Digital Commons Network^™

Development And Evaluation Of Ground And Aerial Robotic Systems In Commercial Poultry Houses, Pratik Parajuli

Theses and Dissertations

The live production sector of the poultry industry has a growing interest in robotics. Robotics have the possibility to monitor environmental conditions, assess bird welfare, and reduce labor for farm workers and owners. However, interactions of poultry with robotic systems in commercial poultry house environments is largely unknown. Therefore, the goal of this research was to assess the effect of ground and aerial robots on bird stress using avoidance distance (AD) and fleeing speed (FS) as indirect indicators. A low-cost, autonomous robot was also developed to aid in collecting data on environmental conditions in commercial broiler houses. AD and FS …

Weedy Rice (Oryza Sativa Ssp.): An Untapped Genetic Resource For Abiotic Stress Tolerant Traits For Rice Improvement, Shandrea D. Stallworth

Theses and Dissertations

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the staple food for more than 3.5 billion people worldwide. As the population continues to grow, rice yield will need to increase by 1% every year for the next 30 years to keep up with the growth. In the US, Arkansas accounts for more than 50% of rice production. Over the last 68 years, rice production has continued to grow in Mississippi, placing it in fourth place after Arkansas, Louisiana, and California. Due to increasing rice acreage, regionally and worldwide, the need to develop abiotic stress-tolerant rice has increased. Unfortunately, current rice breeding programs lack genetic …

From Origin To Application: A Study Of Plant Orphan Genes, Seth Jordan O'Conner

Theses and Dissertations

As sequencing technology has taken off since the late 1990's, a unique phenomenon has been observed repeatedly: genes with little to no conservation across species. For a while, the predominant theory that arose to explain these genes was duplication and subsequent evolution of conserved genes. While this theory can explain some, still many genes have now been proven to arrive de novo - from previously non-coding DNA. This work further investigates the origins of these de novo evolved genes and their practical application relevance in crop biotechnology. This work demonstrates the dynamic nature of plant mitochondrial genomes between even closely …

The Effect Of Pain Tolerance Feedback On Human Aggression, Suzanne C. Amadi

Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a sensory experience associated with physical discomfort that is influenced by cognition and emotion and has been linked to an increased risk for aggression. The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between pain and aggression under controlled laboratory conditions using both experimental and non-experimental approaches. The aims of the study were two-fold. First, to manipulate perceived pain tolerance via faux feedback and then observe whether aggression differs as a function of this pain perception manipulation using a laboratory analogue of aggression. Second, to examine whether self-ratings of pain sensitivity and behavioral measures of pain …

Evaluation And Mechanisms Of Host-Plant Resistance To The Wireworm-Diabrotica-Systena Complex In Sweetpotatoes (Ipomoea Batatas) And A Commercial Kairomone Lure In Diabroticites, Thomas J. Douglas

Theses and Dissertations

An evaluation of host-plant resistance to the wireworm-Diabrotica-Systena (WDS) complex of root-feeding insects in sweetpotatoes was performed on a total of 15 cultivars and advanced lines over the course of 4 years (2017-2020). It was found that sweetpotatoes varieties can differ significantly in amount of damage incurred. Several mechanisms of resistance were proposed and tested: periderm toughness, dry weight percentage, and volatile organic chemical defenses. No significant difference was found amongst the varieties tested concerning the physical properties. Chemical analysis was limited in scope but did show some differences between a susceptible variety when compared to a resistant variety in …

Patterns Of Carnivore Competition, Time-To-Kill, And Predation Risk On White-Tailed Deer Fawns In A Multi-Predator Landscape, Tyler R. Petroelje

Theses and Dissertations

Identifying factors influencing kill rates or predation risk is crucial to relate predator effects on prey populations. In multi-predator landscapes, some predators may also perceive predation risk which may not only influence their distributions but also their effects on prey populations across landscapes. In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) exist in a multi-predator landscape which includes black bears (Ursus americanus), bobcats (Lynx rufus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and gray wolves (C. lupus). The objectives of this research were to examine spatial relationships among predators and their prey by identifying: 1) competition between wolves and coyotes, 2) …

Characterizing Flooding Regimes In The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Over Recent Two Decades, Xichun Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) was once the largest floodplain in the United States. Flooding regimes in the LMAV have strong impacts on the soil biogeochemical processes, nutrient cycling, forest species distribution, agricultural production, and wildlife habitat. This study characterized the LMAV flooding regimes using the 8-day-composite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) surface reflectance product from 2001 - 2018. The results showed significant spatial variations in the annual flooding duration in the LMAV, and the flooding area showed remarkable seasonal variations in the northern and central LMAV with the peak flooding area in winter and early spring. Digital Elevation …

Identification And Evaluation Of Mycotoxins Produced By Macrophomina Phaseolina, Vivek Hemant Khambhati

Theses and Dissertations

The fungus Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goidanich (Mp) is the causal agent of charcoal rot in soybean and infects over 500 plant species worldwide. Mp produces various mycotoxins and is suspected of utilizing a toxin-mediated process to penetrate host tissue. Identification and evaluation of secondary metabolites produced by Mp will further elucidate the pathogenesis mechanisms used by the fungus. Mp cultures isolated from soybean were evaluated for phytotoxicity in a hydroponic soybean bioassay and chemically analyzed by LC-MS/MS. All Mp cultures at two dilutions induced phytotoxicity symptoms including chlorosis, necrosis, wilting, stunting, and death. Analysis identified 13 unreported secondary metabolites including …

Temporal Alterations In Bovine Placental Capacity During Compromised Pregnancies, Zully E. Contreras

Theses and Dissertations

The circadian rhythms are not solely regulated by photoperiod but are also influenced by feed regimen. Therefore, maternal nutrient restriction during gestation could potentially impact the fetal circadian rhythm. Melatonin, a circadian rhythm modulator hormone, has shown to act as an antioxidant reducing reactive oxygen species during stress exposure; and two potential mechanisms have been proposed for melatonin causing vasoconstriction and vasodilation regulating blood flow. In livestock species, nutrient restriction during gestation reduces uterine blood flow, limiting nutrients availability to the fetus for growth and development. Therefore, this project aimed to use beef heifers to evaluate the maternal nutrient restriction …

Carbon Soil Amendment For Promotion Of Native Species In Created Emergent Freshwater Wetlands, Taylor E. Williams

Theses

Wetlands created or restored to replace natural wetland often fail to achieve functional equivalence and delivery of similar ecosystem services, especially with regard to plant community structure. In these young ecosystems, native emergent plants may not successfully compete with invasive species that are more rapid colonizers and capable of taking advantage of disturbed systems. This susceptibility to invasion and lack of resilience is exacerbated under conditions of high nutrient availability or extreme variations in weather as a result of climate change. Management of invasive plants in wetlands typically involves costly chemical and mechanical control measures, necessitating development of cost-effective and …

Neutrophils In Pancreatic Cancer Progression, Paran Goel

Theses & Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains a challenge to modern-day cancer therapeutics, with a dismal five-year survival rate of 10%. Due to the pancreas's location and desmoplasia surrounding it, patients receive late diagnoses and fail to respond to chemotherapy regimens. Tumor-promoting inflammation, one of the emerging hallmarks of cancer, contributes to tumor cells' survival and proliferation. This inflammation is often the result of infiltrating leukocytes and pro-inflammatory cytokines released into the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Neutrophils, one of the most prominent immune cells in our body, play an essential role in sustaining this smoldering inflammation observed in the TME. Previously, our group has …

Steroidogenic Enzyme And Steroid Receptor Expression In The Equine Accessory Sex Glands, Robyn E. Ellerbrock, Giorgia Podico, Kirsten E. Scoggin, Barry A. Ball, Mariano Carossino, Igor F. Canisso

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

The expression pattern and distribution of sex steroid receptors and steroidogenic enzymes during development of the equine accessory sex glands has not previously been described. We hypothesized that equine steroidogenic enzyme and sex steroid receptor expression is dependent on reproductive status. Accessory sex glands were harvested from mature stallions, pre-pubertal colts, geldings, and fetuses. Expression of mRNA for estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2), androgen receptor (AR), 3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ5-4 isomerase (3βHSD), P450,17α hydroxylase, 17–20 lyase (CYP17), and aromatase (CYP19) were quantified by RT-PCR, and protein localization of AR, ER-α, ER-β, and 3βHSD were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Expression of …

Temperatures Influence Susceptibility To Insecticides In Aedes Aegypti And Aedes Albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes, Wendy S. Salinas, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo, Christopher Vitek

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) are vectors for several arboviruses, including dengue, Zika virus and chikungunya virus. The primary method of controlling these diseases is controlling the vector population, often with insecticides. Insecticide resistance may impact the success of these efforts. We tested the effect of variable temperature exposures on susceptibility to insecticides by exposing adult A. aegypti and A. albopictus to different temperatures and tested their susceptibility to insecticides. We hypothesized that adults maintained at high temperatures would show increased susceptibility to insecticides relative to lower temperatures. Colony mosquitoes were hatched, reared to adulthood and then maintained …

Sin In Business And Business In Sin: Negative Externalities, Total Depravity, And Freedom From Perfection, Kathryn D. Blanchard

Journal of Religion and Business Ethics

It is not difficult to find examples of sin in business. These include blatant individual sins like theft or fraud, as well as larger systemic failures such as negative social and ecological externalities. It is a task of Christian business ethics to address such failures, but we invariably come up against problems that defy easy solutions, no matter how scrupulously we try to root them out. This is because business itself—like all human life—exists under conditions of sin. The Calvinist notion of total depravity reframes “sin in business” as “business in sin,” necessitating greater humility about the possibility of good …

Information Needs And Seeking Behavior: A Pakistani Perspective, Rida Anmol, Ghalib Khan Dr, Izhar Muhammad

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

No abstract provided.

Anti‐Microbial Activities Of Root Extracts Of Cichorium Intybus L., Quanzhen Wang, Tianming Hu, Yamei Xu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Promising Features Of The Legume Species Bituminaria Bituminosa As A Novel Forage Plant And For Pharmaceutical Purposes, L. Pecetti, A. Tava, E. Piano, E. Biazzi, S. Esposti, A. Ursino, B. Pintus

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Pasture Management For Conservation Of Multipurpose Plants In Italian Mountains, Andrea Pardini, V. Pratesi, R. Tallarico

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

An Oer Collection Of Primary Sources For Western Art Music, Giacomo Fiore, Kumiko Uyeda

2021 USF Faculty and Staff Books

This collection of primary sources is for An OER Collection of Composer Biographies.

It was funded by a 2021 Gleeson Library OER Faculty Grant and is published under an Open License: CC BY-NC-SA.

An Oer Collection Of Primary Sources For Western Art Music, Giacomo Fiore, Kumiko Uyeda

2022 USF Faculty and Staff Books

This collection of primary sources is for An OER Collection of Composer Biographies.

It was funded by a 2021 Gleeson Library OER Faculty Grant and is published under an Open License: CC BY-NC-SA.

An Oer Collection Of Primary Sources For Western Art Music, Giacomo Fiore, Kumiko Uyeda

All USF Faculty Authored Books

This collection of primary sources is for An OER Collection of Composer Biographies.

It was funded by a 2021 Gleeson Library OER Faculty Grant and is published under an Open License: CC BY-NC-SA.

Response Of Cover Crops To Phytopythium Vexans, Phytophthora Nicotianae, And Rhizoctonia Solani, Major Soilborne Pathogens Of Woody Ornamentals, Milan Panth, Anthony L. Witcher, Fulya Baysal-Gurel

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Management of plant diseases is a subject of concern for researchers as well as growers. Different management practices are being developed and used to combat the rising number of plant pathogens, which threaten nursery crop production. Use of cover crops for sustainable management of soilborne diseases is being explored as an alternative strategy to the chemicals. However, the potential threat of these cover crops acting as a secondary host of these devastating soilborne pathogens has not been described. We studied the response of the major cover crops being used by woody ornamental growers in the Southeastern United States to Phytopythium …

Cytokines That Serve As Embryokines In Cattle., Alan D Ealy, Savannah L Speckhart, Lydia K Wooldridge

Faculty Research 2021

The term "embryokine" has been used to denote molecules produced by the endometrium, oviduct, or by embryo itself that will influence embryo development. Several cytokines have been identified as embryokines in cattle and other mammals. This review will describe how these cytokines function as embryokines, with special emphasis being placed on their actions on in vitro produced (IVP) bovine embryos. Embryokines are being explored for their ability to overcome the poor development rates of IVP embryos and to limit post-transfer pregnancy retention efficiencies that exist in IVP embryos. This review will focus on describing two of the best-characterized cytokines, colony-stimulating …

Quantitative Trait Mapping In Diversity Outbred Mice Identifies Novel Genomic Regions Associated With The Hepatic Glutathione Redox System., Rebecca L Gould, Steven W Craig, Susan Mcclatchy, Gary A Churchill, Robert Pazdro

Faculty Research 2021

The tripeptide glutathione (GSH) is instrumental to antioxidant protection and xenobiotic metabolism, and the ratio of its reduced and oxidized forms (GSH/GSSG) indicates the cellular redox environment and maintains key aspects of cellular signaling. Disruptions in GSH levels and GSH/GSSG have long been tied to various chronic diseases, and many studies have examined whether variant alleles in genes responsible for GSH synthesis and metabolism are associated with increased disease risk. However, past studies have been limited to established, canonical GSH genes, though emerging evidence suggests that novel loci and genes influence the GSH redox system in specific tissues. The present …

Improvement Cycles In Medical Education: From Quality Improvement To Patient Care And Clinical Research, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Using Predator Vocalizations To Deter Raccoon Predation On Nests Of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys Terrapin), Colleen Elizabeth Naeger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Interview, Elizabeth Naiden

Theses and Dissertations

An exploration of work by Liz Naiden in the form of a conversation discussing light and dark, attention and proprioception, and design and architectural theories of space in installation works. Addresses the role of voice, speech, and reading and speaking aloud, performing for oneself, and performing for others.

Mucinomics: A Bioinformatic Analysis Of Snail Mucins, And Their Function, Maxwell B. Mcdermott

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis outlines the current research on secreted snail mucus, highlighting the potential of this biopolymer, and also demonstrates a research strategy to fulfill the unmet need of examining the hierarchical structures that lead to the enormous biological and chemical diversity of snail mucus genes.

Seasonal Habitat Use Of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys Terrapin) In North Inlet, Winyah Bay, Georgetown, South Carolina, Danielle Elizabeth Capella

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Protein-Based Nanofibers And Thin Films For Drug Delivery Applications, Christopher R. Gough

Theses and Dissertations

Corn zein and silk are both widely available, easy to extract proteins making them valuable replacements for synthetics. Zein and silk are also promising biomaterials in several applications. This work explores the use of both proteins as drug delivery vehicles by loading 1-Dimensional micro-nanofibers and 2-Dimensional thin films with model drugs or the topical therapeutic sodium citrate. Using a formic acid solvent, powdered zein protein or silk fibers were dissolved into solution and then casted into 2D films or spun into 1D fibers through air-spraying. During dissolution, therapeutic products are added. SEM images showed that fibers maintain their small diameter …