Life Sciences Commons^™

Understanding The Kinetics Of Laser-Induced Nanowelding Of Nanoparticles And The Motility Of Bacteria When Faced With Obstacles, Ariel Rogers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation has two focus areas: nanoparticle nanowelding and bacteria motility in the presence of micrometer sized structures. There are two main projects for the nanoparticle nanowelding studies: “Real-time imaging of laser-induced nanowelding in solution” and “Two-color laser-induced nanostructure shape modulation.” For the real-time imaging project, I used a fluorescence microscope, a 405 nm laser, and various python packages to quantify the average size of nanowelded nanostructures as a function of time and found that the average nanostructure growth over time fit the parameters of A¯(t) ∝ c0(1−e−t/τ), where c0 represents the initial concentration of nanoparticles in the solution and …

Economic Analysis Of Solar Investment In An Agricultural Setting, Morgan King

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Robust financial modelling is critical for evaluating solar investments in agricultural applications. Agricultural producers with electricity-intensive systems (especially poultry houses but also, for example, irrigation pumps) face monthly electricity bills in the thousands of dollars. Further, volatile electricity bills, because of uncertain electric rate inflation, add to financial risk as utility costs make up a large portion of operating costs. While solar panels reduce input cost risk with certain installation cost up front, producers are hesitant to invest given long payback periods, uncertainty about the future of net metering, and high financial leverage. To enable producers to accurately assess the …

Feed Value And Utilization Of Corn Residue: Implications For Cow Performance And Grazing Strategies, Kaylee E. Wheeler

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Two experiments were conducted to determine the correlation of corn residue feed value and utilization on cow performance and potential grazing strategies. A qualitative observation of corn residue grazing by 13 cattle herds across Nebraska was conducted over two years. Based on producer reported grain yields and stocking rates, it was found that these producers were generally not as aggressive as the recommended 1.2 animal unit months (AUM) for each 6,280 kg/ha (100 U.S. bushels/acre) of harvested grain. They stocked 17 to 101% of the recommendation and on average used 63% of the carrying capacity. Across herds, average body condition …

Predicting Body Weight Of Cattle And Nutrient Digestion Of Individual Sweet Bran Components To Improve Beef Cattle Production Efficiency, Dalton J. Anderson

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Efficiency is of high importance to beef cattle producers to ensure that beef cattle are being raised without unnecessary resource use. Two separate experiments were conducted to evaluate potential strategies to improve efficiency in beef cattle production. A metabolism study was conducted to evaluate digestion parameters of individual Sweet Bran components. The objective was to determine the effects of diet components on nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation parameters. The individual components of Sweet Bran (Corn bran, solvent-extracted germ meal, and corn steep liquor) were included at 40% diet dry matter (DM) in a steam-flaked corn (SFC) based diet. A SFC-based …

Investigation Of Breeding Objectives And Indexes-In-Retrospect, Hunter F. Valasek

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis presents two projects that investigate the impacts of breeding objectives and indexes-in-retrospect within the beef cattle industry. The first project synthesized how changes due to planning horizon, breeding system, and sale endpoint in the economic breeding goal of cattle influence the relative emphasis of traits as well as the re-ranking of selection candidates. A total of three breeding systems that represent straightbred and crossbred cattle were used along with six planning horizons (2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 yrs.) for both a weaning and slaughter point of sale. The combination of these different breeding objective attributes resulted …

The Evaluation Of Feed Additives On Reducing Enteric Methane Production From Cattle, Reba L. Colin

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Environmental sustainability can be positively impacted by the inclusion of feed additives to reduce enteric methane production from cattle. Methane production can be affected by feed additives that either alter the rumen environment or act as methanogenesis inhibitors. A reduction in methane from cattle can contribute to meeting carbon neutrality.

A metabolism study was conducted to evaluate Alga 1.0, a product containing bromoform, fed to cattle to evaluate the effects on gas emissions. Treatments were (0, 69, or 103 g/d Alga 1.0) fed in a corn-based diet. Headbox-style indirect calorimeters were used to measure gas emissions. Feeding Alga 1.0 linearly …

The Impact Of Silage Inclusion In Diets With Different Corn Processing And The Effect Of Natural And Conventional Feeding Programs On Finishing Cattle Performance, Jessica L. Miller

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A finishing experiment was conducted to determine the effects of natural and conventional feeding programs on finishing performance of steers and heifers. Factors were conventional and natural feeding programs in steers and heifers. Cattle assigned to the conventional program were fed diets that contained Rumensin (Elanco Animal Health), Tylan (Elanco Animal Health), MGA (Zoetis), and received growth promoting implants whereas cattle in the natural program received neither. Compared to natural fed cattle, G:F was improved by 15.5% when heifers were fed in a conventional program (P < 0.01) and 23.8% when steers were fed in a conventional program (P < 0.01). The incorporation of implants and feed additives within the finishing period increased …

Forages And Technology Management In Growing And Finishing Beef Cattle Systems, Kelton Cole Adair

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A systems study evaluated the effects of an implant [25.7 mg estradiol (Compudose; Elanco Animal Health)] at two rates of gain (LOW: 0.45 kg/d and HIGH: 0.9 kg/d) applied during the winter backgrounding phase in drylot and winter grazing systems and its effects on subsequent phases of production. HIGH supplementation with an implant during the winter backgrounding phase in the drylot system yielded the greatest ending body weight (EBW) during the summer backgrounding phase (P = 0.04). LOW supplementation, without an implant, improved summer backgrounding average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.05) while achieving similar carcass adjusted final body …

Factors Affecting Forage Quality And The Subsequent Response In Production And Energy Metabolism In Lactating Jersey Cows, Kassidy Kate Buse

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Forage quality is the potential of a forage to produce a production response in animals. Because of how essential they are in dairy cattle rations, forages can have major influence on the behavior and production of dairy cattle. In experiment 1, the effect of forage fragility on the rumen environment and digestibility was evaluated. Increasing the inclusion of a less fragile forage led to greater rumen retention time, which resulted in lower rumen pH and greater NDF digestibility. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of diets high in either corn silage or alfalfa haylage supplemented with either corn- or soybased protein …

Early-Life Supplementation Of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Improved Growth And Skeletal Muscle Glucose Metabolism In The Heat Stress-Induced Iugr Neonatal Lamb, Melanie Ryann White

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Our 1^st study determined whether metabolic deficits of IUGR-born neonatal lambs can be improved by ameliorating elevated inflammatory tone. Supplementation with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) improved hindlimb insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation rates and basal lactate secretion. Ex vivo skeletal muscle-specific glucose oxidation rates were improved when heightened inflammatory tone was moderated. Pancreatic β cell function in response to hyperglycemia was improved by ω-3 PUFA supplementation. Tempered inflammatory tone also partially recovered skeletal muscle glycogen stores. Thus, we found that targeting heightened inflammatory tone inherent in IUGR-born neonatal lambs moderately improved glucose metabolism and pancreatic β cell …

Law Library Blog (December 2023): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Occurrence Of Emerging Contaminants In Greater Houston Watersheds, Risk Assessment, And Toxicological Effects, Sekinat Oluwakemi Atobiloye

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Rapid industrialization and urbanization within the Greater Houston area have driven a surge in anthropogenic activities that affects the burgeoning population. This region stands as one of the most densely inhabited metropolises in the United States, experiencing a substantial population growth of 9.8% from 2010 to 2020, with the population expanding from 5.92 million to 7.14 million. This population boom has been accompanied by an increased reliance on modern conveniences, leading to escalated production and utilization of chemicals such as personal care products, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and heavy metals, all of which pose potential threats to the environment. Although these products …

Corn And Grain Sorghum Performance Tests 2023, J. F. Carlin, R. B. Mulloy, R. D. Bond, J. C. Mccoy

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Corn and grain sorghum performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The tests provide information to companies marketing seed within the state and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating recommendations for producers.

The 2023 corn performance tests contained 46 hybrids and were conducted at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center (NERREC) at Harrisburg, the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center (NEREC) at Keiser, the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station (LMCRS) near Marianna, the Rohwer Research Station (RRS) near Rohwer, and the Rice Research and Extension Center (RREC) …

Community Conservation Works! A Success Story In Reforesting Australia’S Wet Tropics, Soleil Laurin, Clara Sorensen, Shannon Mccord, Hunter Miles

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Save The Wasps: Conservation Struggles In Protecting An Animal With A Bad Reputation, Megan Tiffany

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Unraveling The Mystery Of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Navigating Life And The Science Of A Rare Disease, Anna Harrison

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Immunity Revolution: Training Innate Immunity For Enhanced Defense, Minh Tran Ha

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

State Of The Fisheries: Status Reports And Aquatic Resources Of Western Australia 2022/23, S.J. Newman, K.G. Santoro, D.J. Gaughan

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Aquatic resources within Western Australia (WA) are in good condition, and this has positioned WA as a global leader in sustainable fisheries management. The sustainable fisheries of WA continue to support our strong economy and regional communities. Nonetheless, the lack of a consistent approach to build in the knowledge of Traditional Owners remains a gap in our longer term fisheries science in Western Australia.

Climate change and climate variability continues to impact fish stocks, challenging our ability to effectively monitor, assess, and manage fish stocks. We are continually working with our stakeholders, and the broader community to be adaptive, responsive, …

Study Of The Effects Of Chronic Cadmium Exposure On The Pathogenesis Of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension., Dakotah Dominique Cathey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We reported pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) patients had elevated levels of Cd in both blood and urine, therefore, this study tested whether Cd directly induces PAH or facilitates PAH pathogenesis in mouse models. C57/6J mice were initially exposed to drinking water with or without 5ppm Cd for 8 weeks. Then, half the mice in both control and Cd groups were given SU5416 and hypoxia (SuHx) for 4 weeks to induce PAH, resulting in 4 subgroups: Control, Cd, PAH, and Cd+PAH. Diastolic and systolic functions of the left and right ventricles (LV, RV) were examined with echocardiography before and after PAH. …

Management Zone Delineation For Variable-Rate Seeding In Production Soybeans, Ujjwal Sigdel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soybean seeding rate (SR) is selected according to planting date, maturity group, soil properties, and yield goal. Even though one SR is applied in most fields, site-specific adjustments with variable-rate seeding (VRS) technology can help optimize production. The project goal was to determine if VRS could be beneficial to soybean producers in Arkansas. The project objectives were to i) assess planter performance and soybean yield response to five seeding rate treatments, ii) characterize the drivers of yield variability, and iii) create a-posteriori prescription maps for VRS. Five SR treatments (185,000, 247,000, 309,000, 370,000 and 432,000 seeds ha-1) were applied using …

Assessment Of Needs And Priorities For Precision Agriculture And Soil Testing In Arkansas, Solomon Frimpong

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Optimum crop production is needed to meet the growing population's food, water, fiber, and energy needs. However, agricultural productivity is hampered by many destabilizing factors such as pest management challenges, declining water quantity, and climate change which threaten long-term food security. Maximizing productivity will require optimizing resources through Precision Agriculture (PA) by supplying inputs based on crop needs. Precision Agriculture offers tools that can be used to optimize crop management practices globally. However, stakeholders’ perceptions and the lack of data-driven site-specific recommendations limit stakeholders’ ability to fully harness the potential benefits of PA. Identification of stakeholder needs and approaches to …

A Cross-Sectional Study On The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Sport-Related Concussion Clinical Presentation Within Adolescents And Adults, Emily Mcindoe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic spanned across the globe in March 2020 and has since significantly impacted human life. There is evidence that supports symptom exacerbation and an increase in anxiety and depression in clinical presentation post-COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-COVID-19 for multiple medical diagnoses. These medical diagnoses include migraines, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and mild cognitive impairment. The effect that the pandemic had on the clinical presentation of sports-related concussions is understudied. It is possible that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the clinical presentation of concussions as seen in other medical diagnoses. Given the increased reporting of …

Characterization Of Human Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Variant To Determine Effects On Structure, Stability, And Cell Proliferation, Ryan Layes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a family of cell signaling proteins conserved across multiple species. Each individual FGF elicits different cellular functions including, but not limited to, proliferation, migration, differentiation, angiogenesis, and wound healing. One of the most studied members, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), has demonstrated substantial wound healing capacity in a wide range of tissues including skeletal, muscular, neural, respiratory, epithelial, and cardiovascular. This ability makes FGF2 a potential therapeutic for a wide range of conditions and injuries. However, due to a short half-life at room temperature, therapeutic use of FGF2 is limited. It has been demonstrated that …

In Vitro And In Vivo Evaluation Of Antimicrobial Activity, Oocyst Sporulation Rate, Oocyst Integrity And Oocyst Infectivity In Eimeria Maxima M6 Oocyst Suspensions Treated With Chlorhexidine Salts In Comparison With Potassium Dichromate, Lauren Laverty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eimeria species oocysts cause coccidiosis, one of the costliest diseases in the poultry industry. Coccidiosis infections cause significant economic losses due to reduced performance in chickens and turkeys. The objective of this thesis was to determine fecal bacterial recovery from chlorhexidine (CHX) salt suspensions containing Eimeria maxima M6 oocysts and evaluate the effect of CHX salts on oocysts during long-term cold storage. For bacterial recovery experiments, CHX digluconate and CHX gluconate were tested at different concentrations on poultry fecal slurries during oocyst shedding. Eimeria maxima M6 oocysts were evaluated in CHX salt suspensions to test the effect on oocyst degradation …

Determination Of P Availability In Feedstuffs And The Effect Of Feedstuffs And Anti-Nutritional Factors On Secretory Iga Production And Host Nutrient Losses In Poultry, Benjamin Parsons

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The availability of P in feedstuffs and the effect of feedstuffs, feed additives, and anti-nutritional factors on secretory IgA (sIgA) production in chickens were evaluated. A rapid method was developed using the precision-fed rooster assay to evaluate phytic acid disappearance, P digestibility, and phytase efficacy. Further, exogenous phytase was found to be effective at degrading myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis, however, the enzyme was less efficient at P release from lower inositol phosphates. The availability of P in feedstuffs was found to be affected by dietary Ca content, where increasing Ca linearly reduced (P < 0.05) both phytic acid hydrolysis and P digestibility. For example, the standardized ileal digestibility of P was reduced from 73 to 47% in soybean meal when the dietary Ca content was increased from 0.30 to 0.75%. The digestibility of P in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and corn fermented protein (CFP), however, was high across all Ca levels (71 to 80%). Relative P bioavailability based on tibia bone ash was also found to be high for DDGS and CFP, being 81 and 78%, respectively. Upon further evaluation, it was observed that utilizing low dietary Ca levels (0.30%) when P digestibility in individual plant-based feedstuffs was determined overestimated the P digestibility in practical grower diets by up to 16 percentage units. Utilization of higher Ca levels (0.75%) when P digestibility in individual plant-based feedstuffs was determined, however, resulted in calcualted P digestibility values that were within 1 to 3 percentage units of the measured digestibility in practical grower diets. Aside from P, feedstuffs were also evaluated to determine their effect on sIgA production in the intestine. Roosters excreted approximately 6 to 30 mg of sIgA / 24 h. Further, the proportional contribution of sIgA to total endogenous amino acid (AA) losses ranged from 1 to 13%, with the greatest contribution being observed for Trp. The addition of casein to a protein-free diet increased (P < 0.05) sIgA production in both roosters and broiler chickens. There was no change (P > 0.05) in sIgA production compared with the protein-free diet …

Enhanced Wound Care Identification And Intervention, Melissa Faura Rd, Ldn, Rachel Geosits Ms, Rdn, Cnsc, Ldn, Ann Flickinger Ms, Rd, Ldn

Clinical Nutrition Service

No abstract provided.

A 2-Tiered Educational Program To Enhance Nutrition Knowledge, Confidence And Application Among Medical Residents, Kimberly Cephas Ms, Rd, Cnsc, Ldn, Jacqueline Labatch Rd, Cnsc, Ldn, Renee Selby Rd, Cnsc, Ldn

Clinical Nutrition Service

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Barriers To Utilizing Length Boards In A Level Iv Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Heather Kistler Rd, Csp, Ldn, Kristi L. Ruth Rd, Cnsc, Ldn, Laura Kurtz Ms, Rd, Ldn

Clinical Nutrition Service

No abstract provided.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells In The Treatment Of Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Erica Lang, Julie A. Semon

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is a Disease Caused by Mutations in Different Genes Resulting in Mild, Severe, or Lethal Forms. with No Cure, Researchers Have Investigated the Use of Cell Therapy to Correct the Underlying Molecular Defects of OI. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) Are of Particular Interest Because of their Differentiation Capacity, Immunomodulatory Effects, and their Ability to Migrate to Sites of Damage. MSCs Can Be Isolated from Different Sources, Expanded in Culture, and Have Been Shown to Be Safe in Numerous Clinical Applications. This Review Summarizes the Preclinical and Clinical Studies of MSCs in the Treatment of OI. Altogether, the …

Detection Of Dsrab Operon Expression In Desulfotalea Psychrophila Cells Subjected To Simulated Martian Conditions Of Temperature And Regolith's Sulphate Minerals Composition, Sergio Mosquera, Mack Ivey, Vincent F. Chevrier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Discoveries of transient liquid water in the Martian polar caps and the presence of liquid lakes and subsurface oceans in icy satellites have increased the interest of scientists in the capabilities of terrestrial extremophiles to grow and remain metabolically active in these extreme environments. The principal goal of this research is to understand the metabolic capacity of the anaerobic psychrophile, Desulfotalea psychrophila, cultured at subfreezing temperatures in media containing various concentrations of sulphate minerals. In this regard, our experiments focused on the detection of D. psychrophila survival and active metabolism, employing a biochamber that can recreate Martian temperatures. Using …