Digital Commons Network^™

Towards Structured Planning And Learning At The State Fisheries Agency Scale, Caleb A. Aldridge

Theses and Dissertations

Inland recreational fisheries has grown philosophically and scientifically to consider economic and sociopolitical aspects (non-biological) in addition to the biological. However, integrating biological and non-biological aspects of inland fisheries has been challenging. Thus, an opportunity exists to develop approaches and tools which operationalize planning and decision-making processes which include biological and non-biological aspects of a fishery. This dissertation expands the idea that a core set of goals and objectives is shared among and within inland fisheries agencies; that many routine operations of inland fisheries managers can be regimented or standardized; and the novel concept that current information and operations can …

The Emerging Value Of The Viroid Model In Understanding Plant Responses To Foreign Rnas, Junfei Ma

Theses and Dissertations

RNAs play essential roles in various biological processes. Mounting evidence has demonstrated that RNA subcellular localization and intercellular trafficking govern their functions in coordinating plant growth at the organismal level. Beyond that, plants constantly encounter foreign RNAs (i.e., RNAs from pathogens including viruses and viroids). The subcellular localizations of RNAs are crucial for their function. While numerous types of RNAs (i.e., mRNAs, small RNAs, rRNAs, tRNAs, and long noncoding RNAs) have been found to traffic in a non-cell-autonomous fashion within plants, the underlying regulatory mechanism remains unclear. Viroids are single-stranded circular noncoding RNAs, which entirely rely …

Evaluating The Impacts Of Waterlogging Stress On Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata L.) Growth Traits And Physiological Performance, Omolayo Joshua Olorunwa

Theses and Dissertations

The progressive increase in the global population and the rapidly changing climate have put unprecedented pressure on crop production. Cowpea is one of the world’s most important leguminous crops, contributing to food security and environmental sustainability. However, cowpea productivity is limited due to waterlogging stress. The main objective of this study was to explore physiological and biochemical mechanisms to understand how cowpea genotypes respond to waterlogging stress. Four studies were conducted in controlled and field conditions to achieve these objectives. Study 1 characterized the waterlogging tolerance of 30 cowpea genotypes in a controlled environment using 24 morphophysiological parameters with waterlogging …

Molecular Basis Of Viroid Rna-Templated Transcription, Shachinthaka D. Dissanayaka Mudiyanselage

Theses and Dissertations

Transcription is a fundamental process catalyzed by DNA-dependent RNA polymerases (DdRPs). Interestingly, some DdRPs can use both DNA and RNA as templates for transcription. This RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) activity of DdRPs is used by RNA-based pathogens such as viroids and hepatitis delta virus for replication. In addition, RdRP activity of DdRPs widely occurs in various organisms to regulate gene transcription. Despite the importance of this intrinsic RdRP activity of DdRPs, associated factors and mechanisms are in their infancy stage. We employed potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) as a model to study RNA-templated transcription. Here, we present evidence showing that …

Evaluation Of Novel Litter Amendments For Use In The Commercial Broiler Industry, Jorge A. Urrutia

Theses and Dissertations

Poultry litter amendments (LA) are commonly used to maintain good litter quality; the most common ones; are acidifiers. However, concern over the lifespan of LA acidifiers (d) and corrosive nature revealed a need for alternative LA. Products of interest include biochar (BC), superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), and alum mud (AM). Experiment 1 was a screening study (n=17 treatments, no birds) conducted to determine the optimal application rate/method of BC, SAPs, and AM vs.commercial LA and a control. Most SAPs treatments measured metrics may be similar (i.e., bacteria, water activity) or better (pH) vs. commercial LA (PLT). High inclusions of novel LA …

Non-Traditional Adjuvants And Methods For Applying Root-Promoting Compounds In Commercial Cutting Propagation, Anthony Turner Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

The nursery/greenhouse industry is innovative. There have been several reports in the popular literature of non-traditional adjuvants used in plant propagation; however, these claims have never been evaluated in a scientific setting. Five studies, conducted at the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville in 2019 and 2021 determined the impact that adding honey to water-soluble auxin solutions and surfactants to foliar applied auxin solutions on physiological responses associated with adventitious root formation. Treatments in studies presented in chapters two and three included three honey sources (multiflora, local, and Manuka). Honey-infused water-soluble auxin solutions affected plant species but not in …

Surficial Geologic Mapping Of The Starkville 7.5-Minute United States Geological Survey Quadrangle 33088d-7 In Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, Jonathan Leard

Theses and Dissertations

The Starkville Quadrangle is a hotspot for geological research. The Late Cretaceous is represented by the Demopolis Formation in the northeast corner of the quadrangle, followed by the Ripley Formation, and the Prairie Bluff Formation. The K-Pg boundary is exposed in the quadrangle, and the remarkable paleontology is of global importance. The Clayton Formation is the first Paleocene unit. Where the Clayton Formation channel sands are in contact with the underlying Prairie Bluff Formation, springs occur. Springs were a rare source of water in the Black Prairie and spurred the settlement of the area over 10,000 years ago. The Paleocene …

Effects Of Post-Fire Disturbance Responses Of Microstegium Vimineum On Native Hardwood Seedling Growth And Survival, Zachary A. Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

Invasions by alien understory plant species have gradually become a worldwide challenge in maintaining forest biodiversity and ecosystem productivity. Notably, Microstegium vimineum, a C4 grass native to Japan, has increased dominance in mixed deciduous hardwood forests of the southeastern United States, largely due to its shade tolerance and ability to spread through rhizomes. Microstegium vimineum also proliferates after prescribed fire, a common management tool used in the region to restore forests to desired conditions, and may compete with hardwood seedlings, hindering restoration efforts. Using two upland deciduous hardwood forest research sites in Marshall and Tate Counties, Mississippi, this study …

Assessment Of Simulated And Real-World Autonomy Performance With Small-Scale Unmanned Ground Vehicles, William Peyton Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Off-road autonomy is a challenging topic that requires robust systems to both understand and navigate complex environments. While on-road autonomy has seen a major expansion in recent years in the consumer space, off-road systems are mostly relegated to niche applications. However, these applications can provide safety and navigation to dangerous areas that are the most suited for autonomy tasks. Traversability analysis is at the core of many of the algorithms employed in these topics. In this thesis, a Clearpath Robotics Jackal vehicle is equipped with a 3D Ouster laser scanner to define and traverse off-road environments. The Mississippi State University …

Numerical Study Of Advanced Solar Receiver Tubes Based On A Coupled Thermo-Mechanical Analysis For Concentrated Solar Power Tower Plant, Shawn Michael Hatcher

Theses and Dissertations

The search for more sustainable energy to match the growing energy demand begins with finding more dispatchable resources such as solar energy. As one of the promising solar technologies, concentrated solar power (CSP) has a full capacity to store thermal energy for extended operation. Nevertheless, some key components in CSP systems usually face extreme environment, such as uneven solar flux, cyclic thermal expansion, structural degradation on the solar absorber tubes in a Concentrated Solar Power Tower (CSPT) Plant. In this study, we applied Multiphysics simulation to explore the benefits of introducing optimized fins for heat transfer enhancement and uniform temperature …

Assessing The Legacy Of Erosion And Flood Control Management Efforts On The Fish Assemblages And Physical Conditions Of Yazoo Basin Bluff Hill Streams, Nicky M. Faucheux

Theses and Dissertations

The hills of Yazoo Basin have a long history of land use modification and subsequent erosion and flood control issues. In response, federal actions were taken to address these issues beginning after the Mississippi River flood of 1927. Four major flood control reservoirs were built in 1932-1957, and instream low-drop grade control structures (GCS) were installed beginning in the 1980s. The objective of my dissertation was to ascertain the long-term effects of these efforts on stream fish assemblages and channel morphology. To assess whether the reservoirs affected upstream fish assemblages as barriers to recolonization by fluvial fishes or as source …

A Novel Test Of Emotion Recognition Bias Using Dynamic Facial Morphing, Michael R. Gallagher

Theses and Dissertations

Depressed persons have demonstrated emotion based cognitive biases, specifically surrounding vigilance of negative information and avoidance of positivity. These biases are sometimes operationalized through emotion recognition tasks. However, previous emotion recognition tasks lack in their ability to accurately measure and decompose positivity avoidance with enhanced negativity, while accounting for basic cognitive processes that can drive the results. Therefore, we developed a novel emotion recognition task that examines emotional intensity thresholds, while accounting for general response bias. Linear mixed effects modeling revealed substantial individual differences on all conditions in the task, using both frequentist and Bayesian approaches. Additionally, the findings suggest …

Evaluation For Using Expended Bioelectrochemical Systems As Soil Amendments For Improved Corn Plant Growth And A Drought Resistant Soil., Jackson Lee Sauers

Theses and Dissertations

A long-held practice is to mix agricultural soil with a soil amendment to improve growing conditions in crops. A common soil amendment is biosolids produced from both municipal and dairy wastewater due to the macro- and micronutrients within it. Both the agricultural and wastewater industries are participating in the Circular Economy concept (CEC). Two experiments explored using expended bioelectrochemical systems (BES) that treated either synthetic dairy wastewater (DWW) or synthetic municipal wastewater (SWW) as soil amendments to improve corn plant growth when treated with three different nutrient treatments: 100%- 50%- and 0% Hoagland Nutrient Solutions. Biochar and used terracotta clay …

Oxidized Fibrin Alginate Microbeads To Treat Vascular Calcification, Brittany Nichole Macha

Theses and Dissertations

Calcification is linked to a high prevalence of cardiovascular events and mortality due to arterial stiffness. Stiffening of the arteries in the case of medial calcification is due to hydroxyapatite mineral deposited in the artery thus leading to the loss of elastin. A possibility of removing this rogue mineral along the vessel walls could be the use of osteoclasts. Osteoclasts, a type of osteocyte, have the unique ability to absorb bone in the bone turnover process. It is proposed that in the future, osteoclasts be delivered to the site of mineralization through oxidized alginate-fibrin microbeads. Alginate hydrogels have proven great …

Examining The Malleability And Influence Of Attributions On Discipline Responses To Child Misbehavior, Jenna E. Russo

Theses and Dissertations

Attributions of child behavior have been shown to influence discipline responses and ultimately, child developmental trajectories. Research highlights various social-psychological factors in the formation of attributions, largely characterized as stable. However, research also demonstrates the efficacy of attribution retraining (AR) programs in restructuring individuals’ explanations for various outcomes. This study examined a trauma-informed training intervention with an AR component designed to evoke balanced and contextual attributions of child behavior among child-serving professionals. Of particular interest was the malleability and stability of attributions, and their influence on discipline responses. From pre- to post-training, there was a significant decrease in hostile attributions …

An Evaluation On The Effects Of Additions And Deletions Of Specific Nutrient Management Strategies On Corn Yield At Different Plant Densities, James D. Dew

Theses and Dissertations

Improved management strategies are needed to increase yield production and quality. The study aimed to determine suitable cultural practices for improved corn production. Experiments were set up at Verona and Stoneville, Mississippi, from 2020 to 2022. Treatments included row configurations (single and twin-row), plant populations (79,000 and 99,000 seeds ha-1), and six combinations of nutrients with or without fungicide. The nutrients evaluated were two nitrogen rates 235 and 314 kg N ha-1, phosphorus 45 kg P ha-1, potassium 112 kg K ha-1, sulfur 22 kg S ha-1, and zinc 11 kg Zn ha-1, and fungicide at 272 ml ha-1. In …

Healthy Eating Index And Body Fat Distribution, Masar Ozrail

Theses and Dissertations

Body fat distribution has been identified as a more significant risk factor for metabolic-related diseases. This study investigated whether body fat distribution affects dietary outcomes (quality and intake), anthropometric measures, body composition, and skin carotenoid levels. A cross-sectional study with 91 female students was conducted. Thirty-one percent of participants (n=28) had an android body fat distribution. Body fat distribution was associated with WC and WHtR (p

Mobile Learning: Examining The Relationships Between The Use Of Mobile Devices And Student Performance In Ela And Math Within Technology And Non-Technology Districts, Gabrielle S. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Mobile and other internet-connected devices infiltrate society, including K-12 classrooms. A large body of research indicated that these devices might distract students; however, other studies have revealed many benefits when the devices are used for educational purposes. This study aimed to examine the relationships between the use of mobile devices and student performance in mathematics (MA) and English Language Arts (ELA). The study compared two districts, one that had implemented a 1:1 technology infrastructure for learning and one that had not. Archival data on the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) standardized test were accessed from the two districts, containing fourth-grade …

The Use Of 87sr/86sr Isotopic Ratios To Assess Natal Areas And Movement Of Juvenile Gulf Sturgeon Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi In The Pascagoula And Pearl River Systems, Joshua Neary

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of water and dietary influence, and time duration for discernment, of pectoral fin spine ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr were evaluated in Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus. Fish were subjected to ⁸⁷Sr-enriched water (0.1 mg/L) or diet (0.25 migrogram/g or 0.5 microgram/g) for 1, 2, 3, 6, or 12 weeks. Fish were also held at 15 or 25°C to determine if temperature influenced ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr. Results found fin spine ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr changed in water after 1 week and diet after 12 weeks suggesting water is the primary influence. In wild Gulf Sturgeon A. o. …

Development Of A Novel Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (Lamp) Assay For The Rapid Detection Of Clostridium Perfringens, Deepa Chaudhary

Theses and Dissertations

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) causes diseases such as necrotic enteritis in poultry. Current methods for early detection of C. perfringens, including culture, and molecular techniques (PCR and qPCR), have logistical limitations in detecting pathogens on-site because they require specialized equipment and long sample preparation time. This study describes developing a highly sensitive on-site LAMP assay combined with a simple DNA extraction method to detect C. perfringens. Results showed that the LAMP assay was highly specific and sensitive with the optimal reaction conditions: 63°C for 30 mins with primer concentration of 1.2 mM FIP/BIP and 0.2 mM F3/B3. The HotSHOT method …

Establishing The Relationship Between Broiler Beak Size, Starter Feed Particle Size Selection And Performance, Maria Jose Alvarenga Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

Starter feed particle size (FPS) is typically small (~1200 µm) due to bird beak capacity (BC). Recent research has found that chicks can consume a larger FPS than previously thought; however, preferred FPS and its relationship with BC has not been established. Experiment 1 was conducted to determine the effect of breeder flock age (BFA) and feeding strategy (FS) on 0-14 d performance, BC and FPS preference. These data found that BC was dependent upon BFA and FPS consumed was dependent upon FS. Also, chicks could consume increased FPS without impacting starter performance; thus Experiment 2 was conducted to determine …

A Subspecies-Level Database Of Amazonian Bird Distributions, With Inferences On Suture Zones And Conservation, Marco Antonio Rego

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Amazonia has the largest and most biodiverse tropical forest on the planet. However, the distributions of its species are still poorly understood, even for well-studied vertebrates such as birds. Available distribution maps for Amazonian birds often lack accuracy in delimiting the area where species occur. Existing distributional information for Amazonian birds is often limited to species-level level taxonomy, even though many Amazonian bird subspecies represent biological species. Here, I investigate the geographic distributions of 4,148 bird taxa (species and subspecies) using museum scientific specimens as the primary source of data. To build the data base I use more than 600,000 …

What Is Nonclassical About Uncertainty Relations?, Lorenzo Catani, Matthew S. Leifer, Giovanni Scala, David Schmid, Robert W. Spekkens

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Uncertainty relations express limits on the extent to which the outcomes of distinct measurements on a single state can be made jointly predictable. The existence of nontrivial uncertainty relations in quantum theory is generally considered to be a way in which it entails a departure from the classical worldview. However, this perspective is undermined by the fact that there exist operational theories which exhibit nontrivial uncertainty relations but which are consistent with the classical worldview insofar as they admit of a generalized-noncontextual ontological model. This prompts the question of what aspects of uncertainty relations, if any, cannot be realized in …

G-Rich Motifs Within Phosphorothioate-Based Antisense Oligonucleotides (Asos) Drive Activation Of Fxn Expression Through Indirect Effects, Feng Wang, Ezequiel Calvo-Roitberg, Julia M Rembetsy-Brown, Minggang Fang, Jacquelyn Sousa, Pranathi Meda Krishnamurthy, Michael R Green, Athma A Pai, Jonathan K Watts

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Friedreich's ataxia is an incurable disease caused by frataxin (FXN) protein deficiency, which is mostly induced by GAA repeat expansion in intron 1 of the FXN gene. Here, we identified antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), complementary to two regions within the first intron of FXN pre-mRNA, which could increase FXN mRNA by ∼2-fold in patient fibroblasts. The increase in FXN mRNA was confirmed by the identification of multiple overlapping FXN-activating ASOs at each region, two independent RNA quantification assays, and normalization by multiple housekeeping genes. Experiments on cells with the ASO-binding sites deleted indicate that the ASO-induced FXN activation was driven by …

A Text-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention For Sexual And Gender Minority Groups: Protocol For A Feasibility Trial, Irene Tami-Maury, Rebecca Klaff, Allison Hussin, Nathan Grant Smith, Shine Chang, Lorraine R Reitzel, Lorien C Abroms

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Smoking among sexual and gender minority (SGM) groups, which include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, has been reported to be highly prevalent. This is attributed to several factors, including minority-specific stress and targeted tobacco marketing. Therefore, this population is at an increased risk for tobacco-related diseases. SMS text messaging programs have been found to be effective for smoking cessation and appeal to traditionally hard-to-reach populations over other interventions. It has also been suggested that targeted and tailored interventions could be more effective among SGM smokers because they can be designed to assure a safe, validating health care …

Efficacy Of Cabozantinib In Metastatic Mit Family Translocation Renal Cell Carcinomas, Jonathan Thouvenin, Omar Alhalabi, Maria Carlo, Lucia Carril-Ajuria, Laure Hirsch, Sylvie Négrier, Dylan Martini, Delphine Borchiellini, Jad Chahoud, Massimo Lodi, Philippe Barthélémy, Elshad Hasanov, Andrew W Hahn, Thierry Gil, Srinivas R Viswanathan, Ziad Bakouny, Pavlos Msaouel, Mehmet Asim Bilen, Toni K Choueiri, Laurence Albiges, Nizar M Tannir, Gabriel G Malouf

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: MiT family translocation renal cell carcinoma (TRCC) is a rare and aggressive subgroup of renal cell carcinoma harboring high expression of c-MET. While TRCC response rates to VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors are limited, efficacy of cabozantinib (a VEGFR, MET, and AXL inhibitor) in this subgroup is unclear.

Methods: We performed a multicenter, retrospective, international cohort study of patients with TRCC treated with cabozantinib. The main objectives were to estimate response rate according to RECIST 1.1 and to analyze progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results: Fifty-two patients with metastatic TRCC treated in …

Phenol Neurolysis In People With Spinal Cord Injury: A Descriptive Study, Sheng Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study.

OBJECTIVES: The study's main objective was to describe the common targets of phenol neurolysis and review the safety and efficacy of the dose used for this spasticity management procedure in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

SETTING: An acute rehabilitation hospital.

METHODS: Data from people with SCI who underwent phenol neurolysis procedures for spasticity management between April 2017 and August 2018 were included in this study. We collected demographics and phenol neurolysis procedure-related information.

RESULTS: A total of 66 people with SCI and spasticity underwent phenol neurolysis of 303 nerves over 102 encounters. During these encounters, …

Comprehensive Identification And Expression Analyses Of The Snrk Gene Family In Casuarina Equisetifolia In Response To Salt Stress, Jingxiang Meng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background

Sucrose nonfermenting-1 (SNF1)-related protein kinases (SnRKs) play crucial roles in plant signaling pathways and stress adaptive responses by activating protein phosphorylation pathways. However, there have been no comprehensive studies of the SnRK gene family in the widely planted salt-tolerant tree species Casuarina equisetifolia. Here, we comprehensively analyze this gene family in C. equisetifolia using genome-wide identification, characterization, and profiling of expression changes in response to salt stress.

Results

A total of 26 CeqSnRK genes were identified, which were divided into three subfamilies (SnRK1, SnRK2, and SnRK3). The intron–exon structures and protein‑motif compositions were similar within each subgroup but …

A General Catalyst Controlled Route To Prostaglandin F2a

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We report a general, catalyst-controlled route to prostaglandin F2_α and its analogues. The approach uses a Rh-catalyzed dynamic kinetic asymmetric Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction between a racemic bicyclic allyl chloride and alkenyl boronic esters bearing chiral alcohols to give cyclopentyl intermediates bearing 3 contiguous stereocenters. The route provides advanced intermediates in 99% ee as a single diastereoisomer in all cases examined, with the absolute stereochemistry of the cyclopentane core controlled by the ligand. Intermediates that could be used to produce prostaglandin analogues such as bimatoprost, latanoprost, fluprostenol, and cloprostenol were synthesized. The final two stereocenters were installed via Pd-catalyzed Tsuji–Trost …

Consistency Of Efficacy Results Across Various Clinical Measures And Statistical Methods In The Lecanemab Phase 2 Trial Of Early Alzheimer’S Disease, Shobha Dhadda, Michio Kanekiyo, David Li, Chad J Swanson, Michael Irizarry, Lynn D Kramer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Lecanemab (BAN2401) is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that preferentially targets soluble aggregated Aβ species (protofibrils) with activity at insoluble fibrils and slowed clinical decline in an 18-month phase 2 proof-of-concept study (Study 201; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01767311) in 856 subjects with early Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this trial, subjects were randomized to five lecanemab dose regimens or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was change from baseline in the Alzheimer's Disease Composite Score (ADCOMS) at 12 months with Bayesian analyses. The key secondary endpoints were ADCOMS at 18 months and Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum-of-Boxes (CDR-SB) and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog14) …