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Zno Based Chemiresistive Sensor For Ammonia Detection, Anna Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This work aims on the development of nanostructured sensing elements based on ZnO for detecting ammonia, specifically designed for applications in poultry and farm fields. To achieve this objective, we prepared sensing elements, including ZnO, CuO, WO3, NiO, ZnO/CuO, ZnO/WO3, ZnO/NiO, and rGO/ZnO, using the spray pyrolysis technique. Structural, morphological, and compositional analyses were studied using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Microscope (FESEM), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The vapour/gas detection studies of fabricated sensing elements were carried out in a home built sensing chamber.

The single oxides, ZnO, CuO, WO3, demonstrated ammonia detection in the range of 5-100 …

Insulin-Independent Regulation Of Type 1 Diabetes Via Large Brown Adipocyte-Secreted Proteins And The Novel Glucagon Regulator, Nidogen2, Jeongmin Lee

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Current treatments for type 1 diabetes (T1D) focus on insulin replacement. We demonstrate the therapeutic potential of a secreted protein fraction from embryonic brown adipose tissue (BAT), independent of insulin. The large molecular weight secreted fraction mediates insulin receptor-dependent recovery of euglycemia in a T1D animal model, nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, by suppressing glucagon secretion. This fraction also promotes white adipocyte differentiation and browning, maintains healthy BAT, and enhances glucose uptake in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and liver. From this fraction, we identify nidogen-2 as a critical BAT-secreted protein that reverses hyperglycemia in NOD mice, inhibits glucagon secretion from pancreatic …

Northern Fur Ssal Vibrissae Organochlorine Contaminant Concentrations, Dimitri Giarikos, Amy Hirons, Courtney White

SECLER Data

The eastern Pacific stock of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) on the Pribilof Islands has experienced population declines since 1980. The decline may be due to anthropogenic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which bioaccumulate, are toxic, and persistent. This study conducted a comparison of 21 organochlorine (OC) and 39 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) analyte concentrations utilizing archived vibrissae (whiskers) from individual fur seals sampled in 1993 (n=30) and 2013 (n=41). The PBDEs had values five times greater than the legacy status OCs. There were no significant mean concentration differences between 1993 and 2013 for total organochlorines (ΣOCs), or total …

Northern Fur Seal Vibrissae Polybrominateddiphenylether Concentrations, Dimitri Giarikos, Amy Hirons, Courtney White

SECLER Data

The eastern Pacific stock of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) on the Pribilof Islands has experienced population declines since 1980. The decline may be due to anthropogenic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which bioaccumulate, are toxic, and persistent. This study conducted a comparison of 21 organochlorine (OC) and 39 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) analyte concentrations utilizing archived vibrissae (whiskers) from individual fur seals sampled in 1993 (n=30) and 2013 (n=41). The PBDEs had values five times greater than the legacy status OCs. There were no significant mean concentration differences between 1993 and 2013 for total organochlorines (ΣOCs), or total …

Christmas Eve, Lingxiao Fan

Theses

Christmas Eve is a 3D animated graduate thesis film in length of 3 minutes. It is a story about a young Santa Claus who keeps getting distracted by everything around her and procrastinates from doing her job - preparing gifts for kids. The main character, Santa Claus No.077, who lives in the North Pole Village, has the whole year to prepare gifts for children. However, due to her procrastination, one year has passed and she hasn’t finished her job preparing the gifts on Christmas Eve. Noticing the big day for Santa Clauses is taking place today while reading the newspaper, …

The Conservation Of Brain Folding Mechanics, Amber Cook

Theses and Dissertations

The pattern and complexity of cerebellar folding varies across vertebrates. However, little is known about how the tissue-level mechanics are adjusted to create species-specific folding patterns. Here, we utilize a variety of species with differences in cerebellar folding amount to investigate two tissue-level mechanics known to affect folding—differential expansion and outer layer thickness. We found that the level of differential expansion between the outer and inner layers of the cerebellum broadly correlates with folding amount and that the thickness of the outer layer is important as thicker outer layers require more differential expansion to fold. Additionally, we find that both …

Time After Time: Deciphering Structural Violence And Vulnerability Using Postmortem Recovery Time Data And Demographics Throughout The Southeast Region Of The United States, Elise J. Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last few decades, forensic anthropological research has made significant strides in developing better methods for decedent identification and increasing the accuracy of time since death/postmortem interval (PMI) estimations within medicolegal contexts. Until recently however, there has been little emphasis placed on how socioeconomic considerations might be connected, especially regarding recovery times for individuals from various demographic backgrounds. Using intersectional and biocultural frameworks and data collected from forensic anthropologists and medicolegal labs throughout the Southeastern US, this research aims to decipher the role that inequality, through instances of social vulnerability and structural violence, plays in recovery time data throughout …

Silvicultural Strategies For Converting Longleaf Pine Plantations To Multi-Aged Stands With Groundcover Species Restoration In Georgia, Usa, Gabriel F. Nyen

Theses and Dissertations

For some forest landowners in the southern USA, multiple ecological and economic objectives are met through the conversion of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) plantations to uneven-aged stands. This study was conducted in eight similarly-aged longleaf pine plantations at The Jones Center at Ichauway in southwestern Georgia. The stands were disturbed by commercial thinning in 2014 and partially disturbed by Hurricane Michael in 2018 and half of the stands were seeded with native grasses and a forb in 2015. I developed explanatory models of groundcover biomass and longleaf pine seedling occurrence and density. I detected a community composition difference in groundcover …

Salinity Tolerance In The Elymus Genus, Hunter Pegram

Theses and Dissertations

Most crop species are highly sensitive to elevated levels of soil salinity. Increased soil salination has become one of the most detrimental environmental factors limiting agricultural productivity. Agricultural commodity losses due to salinity are currently estimated to be 12 billion USD per year and are expected to increase every year as more acreage is affected by salination. The Elymus genus is composed of approximately 150 species of grasses with geographic distribution that spans the globe. Elymus species are commonly used for revegetation, wildlife habitat, and erosion control. While increased tolerance to soil salinity has been reported that Argentine wheatgrass (Elymus …

Durability Of 34-Year-Old Preservative Treated Test Structures In Mississippi, Brianna A. Duquette

Theses and Dissertations

Boron treated test houses at Mississippi State University’s Dorman Lake test site in Starkville, MS were built in 1989 to investigate the effectiveness of boron treatments with exposure to natural weathering. After being undisturbed for more than 20 years, samples were taken to evaluate the remaining levels of original treatments in the test houses. Visual evaluation of the test structures, curcumin test, and ICP-MS analysis of the borate content shows borates are a capable and effective long-term treatment for wood used in construction. No appreciable damage due to termite feeding was observed. Boron was still detectable by curcumin staining and …

Solution Synthesis Of Colloidal Strontium Zirconium Sulfide Nanomaterials, Naira Arrykova

Theses and Dissertations

Chalcogenide perovskites with a distorted ABX3 structure (A: Ca, Ba, Sr; B: Zr, Hf; X: S, Se) are a prominent focus in optoelectronic materials. One of these is BaZrS3 which has garnered significant attention in perovskite materials due to its distinctive distorted perovskite structure and valuable optical properties that are viable for a single-junction solar cell and present a compelling option for tandem solar cell configurations. Another promising material is SrZrS3 which exists in two phases: needle-like non-perovskite α-SrZrS3 and distorted perovskite β-SrZrS3. The distorted perovskite phase shows promising luminescence properties in bulk, making it potentially viable for LED applications. …

Divergent Selection For Anthesis Of Annual Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne Ssp. Multiflorum), Prakriti Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

Annual ryegrass (Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum) is an excellent cover crop for winter-fallow fields of the Southeast. However, late senescence and herbicide resistance pose challenges for spring eradication. This study aims to develop a ryegrass variety that naturally senescence early using the recurrent phenotypic selection. A base population with anthesis dates from March 21 to April 2 was collected in 2022. 903 seedlings of this population were grown in Cycle0. For Cycle1, the Cycle0 population upon anthesis was segregated into NV0 (11 non-vernalizing), E0 (earliest 70 to anthesis), and L0 (last 70 to anthesis). Isolated groups were allowed to polycross …

Customers’ Advocacy For Environmentally Friendly Golf Courses: The Role Of Green Brand Image, Feelings Of Gratitude, And Relationship Quality, Taewoong Kyung

Theses and Dissertations

The close relationship between sports and the natural environment has been endangered by climate crisis and global warming (Breitbarth et al., 2023; Cunningham et al., 2020; McCullough, 2023; Orr & Inoue, 2019). For this reason, the development of golf courses has been accused of serious impacts on environmental destruction which causes climate change, despite the popularity of golf (Fouillouze et al, 2023). Golf courses have become quite far from the green image. Hence, golf courses began to voluntarily obtain environmental certification (e.g., Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, GEO certified) to protect nature and keep ecosystems sustainable (Gomis et al., 2018; Lee …

A Multivariate Analysis Of Coliform Microbial Dynamics And Intervention Efficacy In A Complex Ready-To-Eat (Rte) Beef Value Stream, Benjamin Adam Miles

Theses and Dissertations

A complex multi-vector processed beef value stream was biomapped and work-in-process (WIP) was sampled at various processing points that affected the product microbiome. Coliform Petrifilm™ was used to analyze samples qualitatively and quantitatively across the meat and glaze vectors. There was an impact (p≤0.05) of the glaze distribution system on coliforms. The pumps of the glaze system were fully disassembled and additional microbial data were obtained through swabbing. WIP and sponge samples were subjected to 16S V1/V2 gene amplification with primers designed for taxonomic identification. Sequencing was conducted on the Illumina MiSeq platform and bioinformatics were developed in QIIME 2 …

Efficacy Of Recycled Glass Cullet As A Soil Substrate For U.S. Gulf Coast Salt Marsh Restoration, Ansley Levine

Theses and Dissertations

Recycled glass cullet is a potential alternative to fill substrate in salt marsh restoration projects, given its similarity to natural silica sands. However, the ability for common salt marsh plants to grow in glass cullet has not yet been tested. An outdoor mesocosm experiment assessed the ability of the dominant mid-marsh plant Juncus roemerianus and the upland marsh plant Spartina patens to grow in various mixtures of glass cullet versus fill soil. Results showed that J. roemerianus can survive in glass cullet, but growth declined as the proportion of cullet increased. However, S. patens grew comparably, if not better, in …

Ultrasonographic Appearance Of The Spleen Of Growing Kittens Using A High Frequency Linear Transducer, Catana M. Capps

Theses and Dissertations

A reticulonodular splenic pattern is commonly associated with neoplastic or infectious etiologies. However, this has been described as an age-related variant in both humans and dogs, likely representing lymphoid follicles. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the ultrasonographic appearance of the spleens of growing kittens mimics the canine presentation. This was a prospective, descriptive study design. Healthy kittens up to 18 months old were scanned using a high frequency linear transducer. A reticulonodular pattern was present in (89%) of spleens. After 4 months of age, there was an overall negative correlation with age and the grade of …

Reproductive Ecology And Latitudinal Variation Of Three Cavity Nesting Duck Species In Eastern United States, Hunter Elijah Mentges

Theses and Dissertations

Survival of females, nests, and ducklings strongly influence annual recruitment in North American ducks. Studies of cavity-nesting ducks using nest boxes, such as wood ducks (Aix sponsa), hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) and black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) historically have investigated extrinsic factors, such as nest predation, and how it influenced nest success. For my study, I evaluated data from 1,403 monitored nest boxes collected from eight states, 2020–2022. I studied intrinsic characteristics related to reproduction, such as egg and clutch sizes, and eggshell strength in the 3 cavity-nesting ducks. Variables including clutch size, egg mass, parasitism, and onset of incubation …

Risk Assessment Of Severe Weather Events Affecting Animal Production Facilities, Impana Hassan Swamy Gowda

Theses and Dissertations

Our research primarily focuses on the risk assessment and vulnerabilities of commercial broiler farms/houses due to severe weather events. The area of focus is counties within a 60-mile radius of broiler processing plants, as most broiler farms/houses are centrally located around these plants. Using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we calculate a risk index to evaluate the vulnerability of these counties. This study incorporates historical weather event data to identify patterns and predict future risks, providing valuable insights for disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies. Through a detailed analysis of various severe weather events, including tornadoes, hurricanes, …

Estimation Of Cyanobacterial Concentrations From Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Imagery Over The Western Mississippi Sound, Gulf Of Mexico, John Preston Liles

Theses and Dissertations

The Western Mississippi Sound (WMS) is home to the largest natural oyster reef in the Gulf of Mexico and contributes substantially to Mississippi's economy. In 2019, the WMS experienced an unprecedented cyanobacterial bloom that killed fish and birds and led to shut down of beaches and oyster fishery. This thesis aims to quantify cyanobacteria from uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) imagery and investigate the relative influence of river discharge into the WMS on cyanobacterial concentrations. Several field campaigns were undertaken to collect field data and UAS imagery from WMS. A remote sensing algorithm was developed to quantify the unique cyanobacterial pigment …

Using Phenological And Physiological Data To Improve Bioenergy Feedstock Production Of Populus In The Southeastern United States, Jiaxin Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change poses a significant threat to bioenergy production, impacting plant’s phenology and physiological performance. Investigating the adaptation of bioenergy crops like Populus is crucial for sustaining production. Populus, known for its genetic variation and ease of study, offers insights into tree responses to climate change. My research, part of the Advancing Populus Pathways in the Southeast (APPS) project, focuses on various Populus genotypes across multiple growing seasons, exploring phenology under different management strategies. Planting Populus across two sites, namely Monroe and Pontotoc, allows for the examination of genotype responses to climate change factors, particularly in terms of phenology and …

Source Contributions To Nekton Diet In An Oligohaline Ecosystem, Keith Antoine Chenier

Theses and Dissertations

West Back Bay in Biloxi, Mississippi is an oligohaline estuary. Salt-tolerant submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and saltmarsh grasses are found ubiquitously throughout this estuary with Vallisneria americana and Juncus roemerianus being the dominant SAV and saltmarsh vegetation. No studies have directly evaluated the role of these vegetation species in the food web. Carbon and sulfur stable isotope analyses were used to identify primary source contributions to fishes Menidia beryllina, Fundulus grandis, and Lepomis macrochirus. Isotopic niche overlap was compared between fishes and basal carbon sources bimonthly from May 2021 through May 2022. Fishes had greater than 50% isotopic niche overlap …

Tree Recruitment Dynamics In An Urban Forested Natural Area, Lee Eric Bridges

Theses and Dissertations

Urban forested natural areas (UFNAs) are the remnants of larger forested ecosystems that have become surrounded by urban land development. Due to their proximity to dense population centers, UFNAs provide levels of ecosystem services disproportionate with their small size. However, stressors on UFNAs, such as fragmentation, invasive species, urban heat islands, soil compaction, altered seed predator populations, and disrupted disturbance regimes, can alter species composition and forest structure such that the continued flow of these ecosystem services is unlikely. Further, management of these systems is confounded by their size and location. While most urban forests are managed using individual tree …

Effects Of Acute Alcohol Treatment On Macrophage Polarization, Liyuan Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol is an underestimated toxicant, and binge drinking is increasing rapidly. Macrophages are important immune cells characterized by heterogeneity and can be polarized into pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory phenotypes.To elucidate the effects of acute alcohol exposure on macrophage polarization and function, we established an optimized multi-parameter flow cytometry panel, assessed the impact of acute alcohol on macrophage polarization, developed macrophage polarization models, and proposed novel indices for a refined understanding of macrophage polarization status.First, we developed a flow cytometry panel quantifying eleven markers critical to macrophage polarization within the RAW 264.7 cell line. Inducing specific polarization states with IFN-γ ± LPS …

Evolution Of Functional Diversity In Defensive Bacterial Toxins And Parasite Infection Strategy, Logan D. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Insects and their natural enemies are engaged in a never-ending battle called the ‘co-evolutionary arms race.’ As a part of these contentious interactions, vulnerable insects evolve natural barriers that prevent successful attacks by their natural enemies. In response, natural enemies evolve strategies that overcome these barriers. Occasionally, microbial symbionts will also participate in these relationships by assisting their insect host in defense against natural enemies or by assisting the natural enemy in subduing its prey. Alternatively, microbial symbionts may become contenders themselves in the co-evolutionary arms race by becoming reproductive parasites of their hosts. To mediate successful outcomes in these …

Predictions Of Thermo-Fluid Transport Over A Poultry Incubation Period Using High Performance Computing, Melvy Fernandes

Theses and Dissertations

The quality of hatchery conditions significantly impacts the hatchling health. An insight into the spatiotemporal distribution of environmental factors like temperature, ventilation, humidity, and CO2 within an incubator can be the key to reduce the pathogen spread. The objective of this study is to develop an efficient computational fluid dynamics model to predict thermo-fluid and scalar transport over an incubation period using high performance computing systems. Various modeling approaches for grid generation, inflow conditions, fan and heater modeling, and scalar transport are evaluated to identify cost effective numerical models and allow long time simulations with reliable data. The model is …

Using Phylogenomics And Environmental Metabarcoding To Understand The Distribution And Evolutionary Histories Of Amoebae, Robert E. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Protists are defined as eukaryotic organisms that are not animals, land plants, or fungi and make up the vast majority of eukaryotic diversity. Unfortunately, they are often overlooked and under sampled. Some rationales behind this are that they are often microscopic, most rarely the cause of human disease, and are often difficult to get into culture. Molecular phylogenetics has revolutionized our understanding of the evolutionary history of eukaryotes and without a clear picture of protist evolution our understanding would be severely hindered. Phylofisher is an easy-to-use phylogenomic software package, with an accompanying database and various utilities, intended for deep phylogenomic …

Efficacy Of Fungicides And Herbicides, Applications To Manage Southern Blight In Mississippi Peanut Fields, Subina Tripathi

Theses and Dissertations

Peanuts are an important legume crop cultivated in Mississippi with an annual production of 71 million kg per hectare. Southern blight (SB), caused by Athelia rolfsii, is a devastating disease resulting in significant losses to peanut production. Cultural practices may not adequately control diseases; therefore, the application of fungicides is important. Recently, the rapid growth of weed species has emphasized herbicide usage and studied weed interaction with SB. In this study, Athelia rolfsii isolates were collected from different counties to identify their biological characteristics and determine the in vitro efficacy in both 2022 and 2023. In the field trial, seven …

Evaluation Of Maternal Behavior At Calving On Beef Cattle Traits, William Cobie Rutherford

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of the study were to create a scoring system to assess maternal behavior within 24-h of calving in crossbred beef cows; determine the impact of maternal scores on cow productive responses and evaluate how maternal score varies over animal lifetime; and assess the effect of maternal aggression and perceived mothering ability on calf survivability and growth performance. Calving observations (n = 1,832) were conducted across 12 calf crops from 2017 to 2022 from 680 unique crossbred cows at the Prairie Research Unit, Prairie, MS. Along with routine data collection, dams were subjectively scored for the traits maternal aggression …

Microgreen Production: Impact Of Sanitization Methods On Germination Percentage, Mold Suppression, Microbial Load, And Survival Of Salmonella Spp. On Allium Porrum Leek Seeds., Zonia Elizabeth Caro-Carvajal

Theses and Dissertations

Seed sanitization is crucial for microgreen production to prevent pathogens that compromise quality and safety. This study examined the effects of various sanitization methods on germination, mold suppression, microbial load, and Salmonella spp. survival on leek (Allium porrum L.) seeds. Seeds were treated with Hydrogen Peroxide (HP) at 0.27%, Hot Water (HW) at 85 ± 2°C, Tsunami® 100 (TS) at 0.04%, Vinegar (VN) at 1.1%, and Deionized Water (DI). Germination and mold percentages were recorded over 5 days. HW and HP treatments resulted in significantly higher germination rates (72% and 71.4%) compared to other treatments, with HW effectively preventing mold …

Alight, The Dead Of Night: Ascertaining The Collection And Use Of Nighttime Site Inventory In Landscape Architecture Professional Practice, Jacob Zachary Felkins

Theses and Dissertations

In landscape architecture, site inventory is a common precursor and perpetual informant of site design, toolkit development, and best management practices. Within inventory-specific texts, inventory is primarily geared, collected, and applied toward the daytime, and thusly, one might consider the bulk of inventory to be “daytime inventory” which pays greater heed to a diurnal humanity and lesser heed to the nocturnal world. With a greater attention to nighttime site conditions, we explored “nighttime inventory” through a series of primary considerations - nighttime lighting, light pollution, site ecology, and the night sky – along with several secondary considerations. We then surveyed …