Digital Commons Network^™

Studying Mass And Mechanical Property Changes During The Degradation Of A Bioadhesive With Mass Tracking, Rheology And Magnetoelastic (Me) Sensors, Zhongtian Zhang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In this research, the degradable polymer 4-arm poly (ethylene glycol)-glutaric acid-dopamine (PEG-GA-DM₄) was synthesized. The degradation behavior of crosslinked PEG-GA-DM₄ bioadhesive was studied with mass tracking, oscillatory rheology, and magnetoelastic (ME) sensors. Changes in mechanical properties were correlated with both dry mass and wet mass changes during the degradation. The results indicate that the loss of mechanical property in the bioadhesive can take place without losing the dry mass. The mass loss profile cannot describe the degradation behavior completely. In addition to studying the degradation of PEG-GA-DM₄, this research also confirms the application of ME …

Intraspecific Genetic Variation, Population Structure, And Performance Of The Invasive Aquatic Macrophyte Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum Spicatum) In Waterbodies With And Without Histories Of Chemical Herbicide Treatment Across Michigan, Taylor Zallek

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Populations of invasive species are often subjected to novel selective forces in the form of anthropogenic control agents in their introduced ranges. These control agents, applied unevenly among populations within a species’ new range, can send invasive populations on drastically different evolutionary and ecological trajectories. In these studies, we aimed to see if different histories of chemical herbicide treatment are differentially influencing the genetic diversity, structure, and performance of populations of invasive watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum and M. spicatum x M. sibiricum hybrids) from waterbodies in the state of Michigan. We sampled ten waterbodies with different histories of herbicide treatment …

Morphology And Mixing State Of Soot And Tar Balls: Implications For Optical Properties And Climate, Janarjan Bhandari

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Soot particles form during incomplete combustion of carbonaceous materials. These particles strongly absorb light and directly affect Earth’s climate by warming our atmosphere. When freshly emitted, soot particles have a fractal-like morphology consisting of aggregates of carbon spherules. During atmospheric processing, soot aggregates interact with other materials present in our atmosphere (i.e., other aerosol or condensable vapors) and these interactions can result in the formation of coated, mixed or compacted soot particles with different morphologies. Any process that alters the morphology (shape, size and internal structure) and mixing state of soot also affects its optical properties, which in turn affect …

Addressing Policy Challenges To Woody Biopower Production: Social Acceptance, Biomass Certification And Limited Policy Support, John B. Barnett

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Forestlands have been identified as a valuable resource to mitigate climate change due to the biome’s capacity to both sequester greenhouse gases and substitute for fossil fuels. Woody biomass has been proposed as a substitutable input for coalgenerated electricity as economies attempt to transition to renewable power while addressing economic development goals. However, increasing the intensity of forest management for energy production has the potential to result in significant ecological, economic and social consequences at local, regional and global scales. In this context, my dissertation explores the capacity of existing policy frameworks to stimulate and support sustainable power production from …

How Do Angry Drivers Respond To Emotional Music? A Comprehensive Perspective On Assessing Emotion, Seyedeh Maryam Fakhr Hosseini

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Driving is a complicated task that requires the coordination of visual and sensory-motor skills. Unsafe driving behavior and accidents can happen regardless of the level of drivers’ experience. The main cause of the most of these accidents is human error. Emotions influence the way drivers process and react to internal or environmental factors. Specifically, anger elicited either from traffic or personal issues, is a serious threat on the road. Therefore, having an affective intelligent system in the car that can estimate drivers’ anger and respond to it appropriately can help drivers adapt to moment to-moment changes in driving situations. To …

A Journey Towards Understanding Biology Holistically At The Nanoscale, Trevor Moser

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Characterizing biological processes with microscopy techniques that allow one to directly visualize the complexity of life is an important component of understanding both physiological function and structure. The wide spectrum of biological structures from individual proteins to whole ecosystems necessitates that multiple techniques are used to characterize all levels of organization. While existing techniques cover portions of this spectrum, continued improvement of established methods and development of new techniques is needed. This dissertation outlines my journey in enabling new approaches for imaging biosystems at various scales. Chapters 1 and 2 provide motivation for bioimaging and background for the use of …

Optimizing Chlorine Disinfection By Chlorine Injection Location And Pipe Diameter Selection In A Water Distribution System, Margaret Neff

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Due to a variety of factors chlorination is common water disinfectant for community-scale distribution systems. The town of Suyo, Peru was already equipped with a gravity fed water system and drip chlorinator which achieved 4-log inactivation of viruses throughout the town, however, it was not providing 3-log inactivation of giardia cysts at all points of the system.

This project used an EPANET model to determine and compare the potential benefits of changes which could be made to the pre-existing water system in Suyo.

The model was used to compare current operating conditions of the Suyo system, 1.5 mg/L chlorine addition …

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs): A Legacy Of Contamination In Michigan's Rivers, Emily Shaw

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous contaminants worldwide and are the most frequent contaminant at US and bi-national Great Lakes areas of concern (AOCs). This study evaluated existing evidence to answer the questions: how does total PCB contamination compare between fish species, are there spatial patterns in PCB contamination in fish species, and have our remediation efforts been effective? Using multi-variate statistics (e.g. analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA), and multiple linear regression (MLR)), this research evaluated Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) fish contaminant monitoring data to attempt to answer the questions above.

PCB concentrations between the species …

Molecular Biogeochemistry Of A Poor Fen, Zhimin Song

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Variations in climate may rapidly change the carbon balance of peatlands and increase greenhouse gas emissions through accelerated decomposition of peat and dissolved organic matter (DOM). In this study, porewater samples were collected monthly from May to October in 2017 to study the effects of plant functional groups (PFGs) on DOM, dissolved inorganic and organic nitrogen through the season in a poor fen with replicate plots dominated by different PFGs in Nestoria, Michigan, USA (46.34˚N 88.16˚W). The composition of the peat porewater showed strong statistical significance with plot type and season.The observed PFG and season impact on the composition of …

First-Principles Investigation Of The Interfacial Properties Of Boron Nitride, Kevin Waters

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The interactions of nanomaterial surfaces with biological compounds, e.g. proteins, DNA, etc., unites the biological regime and nanomaterial world. Hybrid systems of boron-nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and biological compounds are well-suited for a broad range of applications. First-principles methods are used to characterize the interface of these hybrid systems. Previous work has shown that the sensing capabilities of pristine BNNT are limited by long-ranged interactions. In this study the surfaces of pristine and functionalized BNNTs are investigated. The surfaces of the functionalized BNNTs give new properties to the tubes, which may enhance their sensing capabilities, while retaining their stability and chemical …

Wildfire Emissions In The Context Of Global Change And The Implications For Mercury Pollution, Aditya Kumar

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Wildfires are episodic disturbances that exert a significant influence on the Earth system. They emit substantial amounts of atmospheric pollutants, which can impact atmospheric chemistry/composition and the Earth’s climate at the global and regional scales. This work presents a collection of studies aimed at better estimating wildfire emissions of atmospheric pollutants, quantifying their impacts on remote ecosystems and determining the implications of 2000s-2050s global environmental change (land use/land cover, climate) for wildfire emissions following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A1B socioeconomic scenario.

A global fire emissions model is developed to compile global wildfire emission inventories for major atmospheric …

The Dynamic Nature Of Forage Preference And Microhistological Atlas, John J. Henderson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Moose, Alces alces, are among the most iconic species in the northern circumpolar temperate forests. Multiple factors influence moose density. Winter is a time of severe dietary stress for moose because deciduous trees are leafless and available forage is limited to conifers with high plant secondary metabolites or low-energy deciduous twigs. Forage preference depends on the intrinsic forage properties, abundance of forage and environmental stressors. These stressors include predation risk and severity of climate that affect forage efficiency. We examined forage preference of moose on Isle Royale National Park during winter over a ten-year period. Diet was divided into …

Landscape And Climate Drivers Of Harmful Algal Blooms In Iowa, Aaron Padilla

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Insuring the safety of our water for consumption and recreation is a crucial but extremely difficult and resource intensive activity of environmental protection agencies. One of the ways our water is at risk is through the increased frequency, and intensity of harmful algal blooms (HABs). When CyanoHABs occur, they can produce a toxic byproduct, most notably microcystin in freshwater, which can be harmful to humans and animals. Previous research has indicated these blooms are driven by increased eutrophication of water bodies, the excess loading of nutrients. In Iowa, the main driver of CyanoHABs in most watersheds is agricultural runoff, which …

Key Considerations For Collaborative School-Based Mental Health Services: Partnering Community Psychology Principles With Systems Of Care Methodology To Address Issues Of Stigma, Brittany L. Foxley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Mental health issues among school-aged children are a growing concern and subject of intervention and prevention studies nationwide. While several implementation and service delivery models exist for school-based mental health services (SBMHS) they are often localized, population or program specific, and do not adequately address the issues related to stigma. Building on Cook and Kilmer's 2012 article integrating community psychology principles and systems of care values, a review of the literature is conducted to identify issues and barriers from stigma in current school-based and mental health service delivery. Key guidelines and specific considerations are presented to address identified limitations and …

Science Research And Engineering & Design Into Education, Amanda R. Schiller

Graduate Research Papers

The project I have chosen for my creative component is researching how to develop a curriculum integrating an Engineering and Design unit within a 7th Grade Science course that could focus on engaging students in Science research projects. The emphasis of this unit is on Engineering and Design or Engineering practices, which is addressed in the Iowa Core and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (Iowa Core Curriculum, 2008) and (Lead States, 2013). Science research and/or projects are based along the same idea as what science teachers distinguish as the scientific method. When conducting research, scientists use the scientific method …

The Effects Of Nutrient Resorption, Photosynthetic Rate, And Leaf Longevity On The Success Of Typha × Glauca, Clarissa Marie Ruiz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The hybrid cattail Typha × glauca is invasive in the Midwestern United States, and outcompetes wetland natives and its parent species, Typha angustifolia and Typha latifolia under high nutrient conditions. Typha × glauca’s large size and copious litter production are the main factors known to contribute to its success, although research is lacking on physiological processes that contribute to its nitrogen use efficiency.

Nitrogen resorption was investigated as a mechanism of dominance in Typha × glauca. Due to nitrogen resorption being a nutrient conservation strategy, nitrogen resorption should be high in areas of low nitrogen availability. Since nitrogen …

Depression And Anxiety In Current Middle Grade Fiction: Finding Quality, Authentic Portrayals For Use In Bibliotherapy, Tonia Sandersfeld-Miller

Graduate Research Papers

Young adults need a safe environment to learn about mental illness, and librarians must ensure that books being recommended authentically and realistically portray mental illness. The purpose of this study is to analyze the authenticity of fiction titles for middle school students that include content related to depression and anxiety to support recommendations to school counselors for bibliotherapy. The research questions this study sought to address included the following: Do the plots and characters of young adult novels written for middle school students realistically and authentically portray mental illness, and what criteria can be used to determine a novel's quality …

Sown Forb Performance In Cp42 Fields, Nathan Theel, Mark Sherrard

Undergraduate Student Work

CP42 is a general conservation practice that attempts to establish pollinator-friendly habitat

In total, >500,000 acres have been converted to CP42 (>40% of which is in Iowa) [1]

To date, there has been no formal assessment of practice success (i.e., post-seeding forb establishment)

In this study, we assess forb establishment in randomly selected CP42 fields near Cedar Falls, Iowa

We identify forbs with high/low establishment and relate this to seed cost in an effort to improve seed mix design

Floral Resource Availability And Butterfly Community Characteristics In Cp-42 Pollinator Habitat Plantings, Ethan Marburger, Corinne Myers, Mark Myers

Undergraduate Student Work

Prairies once covered approximately 85% of Iowa, but due to extensive habitat loss less than 0.1% of native prairies remain (Smith 1998). Habitat loss in Iowa has been driven by agricultural expansion and intensification, and has resulted in the decline of many native insect pollinators. To curb habitat loss and restore habitat for pollinators, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides private landowners incentives to enroll agricultural land into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Pollinator Habitat (CP-42) practice. The CP-42 conservation practice requires landowners to seed at least 9 species of pollinator friendly wildflowers, legumes, or shrubs on enrolled lands. CP-42 …

Chiropractic Usage Among College Students: An Extended Literature Review, Elizabeth A. Schwenker

Honors Program Theses

Chiropractic medicine is a complementary health approach that focuses on the use of adjustments, mainly to the spine, and is typically sought to reduce pain (Chiropractic: In Depth, 2016). The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a part of the National Institute of Health, found in 2007 that more than 18 million American adults had received a chiropractic adjustment or osteopathic manipulation in the previous year. The NIH recognizes that chiropractic adjustments appear beneficial in reducing low back pain and may be beneficial in treating headaches, neck pain, and a number of other conditions with temporary minor adverse effects …

Significance Of A Non-Thermal Plasma Treatment On Ldpe Biodegradation With Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Laurence Scally, Miroslav Gulan, Lars Weigang, Vladimir Milosavljević, Patrick J. Cullen

Articles

The use of plastics has spanned across almost all aspects of day to day life. Although their uses are invaluable, they contribute to the generation of a lot of waste products that end up in the environment and end up polluting natural habitats such as forests and the ocean. By treating low-density polyethylene (LDPE) samples with non-thermal plasma in ambient air and with an addition of ≈4% CO2, the biodegradation of the samples can be increased due to an increase in oxidative species causing better cell adhesion and acceptance on the polymer sample surface. It was, however, found that the …

Hydrogen Peroxide And Beyond - The Potential Of High-Voltage Plasma Activated Liquids Against Cancerous Cells, Daniela Boehm, James Curtin, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

Articles

Abstract: The use of plasma-activated liquids such as PBS, medium or simply plasma-activated water (PAW) has been receiving increasing attention for applications in cancer treatments. Amongst the reactive species contained in these solutions, hydrogen peroxide appears to play a pivotal role in causing cytotoxic effects. While H2O2 concentrations can be correlated with reduced cell viability and growth and used as an indicator of the potential efficacy of a plasma-activated water, comparisons to standard H2O2 kill curves demonstrate a potency in PAW which exceeds H2O2 associated toxicity, indicating that other plasma-generated species play an important role. Using a high-voltage dielectric barrier …

Habitat Characteristics Provide Insights Of Carbon Storage In Seagrass Meadows, Inés Mazarrasa, Jimena Samper-Villarreal, Oscar Serrano, Paul S. Lavery, Catherine E. Lovelock, Núrià N. Marbà, Carlos M. Duarte, Jorge A. Cortés

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Seagrass meadows provide multiple ecosystem services, yet they are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Because of their role as carbon sinks, protection and restoration of seagrass meadows contribute to climate change mitigation. Blue Carbon strategies aim to enhance CO2 sequestration and avoid greenhouse gasses emissions through the management of coastal vegetated ecosystems, including seagrass meadows. The implementation of Blue Carbon strategies requires a good understanding of the habitat characteristics that influence Corg sequestration. Here, we review the existing knowledge on Blue Carbon research in seagrass meadows to identify the key habitat characteristics that influence Corg sequestration in seagrass …

Impact Of Long-Lasting Insecticide-Incorporated Screens Oncolorado Potato Beetle And Plum Curculio, Ayhan Gökçe, Georgina V. Bingham, Mark E. Whalon

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The efficacy and behavior effects of long-lasting insecticide-incorporated screens (LLIS; polyolefin containing deltamethrin) were tested under laboratory conditions against two important pests (Leptinotarsa decemlineata and Conotrachelus nenuphar). Four Vestergaard ZeroFly® LLISs of different specifications were evaluated: trial batches JLCB061009, SPSA 6616, ZeroFly Greenhouse (B), and ZeroFly Greenhouse (G). Two control products were also included: ZeroFly Screen Greenhouse White with no insecticide and a standard commercial fiberglass insect screen. Contact bioassays revealed that all treated LLIS products, except JLCB061009, provided >90% mortality within 24 h of exposure for both susceptible (New Jersey, USA) and resistant (Long Island, NY, USA) L. decemlineata …

Evaluation Of Morphological, Chemical, And Sensory Characteristicsof Raspberry Cultivars Grown In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Vildana Alibabic, Azra Skender, Melisa Orascanin, Edina Sertovic, Emina Bajric

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Due to the growth in production of raspberry (Rubus sp.) in the Una-Sana Canton, there is a considerable need to research the fruit quality, as well as to guide the production in order to satisfy the requirements of the market. Raspberry fruit is very interesting for consumers because of its pleasant aroma and color, low calories, and high nutrient value, with health benefits that manifest in the high amount of antioxidants. In this paper, we have examined the morphological, chemical, and sensory properties of four cultivars of raspberry (Meeker, Willamette, Fertödi, Polka) grown in the area of the municipality of …

The Effects Of Ga3 Treatment On Yield, Carbohydrate, And Endogenous Hormone Changes In Memecik Olive Cultivar, Sali̇h Ülger, Sabri̇ye Atmaca, Sara Demi̇ral

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In this experiment, 100 ppm gibberellic acid (GA3) was applied to Memecik olive trees in the middle of June in the `on' (bearing) year to research the effects on yield, reducing sugar amount, and endogenous hormones with the purpose of bearing fruit regularly. The yield was 19.33 kg/tree in control plants and 17.33 kg/tree in GA3-treated plants in the `on' year. The yield was 7.17 kg/tree in GA3-treated plants and 4.00 kg/tree in control plants in the 'off' year. While GA3 treatment was not very effective on the decrease of fruit amount in the `on' year, it increased fruit amount …

Neuroprotective Potential Of The Fruit (Acorn) From Quercus Coccifera L., Fatma Sezer Şenol, Nazim Şekeroğlu, Sevgi̇ Gezi̇ci̇, Esra Kiliç, İlkay Erdoğan Orhan

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease are among the deadly disorders affecting the elderly population. Unfortunately, effective treatments and medications are still needed to combat these diseases. The ethanol extracts of the raw peeled acorns and acorn coffees from Quercus coccifera prepared by two different methods (boiled-roasted ground and roasted ground) were tested against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and tyrosinase (TYR), the enzymes associated with neurodegeneration. The acorns used in the present study were harvested from wild Quercus coccifera L. trees in Kilis Province, located in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey in November 2016. Cholinesterase (ChE) …

Use Of Phenotypic Selection And Hypocotyl Properties As Predictive Selection Criteriain Pumpkin (Cucurbita Moschata Duch.) Rootstock Lines Used For Grafted Cucumber(Cucumis Sativus L.) Seedling Cultivation, Onur Karaağaç, Ahmet Balkaya, Münevver Göçmen, İsmai̇l Şi̇mşek, Di̇lek Kandemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In recent years, grafted cucumber seedling use has been rapidly increasing worldwide, especially for providing tolerance to stress conditions and positively affecting yield potential. However, graft incompatibility is still an important issue in grafted seedling production. Hypocotyl properties of rootstocks and scions are of great importance for ensuring graft compatibility. This study aimed to select superior rootstock genotypes based on certain selection criteria, such as hypocotyl morphology, grafted seedling visual evaluation, and graft compatibility properties, of 42 pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) genotypes that are included in the cucumber rootstock breeding program and are resistant to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. Three …

Correspondence Between Maturity Date And Molecular Variations In A Nac Transcription Factor Of Diploid And Polyploid Prunus Species, Eszter Balogh, Julia Halasz, Zsolt Szani, Attila Hegedus

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The maturity date (MD) of Prunus stone fruit has been long known to be a quantitatively inherited trait. A NAC-type gene indicated as PpNAC1 (ppa008301m) has been found recently to be a strong candidate of a major gene influencing MD in peach. A 9-bp insertion in this gene resulted in earlier MD in two segregating peach populations. This study was carried out to test whether this mutation in the PpNAC1 gene can be used as a reliable functional marker for MD in a wide range of peach cultivars of various origins and phenotypic characters. A total of 125 peach cultivars …

Highly Informative Ssr Genotyping Reveals Large Genetic Diversity And Limited Differentiation In European Larch (Larix Decidua) Populations From Romania, Pietro Gramazio, Ioana M. Plesa, Alina M. Truta, Adriana F. Sestras, Santiago Vilanova, Mariola Plazas, Oscar Vicente, Monica Boscaiu, Jaime Prohens, Radu E. Sestras

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

European larch (Larix decidua) is naturally distributed at high elevations in Central Europe. Romanian populations of L. decidua are scattered in different areas of the country. In this study, we used 12 highly informative genomic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for genotyping seven populations from different areas of Romania. The SSR markers were highly variable, with up to 11 alleles per SSR locus and an average polymorphic information content of 0.713. High values of observed (Ho = 0.542) and expected (He = 0.738) heterozygosities were observed. Cluster analysis of populations did not group them according to geographical distance, but some …