations are elevated above legal limits, the milk cannot be used for human consumption. Because of this, research has been conducted to evaluate ways to mitigate its absorption in the animal and prevent transfer to the milk. One such way is through the …

Identifying Factors Affecting The Presence And Abundance Of Invasive Tree Species In Mississippi, Jun Zhai

Theses and Dissertations

The presence and spread of invasive tree species have caused great ecological and economic damages. Previous studies usually ignored the role of socioeconomic factors and seldom treated presence and abundance as different phenomena. Using Classification and Regression Trees (CART) analysis, important driving factors affecting the presence and abundance of invasive tree species in Mississippi were identified. Then these selected important factors were spatially analyzed using a spatial lag model at the plot and county levels. The empirical results from the spatial lag model showed that: 1) presence was associated with elevation, ownership, population density and per capita annual income; 2) …

Recreational Firewood Movement As A Vector Of Non-Native Woodborers In Mississippi, Matthew John Thorn

Theses and Dissertations

Recreational firewood collected from campers in Mississippi State Parks was investigated for factors associated with insect presence and their diversity. Insects were found in 20% of firewood and evidence of past feeding was found in 64.8%. Representatives of 35 families of insects were reared from collected firewood. These included representatives of Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Curculionidae, Formicidae, and Rhinotermitidae. The effects of firewood age, moisture content, and source were also examined as effects on insect presence in firewood. At the same time, a survey of campers’ beliefs and attitudes about non-native woodborers was conducted. Exposure to public awareness campaigns had the strongest …

Fed Cattle Marketing: A Field Experiment, Matthew Gregory Janzen

Theses and Dissertations

To improve meat quality and consistency, cattle feeders have moved towards implementing end-point marketing strategies (EPM) based on visual estimates of physiological characteristics. A commonly used 0.5 inch backfat target was used in this analysis. Recognizing that physiological targets will not necessarily result in profit maximization; this research developed a profit maximization rule (PMR) that accounts for the dynamics of animal growth, output prices and costs. A natural field experiment was conducted in Iowa to evaluate the potential for the PMR. One hundred twenty three fed cattle were randomly assigned into two treatments (PMR and EPM). Realized profit results indicate …

An Economic Analysis Of Alternative Conservation Practices Used To Mitigate Non-Point Source Pollution In Mississippi Agriculture, Daniel Sharp Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

The agricultural industry in the United States has seen unprecedented growth in productivity and changes in industry structure. However, some negative environmental effects have emerged related to nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment runoff. This study developed a novel, community economic systems methodology called the Biophysical and Economic Simulation of Agricultural Production (BESAP) model. This analyzed the economic tradeoff between farm and community level impacts associated with potential water quality standards for mitigating runoff in Mississippi. Key findings include: 1) farm-level net returns decrease with more stringent conservation practices to reduce nutrient runoff; 2) reductions in farm-level net returns have greater indirect …

Analysis Of Instructional Activities On The Acquisition Of Social Skills, Hallie Marie Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine which of 3 instructional activities, when combined with behavioral skills training (BST) was the most effective at eliciting prosocial behaviors, decreasing maladaptive behaviors, and increasing the occurrence of a target social skill. Additionally, this study sought to determine if this model of group intervention (combining BST with various activities) was an effective approach at addressing social skills deficits of elementary-aged children. Four children, ages 6 to 8 years old, participated in this study, which took place at a university-based school psychology services clinic in the Southeastern United States. Overall, results of this …

Testing The Life History Approach: Assessing Cultural Bias In Archaeological Mussel Shell Assemblages In The Tombigbee River Drainage, Sarah Kate Mckinney

Theses and Dissertations

Zooarchaeological mussel shell assemblages can be affected by an array of biases, one of which is cultural bias. Cultural biases may be exhibited in the transport of mussels from nonlocal mussel beds, and/or in preferential taste. There are a few methods used to help determine if cultural biases are at play (e.g., nestedness and detrended correspondence analysis). This thesis aims to test a new method, the life history approach, to determine if it is a viable method for assessing cultural bias in prehistoric mussel assemblages from the Tombigbee River drainage. Shell assemblages from the drainage previously have been demonstrated to …