Digital Commons Network^™

Soil Health As Influenced By The Integration Of Cover Crops And Poultry Litter In North-Central Mississippi, Nikitha Reddy Kovvuri

Theses and Dissertations

Soil health-based agricultural management practices are widely promoted to improve soil structure, infiltration and reduce erosion. This study was conducted at two locations in North-Central Mississippi to evaluate the influence of different cover crop species and poultry litter on soil health that can impact crop production, climate change, and resilience. The results indicated that the cover crops showed a little effect on some soil health indicators compared to control treatment. However, in one location, rye, and a mixture of cover crops decreased bulk density and increased available water content and organic matter. The poultry litter had a positive effect on …

Development Of Preservative-Treated Cross-Laminated Timber And Lignin-Reinforced Polyurethane-Adhesive For Glued Laminated Timber, Samuel Oluwafemi Ayanleye

Theses and Dissertations

Interest in the use of mass timber in building and construction is growing worldwide, this is due to the structural integrity and reduced environmental footprint of timber-based structures. Concerns associated with the biological and environmental degradation of mass timber necessitate the development of adequate protection strategies to ensure the durability of these products. Preservative treatment is a proven technique that increases the durability and performance of wood in-service and can also be applied to large-sized timber panels such as cross-laminated timber (CLT). Therefore, this study focused on investigating the feasibility of treating prefabricated 3- and 5-layer CLT panels with Copper-azole …

Evaluating The Immunogenicity Of Colonization Proteins Of S. Pneumoniae For Identification Of Vaccine Candidates, Isidora Fereday

Theses and Dissertations

Streptococcus pneumoniae is typically an asymptomatic colonizer of the upper respiratory tract but can cause invasive disease in susceptible populations. Pneumococcal vaccines which are currently in use have failed to significantly reduce colonization by S. pneumoniae. To control invasive pneumococcal disease, novel strategies must be utilized. One such strategy is to reduce or eradicate colonization by pneumococcus. Supplementary vaccination with pneumococcal proteins important for colonization could serve to prime the immune system against these targets. This study serves as an initial step towards identification of crucial pneumococcal colonization proteins which may previously have been uncharacterized. Assessing the immune reactivity …

Fabrication And Imaging Of Highly Ordered Plasmonic Au Nano-Prism And Self-Assembled Supramolecular Nanostructure, Ridwan Tobi Ayinla

Theses and Dissertations

The precise control of the resonance frequency of plasmonic nanostructures is critical and depends on the size, composition, shape, and dielectric nature of the environment. The ability to control the shape and size of nanomaterials acutely depends on the fabrication technique and material design. We used a cheap and scalable method known as nanosphere lithography (NSL) to fabricate plasmonic nano-prism (NP) on glass and indium tin oxide substrate (ITO). The methods involve substrate hydrophilicity treatment, polystyrene nanosphere masking, metal deposition, and mask removal. The array and specific morphology of the fabricated NP was established using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and …

Transition Metal-Catalyzed Functionalization Of Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds In Alkenes, Xiaolin Qian

Theses and Dissertations

Alkenes can undergo a variety of chemical reactions to form more complex molecules with a range of functional groups. This makes them useful starting materials for synthesizing a wide range of organic compounds. Chapter I provided an overview of the development history of alkenyl C−H bond activation. The early reactions of C−H compounds with metal complexes, as well as stoichiometric activation of the transition metal-activated C–H bond, were discussed. Then the first successful and efficient organometallic-catalyzed transformations of a C−H bond, the first transition metal-catalyzed vinylic C–H functionalization, and the first transition metal-catalyzed olefinic C–H functionalization under mild conditions were …

Vaccination And Immune Response Of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Against Virulent Aeromonas Hydrophila, Basant Mahmoud Ali Gomaa

Theses and Dissertations

Virulent Aeromonas hydrophila (vAh) is a causative agent of motile Aeromonas septicemia (MAS) in catfish. There are limitations in the current therapeutic and preventative strategies against vAh. The pathogenesis of MAS as well as the immune response of catfish to vAh infection are poorly understood. The aim of this study is to: 1) develop a dual live attenuated vaccine against MAS and enteric septicemia of catfish caused by Edwardsiella ictaluri; and 2) evaluate the vAh bacterial load and gene expression patterns in catfish tissues following vAh infection. Previously, six recombinant vAh …

Dog Tired: Examining The Relation Between Dog And/Or Cat Ownership And Owners’ Sleep, Courtney J. Bolstad

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep is an essential part of life, and obtaining quality sleep is important for various areas of functioning. Behaviors to promote sleep include physical activity, managing stress, reducing anxiety symptoms, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, and obtaining bright light exposure. Many of these behaviors overlap with benefits observed from pet ownership (PO). The present study aimed to examine the relation between PO and sleep as well as moderators and mediators of this relation. Four research questions were examined: 1) Is PO significantly related to sleep? 2) Does gender moderate the relation between PO and sleep? 3) Do sleep-promoting behaviors (i.e., …

Evaluation Of Occidiofungin Activity On Yeast-Hyphae Morphogenesis And Biofilm Formation By Candida Species, Rabina Kumpakha

Theses and Dissertations

Invasive fungal infections are a significant clinical challenge especially for hospitalized patients as traditional antifungal therapy often fails to resolve these infections. The ability of Candida to undergo yeast-to-hyphae morphological transition is central to this invasive behavior. Morphogenesis is also important for the formation of biofilms which are highly structured communities of microorganisms attached to one another or substratum and embedded within a protective extracellular matrix material. The refractory nature of cells within a biofilm to current antifungal therapies has created a need for alternative antifungal agents for the management of Candida biofilm-related infections. The novel antifungal occidiofungin is a …

Philosophies Of Mississippi College Readiness Programs, Cory Ellis Bailey

Theses and Dissertations

“College Readiness” has been a phrase discussed across higher education and the workforce in most recent years. However, the perception of College Readiness has been debated throughout history as there is not a universal agreement on the philosophy of what it means to be College Ready. In Mississippi, the state has not even defined this phrase so there is not a way to measure the success of College Readiness. Because of this lack of universal philosophy, the purpose of this study is to understand the philosophy of college readiness programs in the state of Mississippi. The research question guiding this …

Nutritional Strategies To Reduce Salmonella Enteritidis Infections In Laying Hens: Prebiotic, Probiotic, And Precision Biotics, Ishab Poudel

Theses and Dissertations

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infections in laying hens is a significant cause of foodborne illness linked to the consumption of contaminated eggs. This dissertation encompasses novel strategies aimed to explore appropriate in-vitro and in-vivo models to evaluate the effects of these novel strategies to reduce SE in laying hens. Firstly, we investigated the potential probiotics, prebiotics, and essential oil combinations to reduce SE in-vitro. The results showed that probiotics and prebiotics are equally effective to reduce SE. In subsequent studies, we evaluated the role of vaccination history on cecal microbiota and SE infections with various doses of oral SE challenge. …

Optimizing Edge-Of-Field Water Quality Monitoring Methods To Determine The Effects Of Best Management Practices On Nutrient And Sediment Runoff, Mark Hill

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the impact on water quality of combined agricultural best management practices cover crop and minimum tillage, alongside an examination of techniques used to collect those samples. Edge-of-field (EOF) water quality samples were collected from 11 working farms during a two-year paired field experiment. Results showed significant reductions in nutrient concentrations, increased discharge, and mixed findings regarding nutrient mass transport post-treatment. A suite of EOF collection techniques were compared using in-situ automated water sampling systems sampling the same runoff events. Sampling protocols influenced nutrient concentrations in composite samples, but unexpected variance in velocity sensors affected measured discharge, making …

Valuation Of Oyster Reef Restoration Along The Gulf Coast, Freedom Enyetornye

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study is to estimate the willingness to pay of U.S. Gulf Coast residents to support oyster reef restoration. The Gulf Coast is the leading commercial oyster- producing region in the United States, accounting for approximately 46% of the total commercial oyster harvest in 2021. My benefit estimates were based on data obtained from a contingent valuation survey of 6,475 Gulf Coast respondents. I estimated the willingness to pay (WTP) for oyster reef restoration using interval regression and Turnbull lower-bound methods. The estimated mean WTP value is in the range of $142 and $436 per household. The …

A Four-Pronged Approach To Addressing A Wild Pig Invasion In A Bottomland And Upland Forested Landscape, Tyler Scott Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Among exotic species that are capable of invading, establishing, and reaching pest status, few pose the range of impacts to biotic (e.g., competition with native species, predation, herbivory, introduction of other exotics) and abiotic (e.g., soil, hydrology) ecosystem components that can be attributed to the wild pig (Sus scrofa). Despite the presence of wild pigs throughout the southeastern United States for centuries, new invasions continue to occur in previously uninhabited and often under-investigated landscapes, including bottomland and upland forests. The recent invasion of the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (hereafter, NNWR) in east-central Mississippi represents an …

Impacts Of Cover Crop, Soil Steaming, And Plastic Mulch On Field-Grown Tomato Production And Virus-Induced Gene Silencing In Antirrhinum, Penstemon, Petunia, Rosa, And Rudbeckia, Brenton Andrew Earl Breland

Theses and Dissertations

Weeds and soil-borne diseases can cause large yield losses in field-grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production. Techniques have been developed to reduce soil-based problems. In this study, we evaluated the impacts of cover crops, soil steaming, and plastic mulch to reduce weed and disease pressure in field-grown tomatoes. Four cover crop treatments were grown in the fall and winter before spring planting. Soils were steamed to a target temperature of 71.1 °C for 0, 5, or 20 minutes. Plastic mulch was also used on half of the rows. Yield, weed densities, and disease incidence were recorded.

Reduced flowering time …

The Community Ecology Of Ants On The Cumberland Plateau And A Taxonomic Redescription Of The Genus Stenamma Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) In A Southeastern Treatment, Zachary Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Grassland communities represent major biodiversity hotspots across the United States. Among these grassland types is the short-leaf pine savanna, a major historical habitat along the Cumberland Plateau. The Cumberland Plateau’s grasslands are under threat due to land use changes such as urbanization and land conversion to pasture and hardwood forests. This study seeks to better understand the community ecology of ants on the Cumberland Plateau using powerlines as a comparison to degraded and historic habitats. Ants have a preference between open sites and forested sites, a separation of 44.5% on a DCA. The Simpson diversity places the short-leaf pine savanna …

Advancing Poultry Nutrition Through Statistical Strategies To Reduce Experimental Variation And Novel Protease Enzyme Research, Caleb Morgan Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly, nutritionists are challenged to optimize broiler genetic capacity, while considering varying ingredient qualities and pricing, to meet production goals and profitability. Due to scale and cost, university and private research is often used by nutritionists to help make these decisions; thus, requiring these facilities to detect small, incremental improvements. In Chapters 1 and 2, processing data from several nutrition research trials were utilized to evaluate the impact of processing personnel, sample size, and unit of analysis on the detection of dietary differences. By accounting for potential variability between personnel (as a covariant) and selecting an adequate sample size for …

Identifying Additional Neuroprotective Mechanisms Of Novel Phenoxyalkyl Pyridinium Oximes Against Organophosphorus Compound Toxicity, Chiquita Yvette Price

Theses and Dissertations

Our laboratory has invented a series of oxime acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivators (US Patent 9,227,937) that enter the brain, reduce time to cessation of seizure-like activities, and prevent organophosphorus compound (OP) neuropathology, not seen with the current U.S. approved AChE reactivator, pralidoxime (2-PAM). Thus, 2-PAM fails to protect the brain against damage and long-term cognitive and behavioral deficits seen in humans after OP exposure. However, the mechanisms by which these novel oximes provide central neuroprotection through preservation of neuronal cell structures from damage in a rat model are not fully understood by AChE reactivation alone. This dissertation investigated neurotoxic mechanisms of …

Investigating The Role Of Plant Traits And Interactions In Emergent Wetland Nutrient Removal, Andrew Ryan Sample

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing wetland restoration in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley has been identified as a method to reduce nutrient loading in the Gulf of Mexico. Wetlands have historically been used to treat water through processes facilitated by wetland plants, and relatively few species and plant traits have been identified as important in carrying out these processes. This study focuses on some of those species and traits and aims to identify species differences and plant traits that may be important for wetland nutrient mitigation. Chapter I provides background information on nutrient pollution, wetland biogeochemical mechanisms for nutrient sequestration, and the focal species …

Utilizing Soil Quality Data For Premium Rate Making In The Federal Crop Insurance Program, Rylan Moore

Theses and Dissertations

The federal crop insurance program provides crop insurance for millions of acres and many commodities every year. The Risk Management Agency of the USDA is responsible for determining the premium rates for these covered commodities. Currently, the quality of soil is not considered when determining baseline yields and expected premium rates. This study utilizes the moment-based maximum entropy method to assess the effect of incorporating soil in the rate making methodology. Several moments of upland cotton yield in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas are conditioned on weather, irrigation, and soil control variables. Ultimately, I find evidence of mispriced premium rates for …

Ruggedness Test Of A New Standardized Test Method For Abrasion Resistance Of E-Textiles, Erin Parker

Theses and Dissertations

Standard test methods provide product developers with information regarding materials' suitability for different purposes. Typically, current standards are suitable for determining the mechanical properties of new materials. However, in the case of electronic textiles (E-Textiles) and wearable technology (wearables), adding conductive components with added functionality makes utilizing textile standards difficult, and these standards will not provide information on mechanical and electrical properties of conductive elements. New standards for E-Textile and wearables testing are needed to ensure product developers can obtain the information necessary to make informed decisions about new products. Standards organizations such as the American Society for Testing and …

Use Of Comparative Genomics And In Vitro Screening Approach To Identify Vaccine Candidates For The Food-Borne Pathogen Campylobacter Jejuni, Sabin Poudel

Theses and Dissertations

Campylobacteriosis is a leading foodborne illness worldwide, primarily caused by Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) which is associated with poultry consumption. The emergence of antibiotic resistance has emphasized the need for alternative strategies to control C. jejuni colonization in poultry. To assess the prevalence of C. jejuni in poultry, 270 cloacal swab samples were collected from broilers raised under No-Antibiotics Ever system. Among these samples, 16.3% were identified as C. jejuni positive. Notably, these isolates exhibited a diverse range of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes, with 61.36% of isolates showing hyper-motile and 20.45% demonstrating multidrug resistance. Following isolation, whole genome …

Re(Engineering) Student Success: Constructing Knowledge On Students’ Experiences In Engineering Education Programs To Encourage Holistic Student Success, Shaylin Williams

Theses and Dissertations

If a group of engineering deans were asked whether students at their institutions were successful and why, what information might they immediately or subconsciously use to measure or gauge the engineering students’ success? If only academic performance outcomes like GPA, individual course grades, or graduation rate race to their minds, then their rationale aligns with the majority of researchers. My research seeks to shift the mindset that frames engineering student success mainly within the boundaries of academic performance measures. By measuring students’ perceived autonomy, competence, social integration and relatedness within their programs, and aspirations after graduation, one can more accurately …

An Analysis Of Coastal Restoration Projects In Alabama And Mississippi, Barbara Nyarkoa Okai

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to review thirteen coastal restoration projects considering the various ecosystem services provided by restoration and estimates the economic value of one of the ecosystem services of restoration. These ecosystem services include water quality improvement, fish and benthic species productivity, shoreline stabilization, oyster abundance, and marsh growth. The projects represent a set of large-scale projects within Alabama and Mississippi, with construction and monitoring costs ranging from $2.3 million to $50 million per project. To determine the economic value of one of the ecosystem services of coastal restoration projects, I used the meta-analysis method to estimate the willingness to …

Identification And Characterization Of Silk Gland Specific Ugt34 Gene In Helicoverpa Zea, Courtney Nicole Wynn

Theses and Dissertations

Uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase (UGT) is a multigene family of enzymes responsible for catalyzing glycosylation of small hydrophobic molecules. Recently, a genomic analysis of the corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea) identified 45 different UGT genes. We discovered a UGT gene (UGT34) showing high levels of expression exclusively in the silk gland tissue. The expression levels of UGT34 were analyzed in different developmental stages and silk gland sub-segments, revealing that UGT34 is generally expressed at all larval instar stages and largely expressed in the middle and posterior subsegments of the silk glands. The soybean looper (Chrysodeixis includens), another noctuid …

The Definition Of A Black Man: The Entanglement Of Race, Sexuality, And Space, Michael Moore

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how Black queer men and transmasculine individuals navigate Black heteronormative and White queer spaces in New Orleans. Over the last few decades, articles, including anthropological and sociological, have focused on the relationship between race, gender performance, sexuality, and emotional expression among men such as Christian (2005), which analyzed how Black queer men expressed their masculinity within queer spaces (Christian 2005). This thesis builds on this literature to explore how societal and cultural pressures of masculinity can hinder Black queer men institutionally, socially, and romantically.

Expanding One-Dimensional Game Theory-Based Group Decision Models: Extension To N-Dimension And Integration Of Distributed Position Function, Mirhossein Mousavi Karimi

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to expand the current one-dimensional game theory based model to a multidimensional model for multi-actor predictive analytics and generalize the concept of position to address problems where actors’ positions are distributed over a position spectrum. The one-dimensional models are used for the problems where actors are interacting in a single issue space only. This is less than an ideal assumption since, in most cases, players’ strategies may depend on the dynamics of multiple issues when dealing with other players. In this research, the one-dimensional model is expanded to N-Dimensional model by considering different positions, and separate salience …

Travel Time Prediction Using Machine Learning, Vignaan Vardhan Nampalli

Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid growth of urban populations and increasing vehicular traffic, congestion has become a major challenge for transportation systems worldwide. Accurate estimation of travel time plays a crucial role in mitigating congestion and enhancing traffic management. This research focuses on developing a novel methodology that utilizes machine learning models to estimate travel time using real-time traffic data collected through Bluetooth sensors deployed at traffic intersections. The research compares five different prediction systems for replicating travel time estimation, evaluating their performance and accuracy. The results highlight the effectiveness of the machine learning models in accurately predicting travel time. Lastly, the …

A Silvicultural Approach To Increase Drought Resistance And Resilience In Longleaf Pine, Kyle R. Dues

Theses and Dissertations

Droughts are a common disturbance experienced by forest systems across the southeastern United States and are expected to increase in frequency in the near future. Few empirical studies have evaluated the response of individual tree resistance and resilience following silvicultural treatment in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.). This study evaluates the differences in drought responses between two forests during three different periods. The first period evaluated pretreatment (2000) conditions, while the second (2006), and third (2011) compared conditions after the implementation of five silvicultural treatments. The main findings are that, as additional basal area is removed, both individual tree …

Final Approved Request For Change Bg-2023-01 To Final Bpsou Hydrocarbon Sampling And Treatability Study Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Josh Bryson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Distinct Roles For Ltα3 And Ltα1Β2 Produced By B Cells Contribute To Their Multi-Faceted Impact On Ileitis, Emma Claire Erlich

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Crohn’s disease, one of the most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease, is marked by local intestinal inflammation. However, pathology in CD patients is not strictly limited to the gastrointestinal system, and almost 50% of CD patients exhibit extraintestinal manifestations of disease. Many, though not all, of these systemic pathologies are linked to intestinal inflammation and, thus, resolution of local gastrointestinal disease also ameliorates systemic disease. How the connection between local and systemic inflammation is mediated is not well understand, nor is why only some patients exhibit these extraintestinal manifestations of disease. Blocking dissemination of inflammatory signals generated in the …