Digital Commons Network^™

Role Of Libraries As Sources Of Information On Organic Farming In Oyo State Nigeria, Sobalaje Adewale Joel A. J, Oyetola Solomon Olusegun S. O, Ayano Kekinde Oluwaseun K. O.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

ABSTRACT: This study provided the role of libraries as sources of information on organic agriculture to the farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. Organic agriculture/farming is the process of producing food naturally. Two hundred (200) questionnaires were distributed for administration, but only one hundred and eighty-five (185) questionnaires were returned, representing 92.5%, and were found useful for this study. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the returned questionnaires. The data was analysed using frequency tables, simple percentages, and regression analysis tests for dependent and independent variables. The study discovered that 90.8% of the respondents used …

Basic Bronchoscopy Competence Achieved During A One-Day Workshop For A Multidisciplinary Critical Care Team: A Simulation-Based Study, Jayakrishnan B, Saif Musabah Al-Mubaihsi, Hasan Al-Sayegh, Ahmed Zaher Al-Abri, Issa Saif Alqarshoubi, Jehan Al-Abri, Sami M Bennji

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Fibreoptic bronchoscopy has become a key procedure in critical care, transitioning from pulmonologists to intensivists. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a one-day simulation-based training programme in acquiring basic bronchoscopy skills.

Methods: A one-day workshop was conducted at Sultan Qaboos Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Centre, University Medical City, Muscat, Oman, in October 2024 with didactic lectures, small group skill stations, virtual bronchoscopy simulations and hands-on training using manikins and a novel, cost-effective, 3D-printed airway model. The pre-course knowledge of the attendees and their gain in skill were assessed with a 50-question survey tool.

Results …

Readiness Before Adoption: Exploring Ai Integration In Egyptian Nonprofit Fundraising, Marwa Y. Zayed

Theses and Dissertations

 Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been transforming fundraising through data-driven decision-making, automation, and personalized donor engagement. Existing research focuses on AI applications and outcomes in the nonprofit sector in western context, with little known information in the Global South, particularly Egypt. This gap makes understanding the organizational conditions that shape AI difficult and limited. This thesis examines how organizational, cultural, ethical, and resource-related factors shape Egyptian nonprofit organizations’ readiness to adopt AI in fundraising. Through a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 fundraising directors, CEOs, a governmental representative, and technology professionals working in Egyptian nonprofits based in Cairo …

Mapping The Neuroexposome: Integrative Analysis Of Dementia Risk Factors Through Multi-Omics And Environmental Profiling In The Egyptian Population., Mai Ahmed Saadzaghloul Othman

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Dementia represents one of the most pressing public health challenges of the twenty-first century, with the global burden projected to reach 153 million cases by 2050. Egypt, as the most populous Arab nation, faces a corresponding rise in age-related diseases, yet comprehensive data from low- and middle-income countries remain severely limited. The neuroexposome framework, integrating genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, and metabolic alterations, offers a powerful strategy to characterize the complex interplay between internal and external risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease Related Dementias (ADRD).

Objectives: This thesis aimed to: (1) examine the distribution of APOE alleles …

The Gut Microbiome, The Gut-Brain Axis, And College Student Well-Being, Idi Mckay

University Honors Theses

This literature review examines how diet, stress, environmental exposure, and food accessibility may influence college students' mental health and academic performance through the gut microbiome and the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). Current microbiome research often focuses on early childhood development, clinical disease populations, or older adults, while overlooking college-age students who experience significant social, environmental, and biological transitions. College students frequently face food insecurity, irregular eating patterns, chronic stress, inconsistent sleep schedules, and reduced access to nutrient-dense foods, all of which may influence microbial diversity and overall gut health.

This thesis explores how modern campus environments and lifestyle factors may contribute …

An Integrated Sensor-Fusion Framework For Performance-Based Compensation In Construction, Aly Ayman El-Ashry

Theses and Dissertations

Construction productivity has historically stagnated due to a reliance on subjective labor monitoring and “lagging” performance indicators. This research proposes a novel compensation model with the use of Total Energy Management System (TEMS) to translate labor effort and efficiency into payment incentives with the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) wearables and Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts.

This research addresses the systemic problem of declining construction productivity caused by industry’s inability to objectively quantify human effort. While traditional models rely on post-facto production tallies, a significant research gap exists in real-time physiological labor monitoring. To bridge this, the proposed TEMS …

Documenting Death: A Question Of Sovereignty In The Cairo Geniza, Thomas Adkins

Theses and Dissertations

How can death offer a case study for the question of sovereignty in eleventh to thirteenth century Egypt as it was performed by sovereigns, officials, and subjects alike, and, in this context, how can the documentary practices preserved in the Geniza be understood as an instrument to perform sovereignty? This thesis uses death as a case study in the same way that scholars of the medieval Islamic world have studied taxation, administration, and ceremonials to understand sovereignty as it was performed by the state, officials, and subjects. This performance of sovereignty by each implicated actor left a rich documentary trail, …

Statewide Multi-Year Wastewater Sequencing Reveals Dual Origins Of Hiv-1 Signal, Justin R Clark, Dylan Chirman, Harihara Prakash, Austen Terwilliger, Marlene Mcneese, Matt Ross, Mike Tisza, Sara J Javornik Cregeen, Loren Hopkins, Jennifer Deegan, Catherine L Troisi, Eric Boerwinkle, Kristina Mena, Fuqing Wu, Jason T Kimata, Marc Johnson, Devon Gregory, Faith E Fletcher, Thomas P Giordano, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is a retrovirus which has infected 90 million people and resulted in over 40 million deaths. Despite advances in diagnostics, treatment, and prophylaxis, HIV-1 continues to spread due to undiagnosed and untreated infections. Traditional monitoring methods are ineffective when access to testing is limited or people do not seek care, particularly given the long period between infection and symptom onset, allowing undetected transmission to continue. Here, we use a hybrid-capture sequencing approach to track HIV-1 signal in municipal wastewater in 15 different cities over nearly 3 years. We obtain near-complete genomic coverage of HIV-1, enabling …

Colostrum And Rethinking Passive Transfer In Dairy Calves, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Maggi Mathews

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of colostrum and passive transfer in dairy calves, with information applicable to producers, consultants, educators, and students.

Colostrum Management For Dairy Calves: Technical Guidelines For Consultant Evaluation And Implementation, Drew Swartz, Jacob Hadfield, Kalen Taylor, Maggi Mathews

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides a technical overview of colostrum management in dairy calves, including evaluation methods and evidence-based recommendations for consultants, educators, and students.

Effect Of Temperature On The Defensive And Predatory Behavior Of The Scorpion Hadrurus Obscurus (Scorpiones: Hadruridae), Zia Nisani, Megan Bennett, Audrey Enriquez, Mel Iniquez, Emilia Martinez Rios, Brooklyn Stone

Euscorpius

Scorpions employ their stinging mechanism both for defense and predation, and being ectothermic, temperature influences their physiology and behavior. As such, we hypothesized that temperature both affects defensive stinging and prey-capture behavior in scorpions. We tested the effects of body temperature on these behaviors in the desert hairy scorpion, Hadrurus obscurus Williams, 1970. In the first experiment, scorpions were placed in temperature-controlled chambers with either high (26-28°C) or low (21- 22°C) temperatures and probed to elicit a defensive sting. We recorded the reaction time and the number of probes needed to elicit a sting. In the second experiment, we observed …

A Comparative Evaluation Of Six Ryegrass Cultivars Under Grazing And Conservation Managements, M Ryan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Meat and dairy products command overriding importance in the Irish agricultural economy. They are derived primarily from Irish grasslands, which occupy 89% of the arable land area. Use of improved grass cultivars is probably the best means of increasing grassland output once the basics, optimal fertilizer use, and high stocking rates have been met. Objective identification of superior cultivars is the responsibility of state agencies. A recommended list, published annually in Ireland, presently contains 47 ryegrass (Lolium perenne) cultivars. There is some doubt, however, that results from small-plot cutting trials can be extrapolated to equivalent performance by grazing …

Potential Grass Production In Ireland, A J. Breeton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Variation in weather geographically and between years can have a significant impact on intensive animal production systems dependent on grass as feed. This work was undertaken to quantify the effect of weather variations on grass production. The first objective was to relate grass growth quantitatively to radiation and temperature. These relationships are obscured by large changes in sward growth potential within the season, which are related to changes in the physiological status of the crop. Therefore, it was necessary to quantify this physiological effect. Production data were drawn from production experiments, and weather data were drawn from the published records …

Production Of Big Trefoil On Acid, Low-Fertility Soils In New Zealand, R S. Scott

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

On undeveloped, acid (pH< 5.0) soils in New Zealand, growth of the conventional legumes white clover (Trifolium repens L.), red clover (T. pratense L.), and alsike clover (T. hybridum L.) is limited by acidity. The objective of this research was to identify an alternative legume species better adapted to both acidity and low inputs of phosphorus (P) and to examine grazing management. Big trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus Cav.) cv. Grasslands Maku and birdsfoot trefoil (L. rorniculatus L.) cv. Maitland were examined. Seed was inoculated with appropriate strains of rhizobia and sown into undisturbed tussock grasslands on acid soils of low P status at altitudes of 550-880 m. Lime and phosphorus …

Animal Production With Controlled And Fixed Stocking And Managed Stocking Rates, R E. Blaser, J T. Johnson, F Mcclaughterty, J P. Fontenot, R C. Hammes Jr, H T. Bryant, D D. Wolf, D A. Mays

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing experiments were conducted to implement and improve animal-grazing-management systems. The primary objec­tives were (experiment 1) to investigate animal production with fixed and controlled stocking and (experiment 2) to study animal production and canopy characteristics with three managed stocking rates. Live-weight gains/head for the grazing season were similar for fixed and controlled stocking; during a summer period, gains/head were higher for controlled stocking. Gains/head were not associated with available herbage. The canopies with fixed stocking had 28% to 82% more forage than those with controlled stocking, the former being high in dead tissues and stems. Controlled stocking gave 61 % …

Influence Of Sward Structure Upon Herbage Intake Of Cattle Grazing A Perennial Ryegrass Sward, M H. Wade, Y.L P. Le Du

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To examine the influence of structural distribution of herbage within a sward on intake by grazing animals, two swards of contrasting structure were established at two periods in the grazing season by either infrequent mowing (C) or hard sheep graz­ing (G) of a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) pasture. The plots were then allowed to grow undisturbed for about 5 weeks before being grazed by young cattle for periods of 2 weeks at two levels of herbage allowance, 30 and 60 g dry matter/kg live weight/day, in July (1) and in September (2). Detailed measurements of sward structure were …

A Mathematically And Conceptually Unified Approach To Grazing-Management Terminology, D L. Scarnecchia, M M. Kothmann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Expressions such as "stocking density," "stocking rate," "grazing pressure," "herbage allowance," "grazing intensity," "stock­ing intensity," and "stocking pressure" have long been used to describe animal-pasture systems. In general, these expressions describe relationships among the basic variables of animal demand, forage quantity, pasture area, and grazing duration. Our objective was to develop a conceptually dynamic mathematical framework of expressions summarizing all of the meaningful relationships among these variables. Elementary differential and integral calculus were used to develop this dynamic approach. The resulting expressions are dimensionally valid and are capable of accurately describing dynamic animal-pasture systems. Adoption of this system would standardize …

Screening Perennial Forages By Mob-Grazing Technique, P Mislevy, G O. Mott, F G. Martin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Mob-grazing allows the study of forage response to severe defoliation by grazing animals on a limited land area. This tech­nique was used to evaluate two Digi,taria spp., one Paspalum sp., and 13 Cynodon spp. at grazing frequencies of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 weeks. Average dry-matter (DM) yield generally increased as grazing frequency decreased from 2 to 7 weeks. Decreasing the grazing frequency from 4 to 7 weeks resulted in a DM yield increase of 50% to 75% for most entries. Grazing at 4-and 5-week intervals resulted in the highest (42%) and lowest (22%) weed contamination, respectively, when compared …

Grazing Techniques For Evaluating Quality Of Forage Cultivars In Small Pastures, A G. Matches, F A. Martz, D A. Sleeper, R L. Belyea

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Because plant beeders have few laboratory analyses of forage quality that are good predictors of animal performance when grazing pasture, • we studied the feasibility of grazing small pastures with cattle in order to detect possible forage-quality dif­ferences among cultivars of tall fescue (Festuca anmdinacea Schreb). Kentucky 31, Kenmont, Fawn, and Missouri 96 tall fescue cultivars and Kenhy, a Lolium-Festuca derivative, were grown in 0.47-ha pastures and grazed in separate periods ranging from 35 to 68 days during the spring, summer, and autumn of 1974-1976. Between grazing periods, cattle grazed a reserve pasture of the same cultivar. All test pastures …

Using A Dynamic Model Of Fiber Digestion And Passage To Evaluate Forage Quality, D R. Mertens, L O. Ely

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Assessing forage quality depends not only upon the characteristics of the plant and animal, but also upon the dynamic interac­tion of the forage, rumen microorganisms, and animal. Although static variables, such as composition or 48-hour in-vitro fermentation, are important for characterizing feeds and predicting in-vivo responses under standard conditions, they provide little information that can be used to assess forage quality in dynamic situations. Dynamic properties, such as rates of digestion and passage, can be used to predict digestion under varied circumstances but require an appropriate mathematical model. Our objectives were to describe a dynamic model of fiber digestion and …

Methodology For Determining Pasture And Animal Response Differences In Unbalanced Experiments With Intercorrelations Among Treatments, J C. Burns, R W. Harvey, F G. Giesbrecht

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Conventional statistical analyses require balanced data sets. Unbalanced data can be analyzed using regression procedures, but excessive adjustments may be needed for some treatment means. The objective of this paper is to evaluate an analysis of grazing-trial data using generalized least squares. The data was obtained from a 6-year study involving 12 treatments with not all treatments being made in all years. The analyses involved estimating variance components due to years, fields, and random error and then using these estimates to obtain adjusted treatment means. Variance-component estimates for the complete data set were similar to estimates from two balanced subsets …

Effect Of Experimental Methods On Results Of Voluntary Intake Experiments With Grass Cultivars, U Simon, P Daniel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The amount of forage eaten by farm animals when forage is offered ad libitum is a major factor in the nutritive value of forage grasses. It is influenced by a number of internal and external factors. Experimental results of studies on the subject :reported in the literature are often contradictory, partially because, perhaps, of the methods of evaluation employed. We studied whether and to what extent different experimental procedures influenced the results of intake experiments in grass cultivars. Four cultivars of Lolium perenne differing in ploidy level and precocity were fed to sheep ad libitum, and voluntary intake was assessed …

Review Of Mechanisms Of Toxicity Of 3-Nitropropanoic Acid In Nonruminant Animals, D L. Bustine, B G. Moyer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Crownvetch (Coronilla varia L.) now has limited use in the U.S.A. as a forage crop for ruminant animals. Even though crown vetch forage can contain high amounts of nutrients, intake by ruminants may be reduced. Toxicity problems upon feeding crownvetch to nonmminants have been traced to 3-nitropropanoic acid (NPA), which occurs esterified to glucose in the plant. Understanding mechanisms of toxicity in nonruminants will be helpful in avoiding livstock losses and in treating poisoned animals. Symptoms of NPA toxicity are similar in rats, mice, meadow voles, chickens, and rabbits and probably reflect central nervous system disorders and oxygen deprivation. …

Beef Production From Tall Fescue Treated With Mefluidide A Chemical Plant-Growth Regulator, T W. Robb, D G. Ely, C E. Rieck, S Glenn, L Kitchen, B P. Glenn, R J. Thomas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Mefluidide treatment of Kentucky 31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) in the spring will inhibit seed-head formation, maintain the forage in an immature and vegetative stage, and increase forage N and soluble-sugar content and in-vivo nutrient utilization in the ovine. Productivity of animals grazing mefluidide-treated tall fescue, however, has not been determined. The objective of this study was to evaluate agronomic characteristics of forage and productivity of yearling beef steers and heifers grazing mefluidide-treated (T) and nontreated control (C) pastures of Kentucky 31 tall fescue. Experimental pastures of Kentucky 31 tall fescue ( 4 replications at location I and one …

Role Of Alkaloids And Toxic Compounds In The Utilization Of Tall Fescue By Ruminants, J A. Boling, R W. Hemken, L P. Bush, R C. Buckner, J A. Jackson Jr, S G. Yates

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) contains several alkaloids. Studies in our laboratory showed that perloline is a prin­cipal alkaloid in tall fescue during the summer and that concentration peaks at a time when cattle grazing tall fescue pastures fre­quently have severely reduced performance (summer syndrome or summer fescue toxicosis). The objectives of the following studies were (1) to determine the influence of perloline on in-vitro fermentation and in-vivo ruminant metabolism and (2) to determine the effects of two tall fescue strains selected for perloline concentration on performance of growing cattle and lactating dairy cows and on interrelationships with environmental …

Feeding Value Of The Legume Component In Pasture And Silage, K.F M. Reed, P T. Kenny

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing experiments were conducted to examine the feeding value of various pastures for grazing sheep and, in some cases, as silage. Recently, the use of legumes for improving the growth of weaned lambs during the dry summer and early autumn was in­vestigated at Hamilton, Victoria. Studies in Australia showed that the fleeceweights of weaner sheep grazed on eight pasture mixtures of varying grass species increased as the amount of clover in the pasture increased (r -0.88 • *). In a separate study, young sheep grew faster on lucerne· grass pasture than on grass-subtenanean dover pasture. Most recently, live-weight gains of …

Increasing Productivity And Extending Grazing Season Of Cynodon Pastures For Steers With N And Overseedings Of Trifolium And Festuca In The Southeastern U.S.A, H A. Fribourg, J B. Mclaren, R J. Carlisle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A series of grazing experiments has been conducted 80 km east of Memphis, Tennessee, since 1969 on fine-silty, mixed, ther­ mic, Typic Hapludalfs soils to evaluate productivity and quality of Cynodon pastures grown with N fertilizer or in combination with Festuca arundinacea and/or Ladino, TnJolium repens, and sometimes with T. pmtense, for growing beef steers. Pastures were grazed by the put-and-take system, and forage growth and consumption were determined by the cage-and-strip method. These experiments have shown that bermudagrass pastures can support many young beef animals for 5 months/yr if they are fertilized with N, can produce rapid gains in …

Simulation Of Complementary Forage Cropping By Feeding Oat Grain To Ewes, J L. Wheeler, D A. Hedges, C Mulcahy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In many parts of the world where year-round grazing is feasible, complementary forages such as oats or sorghum are sown to impove the quantity and quality of the forage available at specific periods. Experiments in which these crops complement well­fertilized grassland have generally not shown an increase in animal production compared with all-grassland systems. The pres­ent experiment aimed to determine the effects of a simulated complementary forage crop on pasture yield and on the production of breeding ewes. Eight groups of 10 sheep grazed 0.6-ha plots of Phalaris aquo.tica L.-Trifolium repens L., and eight groups of 10 sheep grazed 0.8-ha …

Effect Of Feeding Level And Forage: Concentrate Ratio On The Digestibility Of Pelleted Diets By Sheep And Cattle, G.M J. Horton, M J. Farmer, B E. Melton, S Sklane

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sheep are frequently used to determine the nutritive value of cattle feeds. However, there is some evidence that digestion coef­ficients for cattle and sheep may differ and that digestibility may be influenced by feeding level. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of feeding level and animal species on the digestibility of pelleted diets containing different ratios of alfalfa hay to barley grain. Five 4O-kg yearling crossbred lambs and four 35O-kg yearling steers were used to evaluate each diet. The six diets were isonitrogenous, containing the following proportions of barley grain and alfalfa hay (percentage as fed …

Effect Of Supplements On The Live-Weight Gain Of Beef Cattle Given Forage During The Dry Season, C Thomas, P N. Mbugua

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The low quality of standing pasture grasses in the dry seasons presents a major problem in the intensification of beef produc­tion in the tropics. The objective of this research was to examine the role of maize and grass silage or standing napiergrass (Pen­nisetum purpureum) as sources of forage when given alone or with supplements to beef cattle. In the first of three trials conducted at the National Agricultural Research Station, Kitale, Kenya, 36 Friesian castrates, initially 249 kg live weight (LW), were given silage of whole-crop maize either alone or supplemented with corn-and-cob meal. Each of these two basal diets …