Biological Engineering Commons^™

Genetic Engineering Of Plants Through Manipulation Of Lignin Biosynthesis, Vincent Lee C. Chiang, Chung-Jui Tsai, Wen-Jing Hu

Michigan Tech Patents

The invention pertains to the genetically down regulating a lignin pathway p-coumarate Co-enzyme A ligase (CCL) in trees.

Manure Use Planning Tools For Nebraska, Charles S. Wortmann, Charles A. Shapiro, Richard K. Koelsch, Richard Deloughery

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Three computer programs have been developed to facilitate manure use planning. The Nebraska Manure Value Calculator was developed in Excel to ease the calculation of manure value (www.cnmp.unl.edu) for a specific field giving value to needed nutrients and other expected benefits, and with the option of giving value to manure nutrients used in the more distant future. Nebraska MMPAMUP and MMP-CNMP Document Generators are planning tools for animal feeding operations that work with the Purdue University Manure Management Planner (MMP). Microsoft Word documents are generated which contain some boilerplate text that can be edited, popup lists in Word AutoText to …

Are We Addressing The Cause Of Nutrient Problems?, Richard K. Koelsch

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Content:

Manure P vs. Crop Land P Use

One-Way Flow of Nutrients Is Underlying Cause

Future NMP Checklist?

Should an NMP Measure Environmental Performance?

Whole Farm Nutrient Balance

Whole Farm N Balance

Phosphorus Inputs to Livestock Systems

Should An NMP Estimate Ammonia Emissions?

Daily Ammonia Emissions from Livestock (36 km grid)

Ammonia Emissions Regulatory Thresholds

Ammonia Emissions – Swine Finishing Operations

Engineering Substrate-Mediated Gene Delivery With Self-Assembled Monolayers, Angela K. Pannier, Lonnie D Shea

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Gene transfer has many potential applications in basic and applied sciences, including functional genomics, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. Substrate- mediated delivery, also termed solid phase delivery, describes the immobilization of DNA, complexed with nonviral vectors, to a biomaterial or substrate that supports cell adhesion. A critical component to this process is designing the appropriate interactions between the DNA complexes and substrate. The objective of this study was to investigate gene transfer as a function of i) complex formation and deposition conditions and ii) non-specific and specific binding interactions between the complexes and substrate. The volume and time of complex …

Where’S The Poop? Environmental Challenges For Large And Small Animal Feeding Operations, Richard K. Koelsch, John Lawrence

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Content:

Where’s the Poop?

Status and Trends in Small and Mid-Sized Animal Operations in the U.S.

Numbers of farms, animals, & nutrients

Non-confined animals: Farms and AU

Confined animals: Farms and AU

Confined animals: Manure nutrients

Confined animals: Farms with excess manure

AFO Challenges

Bang-for-the-Buck Programming

Microbial Quality Of Runoff Following Land Application Of Cattle Manure And Swine Slurry, Jeanette A. Thurston-Enriquez, John E. Gilley, Bahman Eghball

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Concentrations of human health-related microorganisms in runoff from agricultural plots (0.75m x 2m) treated with fresh and aged cattle manure, swine slurry and no manure (control) were determined. Three consecutive simulated rainfall events, producing 35 mm rainfall and separated by 24 h, were carried out for each plot. Fecal indicator (Escherichia coli, enterococci, Clostridium perfringens and coliphage) loads released in rainfall runoff from plots treated with fresh cattle manure, aged cattle manure and swine slurry treatments ranged from 5.52 x 10⁵ to 4.36 x 10⁹, 3.92 x 10⁴ to 4.86 x 10⁸, and 9.63 …

Substrate-Mediated Delivery From Self-Assembled Monolayers: Effect Of Surface Ionization, Hydrophilicity, And Patterning, Angela K. Pannier, Brian C. Anderson, Lonnie D Shea

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Gene transfer has many potential applications in basic and applied sciences. In vitro, DNA delivery can be enhanced by increasing the concentration of DNA in the cellular microenvironment through immobilization of DNA to a substrate that supports cell adhesion. Substrate-mediated delivery describes the immobilization of DNA, complexed with cationic lipids or polymers, to a biomaterial or substrate. As surface properties are critical to the efficiency of the surface delivery approach, selfassembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiols on gold were used to correlate surface chemistry of the substrate to binding, release, and transfection of non-specifically immobilized complexes. Surface hydrophobicity and ionization were …

Manure Use Planning: An Evaluation Of A Producer Training Program, Charles S. Wortmann, Richard K. Koelsch, Charles A. Shapiro, Richard L. Deloughery, David D. Tarkalson

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

A training program for producers in manure use planning was evaluated. The potential for runoff nutrient loss to surface water can reduced and the value of manure increased through better planning of manure use. Training was conducted throughout Nebraska in 2002 and 2003. Livestock producers who attended evaluated the event at the end of the last class. The need for and impact of the training was greater for continuing operational and maintenance skills of manure utilization that are regularly needed for strategic planning skills. We recommend that training focus primarily on operational and maintenance skills.

Integrating Animal Feeding Strategies Into Cnmp Processes: Role Of Updated Asae Standard D384.2, Richard K. Koelsch, W. Powers, A. L. Sutton

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

This paper introduces the new ASAE Standard D384.2, Manure Production and Characteristics. This new standard provides an equation-based approach that integrates dry matter and nutrient intake as well as animal performance into the final estimate of total solids, nitrogen, and phosphorus excretion for seven livestock and poultry species. The manure excretion estimates of the new standard are compared with the past ASAE standard as well as other commonly used reference values for three specie groups. Significant differences in excretion are common with the new standard compared to past standards. The paper also details examples of how common industry variations in …

Managing Phosphorus In Beef Feeding Operations, William F. Kissinger, Richard K. Koelsch, Galen E. Erickson, Terry J. Klopfenstein

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

A commercial feedlot study was conducted to determine manure nutrient flow in six feedlots representing 6,366 cattle. On average, cattle involved in this summary were yearlings (BW = 353 kg) and gained 183 kg over 123 d. It was calculated that 11.5% of the feed nitrogen and 16.9% of the feed phosphorus was retained by the animal with the remaining nutrients excreted. On average, 25.6 kg of N and 4.1 kg of P (DM basis) were excreted per fed beef animal. On average, 887 kg total manure (solids and water) were removed per finished animal (7.2 kg/animal/d) averaging 73% total …

A New Application For Fine Ground Rubber In The Control Of Odors From Livestock Manure Storage Structures, Lakshmi Koppolu, Richard K. Koelsch, Dennis D. Schulte, Crystal Powers, Dwaine Bundy

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The purpose of this project was to quantify the odor and gas emission benefits of a fine ground rubber cover on laboratory scale manure storage units and to evaluate the ability of a fine ground rubber cover applied to a commercial swine manure storage unit to remain intact and functional over an extended period of time. A three-inch cover of fine ground rubber reduced odors by 77 to 99 percent from the manure storage tanks over a six-week period. However, consistent reductions of NH₃ emissions were not observed and H₂S emissions from all manure storage treatments were …

Substrate-Mediated Gene Delivery For Assessment Of Signal Transduction Pathways In Cancer Cells, Angela K. Pannier, Zain Bengali, Eric A. Ariazi, V. Craig Jordan, Lonnie D Shea

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Gene delivery has the potential to be used in diagnostic applications, specifically to investigate cellular signal transduction pathways responsible for disease. Analysis of multiple pathways or genes in a parallel format can be achieved using a transfected cell array, a high throughput approach to correlate gene expression with functional cell responses, based on gene delivery from a substrate that supports cell adhesion. Substrate-mediated gene delivery functions by self-assembling DNA with nonviral vectors, resulting in positively charged complexes that can interact with a biomaterial or substrate. Cells cultured on the substrate are exposed to elevated DNA concentrations within the local microenvironment, …

Applications Of Using The Odor Footprint Tool, Richard R. Stowell, L. Koppolu, Dennis D. Schulte, Richard K. Koelsch

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The Odor Footprint Tool is a science-based computer resource for use in evaluating the potential odor impact of new and expanded animal production facilities. It was developed to assist livestock producers, their service providers, and county planning and zoning officials in making reasonable decisions while limiting the negative impact of livestock operations on surrounding neighbors and rural communities. The Odor Footprint Tool utilizes an EPA regulatory model (AERMOD), weather databases, new source code, and user input to generate regional odor roses, odor footprints, and directional setback distance curves. Odor roses provide a generic picture of the directionality of …

Using Ems’S To Improve Compliance On Livestock And Poultry Operations, L. Mark Risse, Richard K. Koelsch, Bill Bland, Elizabeth A. Bird, Thomas M. Bass

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Across the United States and abroad, innovative producers, processors, trade organizations and others in the agricultural sector are exploring the promise of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) to improve their environmental and business performance. An Environmental Management System or EMS helps farmers develop their own, personal strategies for reducing environmental risk on their operations by integrating environmental management considerations into production management decisions. It is a voluntary, flexible approach and is based on a producer's own sense of how best to manage an operation.

Partnerships for Livestock Environmental Management Systems is a 4-year project to explore the potential of livestock Environmental …

Cellulose Utilization By Clostridium Thermocellum: Bioenergetics And Hydrolysis Product Assimilation, Yi-Heng P. Zhang, Lee R. Lynd

Dartmouth Scholarship

The bioenergetics of cellulose utilization by Clostridium thermocellum was investigated. Cell yield and maintenance parameters, Y(X/ATP)True = 16.44 g cell/mol ATP and m = 3.27 mmol ATP/g cell per hour, were obtained from cellobiose-grown chemostats, and it was shown that one ATP is required per glucan transported. Experimentally determined values for G(ATP)P-T (ATP from phosphorolytic beta-glucan cleavage minus ATP for substrate transport, mol ATP/mol hexose) from chemostats fed beta-glucans with degree of polymerization (DP) 2-6 agreed well with the predicted value of (n-2)/n [corrected] (n = mean cellodextrin DP assimilated). A mean G(ATP)(P-T) value of 0.52 +/- 0.06 was calculated …

Validating Surface Energy Balance Fluxes Derived From Airborne Remote Sensing, José Luis Chávez Egüez

Biological Engineering

Remote sensing-derived energy balance components were compared against measured eddy covariance energy balance terms using heat flux source area models to validate the airborne multispectral remote sensing procedure in the estimation of instantaneous and daily evapotranspiration rates.

A procedure was developed to generate raster layers of the footprint weights for weighting/integrating the different components of the energy balance model and obtain meaningful comparisons to similar energy balance terms measured at eddy covariance and/or Bowen ratio stations.

Soil heat flux and surface aerodynamic temperature models were studied in an effort to improve the remote sensing estimation of distributed evapotranspiration rates. Aerial …

Gene Delivery Through Cell Culture Substrate Adsorbed Dna Complexes, Zain Bengali, Angela K. Pannier, Tatiana Segura, Brian C. Anderson, Jae-Hyung Jang, Thomas D. Mustoe, Lonnie D Shea

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Efficient gene delivery is a fundamental goal of biotechnology and has numerous applications in both basic and applied science. Substrate-mediated delivery and reverse transfection enhance gene transfer by increasing the concentration of DNA in the cellular microenvironment through immobilizing a plasmid to a cell culture substrate prior to cell seeding. In this report, we examine gene delivery of plasmids that were complexed with cationic polymers (polyplexes) or lipids (lipoplexes) and subsequently immobilized to cell culture or biomaterial substrates by adsorption. Polyplexes and lipoplexes were adsorbed to either tissue culture polystyrene or serum-adsorbed tissue culture polystyrene. The quantity of DNA immobilized …

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Issue 1, April 2005

BSE Department Magazine

Contents:
Welcome: Comments from Department Head
New Lab in BSE
Dr. Martin Serves as BSE Interim Head
Splinter Labs
New Department Head
Hello-Goodbye
Faculty and Staff News
Cliff Hunter Memorial Picnic
Student News
Quarter-scale Tractor Team
Freshmen Eat Cars
Scholarship Recognition
Annual Spring Recognition Banquet
New Graduates
Generous Gifts to Endowments in BSE

Plants Having Modified Reproductive Capacity, Gopi Krishna Podila, Jun-Jun Liu, David F. Karnosky

Michigan Tech Patents

This invention relates to plants having modified reproductive capacity. In particular, it relates to a plant reproductive tissue specific promoter, the PrAGl promoter isolated from Pinus radiata, and its use in promoting transcription/ expression of associated sequences in plant reproductive tissue, including for the purpose of producing plants which have diminished reproductive capacity or which are sterile.

Methods For Simultaneous Control Of Lignin Content And Composition, And Cellulose Content In Plants, Vincent Lee C. Chiang, Laigeng Li

Michigan Tech Patents

The present invention relates to a method of concurrently introducing multiple genes into plants and trees is provided. The method includes simultaneous transformation of plants with multiple genes from the phenylpropanoid pathways including 4CL, CAld5H, AldOMT, SAD and CAD genes and combinations thereof to produce various lines of transgenic plants displaying altered agronomic traits. The agronomic traits of the plants are regulated by the orientation of the specific genes and the selected gene combinations, which are incorporated into the plant genome.

Ua3/9/5 Dedication Complex For Engineering & Biological Sciences, Wku President's Office

WKU Administration Documents

Talking points used by WKU president Gary Ransdell at the dedication of the Complex for Engineering & Biological Sciences.

Using Ems’S To Improve Compliance On Livestock And Poultry Operations, L. Mark Risse, Richard K. Koelsch, W. L. Bland, Elizabeth A. Bird, Thomas M. Bass

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Across the United States and abroad, innovative producers, processors, trade organizations and others in the agricultural sector are exploring the promise of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) to improve their environmental and business performance. An Environmental Management System or EMS helps farmers develop their own, personal strategies for reducing environmental risk on their operations by integrating environmental management considerations into production management decisions. It is a voluntary, flexible approach and is based on a producer's own sense of how best to manage an operation.

Partnerships for Livestock Environmental Management Systems is a 4-year project to explore the potential of livestock Environmental …

Applying Alternative Technologies To Cafos: A Case Study, Richard K. Koelsch, Carol Balvanz, John George, Dan Meyer, John A. Nienaber, Gene Tinker

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The US EPA National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit program has regulated open lot livestock production systems since the 1970’s, historically requiring collection, storage, and land application of runoff. Under the new Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) regulations, the effluent limitation guidelines (ELG) offer the option of Voluntary Alternative Performance Standards for beef and dairy. This potentially allows runoff management options such as vegetative treatment systems (VTS) that may perform equal to or better than our baseline system while maintaining a challenging standard for application of alternative technologies.

To facilitate application of VTS, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) and Iowa …

Evaluating Livestock System Environmental Performance With Whole-Farm Nutrient Balance, Richard K. Koelsch

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

As a part of the USEPA’s concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) final rule, all CAFOs are required to develop and implement a nutrient management plan (NMP). The USEPA’s emphasis on better management of nutrients appropriately targets a critical environmental issue associated with animal production. The concentration of animals in livestock feeding operations, often separate from feed grain production, requires importing of substantial quantities of feed nutrients. Due to the inefficiencies of nutrient utilization in livestock production, quantities of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in manure greater than can be utilized in local crop production often result. With the focus of …

Improvement Of Tractor Performance, K. U. Kim, Leonard L. Bashford, Brent T. Sampson

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Improvement of agricultural tractor performance was analyzed using the data from 926 diesel tractors tested at the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory from 1959 through 2002. The performance analysis included the specific volumetric fuel consumption, power per unit weight, traction coefficient, maximum torque rise, and sound level. They were evaluated based on the PTO power level and chassis type of tractor. Some of the results are: (1) The average specific volumetric fuel consumptions for the maximum PTO and drawbar powers increased by 20.5% and 23.4% to 3.47 kW•h/L and 3.01 kW•h/L, respectively, from 1959 through 2002. (2) The average maximum PTO …

Takagi–Sugeno Fuzzy Modeling Of Skin Permeability, Deepak R. Keshwani, David D. Jones, Rhonda M. Brand

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The skin is a major exposure route for many potentially toxic chemicals. It is, therefore, important to be able to predict the permeability of compounds through skin under a variety of conditions. Available skin permeability databases are often limited in scope and not conducive to developing effective models. This sparseness and ambiguity of available data prompted the use of fuzzy set theory to model and predict skin permeability. Using a previously published database containing 140 compounds, a rule-based Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model is shown to predict skin permeability of compounds using octanol-water partition coefficient, molecular weight, and temperature as inputs. Model …

Extraction Of Lipids From Grain Sorghum Ddg, L. Wang, Curtis L. Weller, K. T. Hwang

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Soxhlet and recirculated solvent extraction methods were used to extract lipid materials from grain sorghum DDG. The lipid content in DDG with a moisture content of 6.7% (dry basis) was as high as 9.32% of the dried DDG as determined by Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane. There was a slight increase in the lipid yield from 9.21% to 9.68% when the moisture contents increased from 2.1% to 17.4% (d.b.). Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis showed that the sorghum lipids were composed of triacylglycerols, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fatty aldehydes, free sterols, wax esters, and steryl esters. A bench-scale recirculated extraction system was …

Finite Element Modeling And Experimental Validation Of Cooling Rates Of Large Ready-To-Eat Meat Products In Small Meat-Processing Facilities, A. Amézquita, L. Wang, Curtis L. Weller

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

A two−dimensional axisymmetric transient heat conduction model was developed to simulate air chilling of large ready−to−eat meat products of ellipsoidal shape. A finite element scheme, using 1,600 linear triangular elements with 861 nodes, was implemented in Matlab 6.5 to solve the model. The model considered a variable initial temperature distribution and combined convective, radiative, and evaporative boundary conditions. Predicted values agreed well with experimental data collected in actual processing conditions. Validation of model performance resulted in maximum deviations of 2.54°C and 0.29% for temperature and weight loss histories, respectively. The maximum temperature deviation (2.54°C) occurred at the surface; however, for …

Policosanol Contents And Compositions In Wax-Like Materials Extracted From Selected Cereals Of Korean Origin, Keum Taek Hwang, Ji Eun Kim, Curtis L. Weller

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Policosanols. long-chained alcohols. have been reported to have beneficial physiological activities. Content and composition of policosanols in wax-like materials extracted from selected cereals of Korean origin were determined. Wax-like materials were extracted using hot hexane. Yields of wax-like materials from unpolished grain sorghum, polished grain sorghum. brown rice. purple rice, wheat, and maize were 223, 37, 33, 61, 10, and 10 mg/100 g of dry kernels, respectively. Policosanol contents, as determined using HPLC, in the wax-like materials from the cereals were 33, 29, 6.0, and 2% (w/w, db), respectively. Major alcohols in the policosanols from grain sorghum were octacosanol and …

Modeling Of Bubble Growth Dynamics And Nonisothermal Expansion In Starch-Based Foams During Extrusion, Lijun Wang, Girish M. Ganjyal, David D. Jones, Curtis L. Weller, Milford Hanna

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

A mathematical model was developed to describe expansion phenomena in starch-based foams during extrusion. The model was divided into three parts to describe the microbubble growth dynamics, to couple bubble growth with extrudate expansion, and to describe the macrotransport phenomena in the extrudate, respectively. The differential equations involved in the model were solved by finite element schemes. For validating the model, the predicted radius, density, and residual moisture of final extrudate were compared with experimental data. Standard deviations between the predicted and experimental radius, density, and residual moisture of final extrudates were 16.7%, 11.2%, and 39.3%, respectively. The model was …