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2020

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Development Of Low-Cost Adsorbents From Biomass Residues For The Removal Of Organic Contaminants And Heavy Metals From Aqueous Solutions., Sunith Babu Madduri Nov 2020

Development Of Low-Cost Adsorbents From Biomass Residues For The Removal Of Organic Contaminants And Heavy Metals From Aqueous Solutions., Sunith Babu Madduri

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing population across the globe paved the way for rapid growth in industrialization. Pharmaceuticals, automotive, textiles, agriculture, electronics, electrical and many other industries discharge different types of heavy metals, dyes and organic contaminants into ground water. These discharges are released into lakes and rivers without prior treatment causing huge environmental impact to the environment. Among different remediation techniques, adsorption was considered the most promising method because of its low-cost and high efficiency. Biomass is considered as the most practical and renewable source for production of bio products and biofuels. Biomass is also used for carbon sequestration and as an essential …

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Assessment Of Nutrient Sources At Watershed Scale In Agro-Ecosystem Of Mississippi, Avay Risal Nov 2020

Assessment Of Nutrient Sources At Watershed Scale In Agro-Ecosystem Of Mississippi, Avay Risal

Theses and Dissertations

Excessive nutrient concentrations from a different point and non-point sources are the main cause of water impairment in the United States. Appropriate management practices, according to the source and quantity of pollutions, need to be implemented to control excessive nutrient influx in the water body. Various types of hydrological and water quality models with diverse function, capability and degree of complexity are employed to quantify watershed hydrologic processes and nutrient pollution. Multiple models can be applied to a watershed but the suitable model must be selected based on watershed type and simulation need. Two watershed-scale models, Soil and Water Assessment …

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A Study On Biogeography And Floral Trait Evolution In Platanthera Subgenus Limnorchis (Orchie) Using Phylogenomic Approaches, W I W H M Eranga Hansanee Wettewa Nov 2020

A Study On Biogeography And Floral Trait Evolution In Platanthera Subgenus Limnorchis (Orchie) Using Phylogenomic Approaches, W I W H M Eranga Hansanee Wettewa

Theses and Dissertations

Platanthera is one of the largest genera of temperate orchids and exemplifies a lineage that has adaptively radiated into diverse habitats within North America, Asia, Europe, North Africa, Borneo, and Sarawak. Major centers of diversity in this genus are western North America and eastern Asia. The diversity in floral morphological traits such as floral color, shape and the length of nectar spur is associated with numerous pollination syndromes, making Platanthera an ideal system to study the evolution of floral traits and pollination biology. Despite its diversity, a thorough phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus is lacking because no studies have yet …

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Proanthocyanidin Block Arrays (Pacbar) For Comprehensive Capture And Delineation Of Proanthocyanidin Structures, Shuxi Jing, Wayne E. Zeller, Daneel Ferreira, Bin Zhou, Joo-Won Nam, Ana K. Bedran-Russo, Shao-Nong Chen, Guido F. Pauli Nov 2020

Proanthocyanidin Block Arrays (Pacbar) For Comprehensive Capture And Delineation Of Proanthocyanidin Structures, Shuxi Jing, Wayne E. Zeller, Daneel Ferreira, Bin Zhou, Joo-Won Nam, Ana K. Bedran-Russo, Shao-Nong Chen, Guido F. Pauli

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Proanthocyanidins (PACs) are near-ubiquitous and chemically complex metabolites, prototypical of higher plants. Their roles in food/feed/nutrition and ethnomedicine are widely recognized but poorly understood. With the analysis of evidence that underlies this challenge, this perspective identifies shortcomings in capturing and delineating PAC structures as key factors. While several groups have forwarded new representations, a consensus method that captures PAC structures concisely and offers high integrity for electronic storage is required to reduce confusion in this expansive field. The PAC block arrays (PACBAR) system fills this gap by providing precise and human- and machine-readable structural descriptors that capture PAC metabolomic structural …

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Students’ Information Resources During Their Involvement With Research Projects: Indonesia Setting, Heriyanto Heriyanto, Mutty Hariyati Nov 2020

Students’ Information Resources During Their Involvement With Research Projects: Indonesia Setting, Heriyanto Heriyanto, Mutty Hariyati

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Students select information resources mostly influenced by their previous experiences with particular sources. This unique experience influence students’ future decisions about what and how they use information resources. This qualitative study aims to explore students’ preferences to different information sources when they completing assignments and research projects. We conducted semi-structure interview on 17 undergraduate students whom agreed to participate the study. Data analysis revealed that students’ search for information were complex activities because it involves the following key points: scope of assignment, range and type of reference needed, students’ level of knowledge (including willingness to use the available resources), databases …

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Evolving The Narrative For Protecting A Rapidly Changing Ocean, Post‐Covid‐19, D. Laffoley, J. M. Baxter, D. J. Amon, J. Claudet, Jm Hall‐Spencer, K Grorud‐Colvert, L. A. Levin, Chris P. Reid, A. D. Rogers, M. L. Taylor, L. C. Woodall, N. F. Andersen Nov 2020

Evolving The Narrative For Protecting A Rapidly Changing Ocean, Post‐Covid‐19, D. Laffoley, J. M. Baxter, D. J. Amon, J. Claudet, Jm Hall‐Spencer, K Grorud‐Colvert, L. A. Levin, Chris P. Reid, A. D. Rogers, M. L. Taylor, L. C. Woodall, N. F. Andersen

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

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A Decade To Study Deep-Sea Life, Kerry L. Howell, Ana Hilário, A. Louise Allcock, David Bailey, Maria Baker, Malcolm R. Clark, Ana Colaço, Jon Copley, Erik E. Cordes, Roberto Danovaro, Awantha Dissanayake, Elva Escobar, Patricia Esquete, Austin J. Gallagher, Andrew R. Gates, Sylvie M. Gaudron, Christopher R. German, Kristina M. Gjerde, Nicholas D. Higgs, Bris N Le, Lisa A. Levin, Elisabetta Manea, Craig Mcclain, Lenaick Menot, Nelia C. Mestre, Anna Metaxas, Rosanna Milligan, Agnes W.N. Muthumbi, Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy, Sofia P. Ramalho, Eva Ramirez-Llodra, Laura M. Robson, Alex D. Rogers, Javier Sellanes, Julia D. Sigwart, Kerry Sink, Paul V.R. Snelgrove, Paris V. Stefanoudis, Paulo Y. Sumida, Michelle L. Taylor, Andrew R. Thurber, Rui Vieira, Hiromi K. Watanabe, Lucy C. Woodall, Joana R. Xavier Nov 2020

A Decade To Study Deep-Sea Life, Kerry L. Howell, Ana Hilário, A. Louise Allcock, David Bailey, Maria Baker, Malcolm R. Clark, Ana Colaço, Jon Copley, Erik E. Cordes, Roberto Danovaro, Awantha Dissanayake, Elva Escobar, Patricia Esquete, Austin J. Gallagher, Andrew R. Gates, Sylvie M. Gaudron, Christopher R. German, Kristina M. Gjerde, Nicholas D. Higgs, Bris N Le, Lisa A. Levin, Elisabetta Manea, Craig Mcclain, Lenaick Menot, Nelia C. Mestre, Anna Metaxas, Rosanna Milligan, Agnes W.N. Muthumbi, Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy, Sofia P. Ramalho, Eva Ramirez-Llodra, Laura M. Robson, Alex D. Rogers, Javier Sellanes, Julia D. Sigwart, Kerry Sink, Paul V.R. Snelgrove, Paris V. Stefanoudis, Paulo Y. Sumida, Michelle L. Taylor, Andrew R. Thurber, Rui Vieira, Hiromi K. Watanabe, Lucy C. Woodall, Joana R. Xavier

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development presents an exceptional opportunity to effect positive change in ocean use. We outline what is required of the deep-sea research community to achieve these ambitious objectives.

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A Blueprint For An Inclusive, Global Deep-Sea Ocean Decade Field Program, Kerry L. Howell, Ana Hilário, A. Louise Allcock, David M. Bailey, Maria Baker, Malcolm R. Clark, Ana Colaço, Jon Copley, Erik E. Cordes, Roberto Danovaro, Awantha Dissanayake, Elva Escobar, Patricia Esquete, Austin J. Gallagher, Andrew R. Gates, Sylvie M. Gaudron, Christopher R. German, Kristina M. Gjerde, Nicholas D. Higgs, Bris N Le, Lisa A. Levin, Elisabetta Manea, Craig Mcclain, Lenaick Menot, Nelia C. Mestre, Anna Metaxas, Rosanna J. Milligan, Agnes W.N. Muthumbi, Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy, Sofia P. Ramalho, Eva Ramirez-Llodra, Laura M. Robson, Alex D. Rogers, Javier Sellanes, Julia D. Sigwart, Kerry Sink, Paul V.R. Snelgrove, Paris V. Stefanoudis, Paulo Y. Sumida, Michelle L. Taylor, Andrew R. Thurber Nov 2020

A Blueprint For An Inclusive, Global Deep-Sea Ocean Decade Field Program, Kerry L. Howell, Ana Hilário, A. Louise Allcock, David M. Bailey, Maria Baker, Malcolm R. Clark, Ana Colaço, Jon Copley, Erik E. Cordes, Roberto Danovaro, Awantha Dissanayake, Elva Escobar, Patricia Esquete, Austin J. Gallagher, Andrew R. Gates, Sylvie M. Gaudron, Christopher R. German, Kristina M. Gjerde, Nicholas D. Higgs, Bris N Le, Lisa A. Levin, Elisabetta Manea, Craig Mcclain, Lenaick Menot, Nelia C. Mestre, Anna Metaxas, Rosanna J. Milligan, Agnes W.N. Muthumbi, Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy, Sofia P. Ramalho, Eva Ramirez-Llodra, Laura M. Robson, Alex D. Rogers, Javier Sellanes, Julia D. Sigwart, Kerry Sink, Paul V.R. Snelgrove, Paris V. Stefanoudis, Paulo Y. Sumida, Michelle L. Taylor, Andrew R. Thurber

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The ocean plays a crucial role in the functioning of the Earth System and in the provision of vital goods and services. The United Nations (UN) declared 2021–2030 as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The Roadmap for the Ocean Decade aims to achieve six critical societal outcomes (SOs) by 2030, through the pursuit of four objectives (Os). It specifically recognizes the scarcity of biological data for deep-sea biomes, and challenges the global scientific community to conduct research to advance understanding of deep-sea ecosystems to inform sustainable management. In this paper, we map four key scientific questions …

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Fishery Reforms For The Management Of Non-Indigenous Species, Periklis Kleitou, Fabio Crocetta, Sylvaine Giakoumi, Ioannis Giovos, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Stefanos Kalogirou, Demetris Kletou, Dimitrios K. Moutopoulos, Siân Rees Nov 2020

Fishery Reforms For The Management Of Non-Indigenous Species, Periklis Kleitou, Fabio Crocetta, Sylvaine Giakoumi, Ioannis Giovos, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Stefanos Kalogirou, Demetris Kletou, Dimitrios K. Moutopoulos, Siân Rees

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Marine ecosystems are undergoing major transformations due to the establishment and spread of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS). Some of these organisms have adverse effects, for example by reducing biodiversity and causing ecosystem shifts. Others have upsides, such as benefits to fisheries or replacing lost ecological functions and strengthening biogenic complexity. Stopping the spread of NIS is virtually impossible and so the societal challenge is how to limit the socioeconomic, health, and ecological risks, and sustainably exploit the benefits provided by these organisms. We propose a move away from the notion that NIS have only negative effects, and suggest a turn towards …

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Diet Quality And Mental Health In College Students: Impact On Dietary Factors Including Intake Of Protein, Sugar, Vegetable And Omega-3 Fatty Acid On Depression, Yulu Wang Nov 2020

Diet Quality And Mental Health In College Students: Impact On Dietary Factors Including Intake Of Protein, Sugar, Vegetable And Omega-3 Fatty Acid On Depression, Yulu Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is one of the most debilitating disorders among youth. Many factors impact depression risk, and dietary quality is one of the most significant modifiable factors. This work was to investigate whether diet quality, including protein, sugar, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids’ intake, had any effect on the development of depression. Data from 82 subjects were used for analysis. There was no significant relationship between Dietary Quality Index (p=.21, n=82) and depression based on this research. Results included total protein (p=.77, n=82), animal-based protein (p=.77, n=82), vegetable-based protein (p=.29, n=82), total sugar (p=.55, n=78), added sugar (p=.48, n=78), total vegetable …

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Distribution And Habitat Use Of Sharks In The Coastal Waters Of West-Central Florida, Lindsay Mullins Nov 2020

Distribution And Habitat Use Of Sharks In The Coastal Waters Of West-Central Florida, Lindsay Mullins

Theses and Dissertations

An elasmobranch survey conducted from 2013-2018 in the waters adjacent to Pinellas County, Florida, was used for a baseline assessment of the local shark population. ArcGIS and Boosted Regression Trees were used to identify hot spots of abundance and links between environmental predictors and distribution, as well as create species distribution models. A diverse assemblage of sharks, dominated by five species: nurse shark, bonnethead, Atlantic sharpnose shark, blacktip shark, and blacknose shark, was identified. A large proportion of captures (~42%) were immature sharks. Results indicate areas characterized by seagrass and “No Internal Combustion Engine” zones correlate with greater diversity and …

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Controlling Christmas: An Environmental History Of Natural And Artificial Trees, Aaron Thomas Nov 2020

Controlling Christmas: An Environmental History Of Natural And Artificial Trees, Aaron Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that from 1880 to 2010 the American natural and artificial Christmas tree industries remodeled themselves after one another. Artificial tree companies modeled their products after the natural tree, hoping to make them look, smell, and feel like the real thing. As these replica trees became popular, scientists, extension agents, and farmers worked to control the natural Christmas tree crop unlike ever before. Those efforts stemmed from a desire to wrest from nature the same kind of idealized silhouettes their plastic counterparts celebrated. Both industries tried to convince the country’s consumers to buy what they were selling. Through …

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Engineered Biochar And Eaf Slag For The Removal Of Phosphorus From Stormwater Runoff, James Casey Johnson Nov 2020

Engineered Biochar And Eaf Slag For The Removal Of Phosphorus From Stormwater Runoff, James Casey Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) in stormwater runoff has detrimental effects on water quality and ecosystem health when it reaches surface waters and promotes algal blooms. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been utilized to combat this problem by containing stormwater and removing excess nutrients. Including filter materials in the design of CWs has shown promise for increasing their capacity for nutrient removal. This mesocosm scale study was conducted outdoors over a 12-month period to evaluate the effectiveness of three filter materials in their ability to adsorb phosphorus, retain water, and support plant life. The filter materials examined were electric arc furnace (EAF) slag, engineered …

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Examining Body Composition Differences Between Vegetarian And Non-Vegetarian Women, Carlie Mapp Nov 2020

Examining Body Composition Differences Between Vegetarian And Non-Vegetarian Women, Carlie Mapp

Theses and Dissertations

Diet and lifestyle choices play a vital role in the overall health of an individual. There are many types of diets with varying instructions on what kind and how much of a food, or food group, should be eaten. This cross sectional study focused on possible health benefits of a vegetarian diet in regards to the body composition of non-vegetarian and vegetarian women. Total meat, poultry, seafood, and fish (MPSF) intake were separated into three categories to compare low-to-very-low, moderate, and high intake. Anthropometric measurements collected included waist to hip ratio (WHR), weight, height, and percentage of body fat. No …

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Investigations On Mechanisms Of Survival And Pathogenesis Of Mycobacterium Ulcerans In Polymicrobial Environments, Laxmi Dhungel Nov 2020

Investigations On Mechanisms Of Survival And Pathogenesis Of Mycobacterium Ulcerans In Polymicrobial Environments, Laxmi Dhungel

Theses and Dissertations

Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) remains a ‘mysterious disease’ due to the unknown mode of M. ulcerans transmission and pathogenesis. To understand these, it is important to determine the reservoir of the organism in its natural environments, and stress response and interactions of M. ulcerans in its natural niche and during infection of a host. The major virulence factor of M. ulcerans is mycolactone, a lipid cytotoxin that is encoded on a giant plasmid pMUM001. Genetic analysis suggests that plasmid pMUM001 was acquired by M. ulcerans during evolution from its progenitor, M. marinum. Coincidental evolution of virulence hypothesis suggests that many …

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Host And Tissue Tropisms Of Avian Influenza A Viruses, Minhui Guan Nov 2020

Host And Tissue Tropisms Of Avian Influenza A Viruses, Minhui Guan

Theses and Dissertations

Wild birds are the natural reservoirs of Influenza A viruses (IAVs) which cause occasional pandemics and seasonal epidemics. Avian IAVs can be transmitted from wild birds to domestic poultry, low mammals, and humans. It is well accepted that avian IAVs prefer to sialic acids (Sia) α2,3-linked galactose (SAα2,3-Gal), whereas human IAVs to α2,6-linked galactose (SAα2,6-Gal). However, SAα2,3-Gal in wild bird tissues is widely distributed with little variation while some subtypes of avian IAVs have species preference. The different isolation rates among wild bird species cannot be explained by avian IAVs binding to SAα2,3-Gal alone. Specifically, this dissertation had the following …

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Genetic Structure Of The Host Plant, Chamaecrista Fasciculata, And Its Microbial Partners, Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh Nobarinezhad Nov 2020

Genetic Structure Of The Host Plant, Chamaecrista Fasciculata, And Its Microbial Partners, Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh Nobarinezhad

Theses and Dissertations

Local factors have the potential to generate genetic structure within species if populations respond differently to varying environmental conditions across their geographic range. In this project, spatial genetic structure was examined in the legume, Chamaecrista fasciculata, its symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria, and rhizosphere microbiomes. In the first chapter, the aim was to test for genetic structure among populations of C. fasciculata in the Southeast and to evaluate whether phenotypic variation in leaf pubescence is associated with genetic divergence among populations, which would be consistent with local adaptation. My results did not detect a significant association between genetic structure and phenotypic …

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Roles And Interaction Of Blow Flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) And Introduced Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Solenopsis Invicta And S. Invicta X Richteri) In Carrion Decomposition In The Southeastern United States, Grant De Jong Nov 2020

Roles And Interaction Of Blow Flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) And Introduced Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Solenopsis Invicta And S. Invicta X Richteri) In Carrion Decomposition In The Southeastern United States, Grant De Jong

Theses and Dissertations

Invasive fire ants (Solenopsis invicta and its hybrid with S. richteri) have been reported from carrion in the southeastern United States and are considered a part of the succession community. Alteration of ecological processes by fire ants could affect forensic interpretation of entomological data; therefore, I conducted studies to investigate the relative roles and interactions of fire ants and blow flies in carrion decomposition. The blow fly species composition in Mississippi has not been studied since 16 species were reported in 1983. Specimens from the Mississippi Entomological Museum were used to update the checklist of the blow flies of Mississippi …

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Proteomic Analysis Of Outer Membrane Vesicles Of Aeromonas Hydrophila Ml09-119, Jordan Ashley Smink Nov 2020

Proteomic Analysis Of Outer Membrane Vesicles Of Aeromonas Hydrophila Ml09-119, Jordan Ashley Smink

Theses and Dissertations

Aeromonas hydrophila ML09-119 is an important fish pathogen that severely affects channel catfish aquaculture. To better understand this strain’s virulence factors, outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) were isolated, and their proteome was assessed. Using transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering, OMVs were shown to be monodispersed particles with an average diameter of 120.33 nm. OMV proteins were identified using mass spectrometry, and analysis of the resulting proteome of 74 proteins revealed that many originated from the cytoplasm, but there was an enrichment of outer membrane, periplasmic, and extracellular proteins compared to the total proteome. The majority of the functional classifications …

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Range-Wide Growth And Diet Of Pallid Sturgeon And Sympatric Shovelnose Sturgeon, Robert Jason Devries Nov 2020

Range-Wide Growth And Diet Of Pallid Sturgeon And Sympatric Shovelnose Sturgeon, Robert Jason Devries

Theses and Dissertations

Growth rates and diet patterns for sympatric pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus and shovelnose sturgeon S. platorynchus throughout the Missouri River and lower Mississippi River were examined. Pallid sturgeon growth in the Great Plains Management Unit (GPMU) was slower than in other river reaches until age 9 and pallid sturgeon from the Interior Highlands Management Unit (IHMU) and Coastal Plain Management Unit (CPMU) did not differ. No differences in growth between management units were detected for shovelnose sturgeon. Observed differences in growth between pallid sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon were generally dependent upon which growth model was used, but pallid sturgeon were …

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Towards A Theory Of Legacy: The Proposal, Development, And Validation Of A Family Legacy Orientation Scale, Nathaniel L. Hammond Nov 2020

Towards A Theory Of Legacy: The Proposal, Development, And Validation Of A Family Legacy Orientation Scale, Nathaniel L. Hammond

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation follows extant scale development practices to propose, develop, and validate a measurement instrument for the family legacy orientation construct. Family legacy orientation (FLO) is understood to be the shared intentions and preferences a family has regarding the biological, social, and material components of the family legacy. The context of the family firm is of specific interest to the dissertation. The dissertation builds and extends our theoretical understanding of family legacy within the field of family business research. In doing so, the dissertation explores many ideas presented by Hammond et al. (2016; p. 1209) who emphasized the importance of …

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Meso-Mammal Predators And Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) Occupancy Of Early Successional Patches In A Managed Ecosystem, Kelsey Fleming Nov 2020

Meso-Mammal Predators And Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) Occupancy Of Early Successional Patches In A Managed Ecosystem, Kelsey Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

Heterogeneous landscapes made up of variegated patches are common among managed ecosystems, and often provide diverse structural and compositional habitat characteristics. Landscape heterogeneity can affect distribution of resources, competition, and dispersal of organisms over space and time. Therefore, understanding how species respond to dynamic landscapes is necessary when implementing management decisions that foster biodiversity within managed ecosystems. My study uses hierarchical models in a Bayesian framework to quantify effects of landscape context on meso-mammal predators and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) occupancy in an intensively managed loblolly pine forest. Results indicate that edge density can positively influence occupancy of meso-mammal predators, …

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Methionine: An Essential Amino Acid And Potential Enhancer Of Antioxidant Systems In Swine Diets, Rebecca M. Humphrey Nov 2020

Methionine: An Essential Amino Acid And Potential Enhancer Of Antioxidant Systems In Swine Diets, Rebecca M. Humphrey

Theses and Dissertations

L-Methionine (L-Met) is a new product that supplies the biologically active form of methionine. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate the benefits of dietary L-Met supplementation relative to the industry standard DL-Met. Sixteen gilts with an initial BW 81.2±7.93 kg were individually penned and randomly allotted to one of two equivalent dietary treatments for 37 days in 2 trials (8 pigs/trial): DL-Met (0.050% of diet) or L-Met (0.052% of diet). Body weight and feed intake were measured on days 0, 19, and 37 to calculate performance measures. Pigs were harvested and carcasses assessed on day 38. Liver, …

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Modified Adsorbents From Waste Materials For Water Remediation, Medagama Liyanage Achala Sandamali Liyanage Nov 2020

Modified Adsorbents From Waste Materials For Water Remediation, Medagama Liyanage Achala Sandamali Liyanage

Theses and Dissertations

Water pollution is one of the major ecological threats people face around the world. Water contamination by organic and inorganic compounds is hazardous to both the environment and human health. Adsorption techniques have gained much attention in the field of water remediation due to their efficiency, simplicity in operation, and ease of implementation. However, the adsorbents currently being used are costly. The main objective of this work is to develop novel, low-cost adsorbents from waste material by modifying the adsorbent surface for water remediation. Adsorbent modifications involve various chemical and physical methods such as acid/base treatments, metal/metal oxide impregnation, functional …

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Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Nano-Scale Impact Icing On Graphene Substrates, Amir Afshar Nov 2020

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Nano-Scale Impact Icing On Graphene Substrates, Amir Afshar

Theses and Dissertations

In the atmosphere in the height of 18000ft to 25000ft, there are some metastable droplets called supercooled liquid water in the temperature range of 0◦C to 40◦C. When these droplets impinge on the wings of an airplane, a very thin layer of ice is formed on the surface. This natural phenomenon calls “impact icing”. In this research, I studied the nanoscale impact icing on structured graphite surfaces, as the substrates at the atomistic scale using Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. This research focuses on the first steps of the development of a predictive multiscale strategy for molecular simulations of impact ice …

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Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Phospholipid Bilayers Under Deformation – A Comparison Between Gromacs And Lammps, Anh Tn Vo Nov 2020

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Phospholipid Bilayers Under Deformation – A Comparison Between Gromacs And Lammps, Anh Tn Vo

Theses and Dissertations

Model of nanoscale deformation mechanisms of cellular structures could render different results depending on the molecular dynamics (MD) simulator chosen. Also, the comparison of different MD simulators is typically an intricate task, requiring all configurations be converted appropriately with available parameter choices. This study aims to perform and compare MD simulations between two MD programs (GROMACS and LAMMPS), in which a phospholipid bilayer is deformed under different strain states. The two systems produced similar deformation behaviors and strain state effect on bilayer failure. However, GROMACS produced more pores at lower strains, lower stress, and higher damage values. Multiple setting options …

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The Use Of Tlr Ligands And Phytochemicals To Better Understand Gut Immunity In Zebrafish And Channel Catfish, Ann Elizabeth Peterman Nov 2020

The Use Of Tlr Ligands And Phytochemicals To Better Understand Gut Immunity In Zebrafish And Channel Catfish, Ann Elizabeth Peterman

Theses and Dissertations

Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands and phytochemical feed additives (PFAs) were evaluated in this study to determine the effects of immune stimulation on gut immunity in the zebrafish, Danio rerio, and the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Rag1-/- (MT) zebrafish were used to study how the TLR ligands β-glucan and resiquimod (R848) affect the innate immune system in the gut of MT zebrafish. Enhanced expression of marker genes (NITR9, NCCRP-1 and MPEG-1) indicated stimulation of Natural Killer (NK) cells, non-specific cytotoxic cells (NCCs) and macrophages. After challenge with Edwardsiella ictaluri, MT zebrafish stimulated with β-glucan demonstrated higher survival and the presence of …

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Toward Improved Characterization Of Biologically Relevant Isomeric And Isobaric Ions On Mass Spectrometry-Based Platforms, Baku Acharya Nov 2020

Toward Improved Characterization Of Biologically Relevant Isomeric And Isobaric Ions On Mass Spectrometry-Based Platforms, Baku Acharya

Theses and Dissertations

Mass spectrometry has frequently been employed in the analysis of biologically relevant molecules; however, mass spectrometry alone may not always be sufficient for the differentiation and characterization of isomeric and isobaric ions. In this work, infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) were evaluated as complementary techniques for the characterization and separation of isomeric and isobaric ions of biological relevance. In the first project, analysis of experimental IRMPD spectroscopy data shows that this technique is useful in the differentiation of hydroxyproline isomers. Absorption bands allow for the differentiation of three isomeric species: 1640 cm-1 (trans-4-hydroxyproline), 1718 …

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Understanding In-Field Soil Moisture Variability And Associated Impact On Irrigation, Blade Hodges Nov 2020

Understanding In-Field Soil Moisture Variability And Associated Impact On Irrigation, Blade Hodges

Theses and Dissertations

Site-specific irrigation decisions require information about variations in soil moisture within the rooting depth actively being used by the crop. Producers have been using soil moisture sensors to make irrigation decisions, and it has been shown that soil moisture sensors can reduce water usage without reducing yields. There are still unanswered questions on improving efficiency with soil moisture sensors based on density and location of sensors within a field. This three-year study uses sensors to evaluate the spatio-temporal variability of soil moisture across an 18-ha production field in a corn/soybean rotation. The IDW results show that when uniform irrigation applications …

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Wintering Population Estimates And Microplastics Prevalence For Tidal Marsh Birds Of Mississippi, Spencer Weitzel Nov 2020

Wintering Population Estimates And Microplastics Prevalence For Tidal Marsh Birds Of Mississippi, Spencer Weitzel

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the global loss of tidal marsh area, potential anthropogenic and natural disturbances to these systems, and coastal marshes’ affinity for trapping environmental pollutants, understanding how marsh birds inhabiting these ecosystems will adapt to these changes is paramount. To quantify future changes, I first needed to have something to compare against – baseline estimates. To this end, I performed distance sampling line transect surveys during the nonbreeding season to estimate species-specific population abundance, density, and habitat associations and captured two species of marsh bird, Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans) and Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima), to estimate baseline ingestion of one …

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