Life Sciences Commons^™

ผลของควิโนนและการบ่มด้วยความร้อนต่อสมบัติของฟิล์มเจลาติน, ภารวี กุศลินกุล

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยนี้จึงมีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาผลของควิโนนต่อสมบัติของฟิล์มเจลาติน และศึกษาผลของการบ่มสารละลายฟิล์มและการบ่มแผ่นฟิล์มด้วยความร้อนต่อสมบัติของฟิล์มเจลาตินที่เติมควิโนน ในขั้นตอนแรกของงานวิจัยเป็นการศึกษาผลของชนิดและความเข้มข้นของควิโนนต่อสมบัติของฟิล์มเจลาติน แปรชนิดของควิโนนเป็น 2 ชนิด คือ ไฮโดรควิโนน และพารา-เบนโซควิโนน และแปรความเข้มข้นของควิโนนเป็น 4 ระดับ (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 และ 3.0% โดยน้ำหนักของเจลาติน) พบว่าเมื่อความเข้มข้นของควิโนนเพิ่มขึ้นในช่วง 0.5-1.5% ฟิล์มเจลาตินมีความต้านทานแรงดึงขาดและการยืดตัวถึงจุดขาดเพิ่มสูงขึ้น แต่เมื่อความเข้มข้นของควิโนนเพิ่มเป็น 3.0% ฟิล์มเจลาตินกลับมีความต้านทานแรงดึงขาดและการยืดตัวถึงจุดขาดลดต่ำลง เมื่อเปรียบเทียบระหว่างชนิดของควิโนนพบว่าพารา-เบนโซควิโนนมีความสามารถในการปรับปรุงสมบัติเชิงกลของฟิล์มเจลาตินสูงกว่าไฮโดรควิโนน นอกจากนี้ยังพบว่าการเติมควิโนนมีผลสำคัญต่อสมบัติเชิงแสงของฟิล์มเจลาติน โดยฟิล์มที่เติมควิโนนมีค่า L* ลดลงในขณะที่ a* และ b* มีค่าเพิ่มขึ้น การเติมควิโนนส่งผลให้มุมสีมีค่าลดต่ำลงจนเข้าใกล้มุมสีของสีแดง นอกจากนี้ยังมีผลให้ความเข้มสีสูงขึ้นและความโปร่งใสลดลงเมื่อเทียบกับตัวอย่างควบคุมที่ไม่เติมควิโนน นอกจากนี้การเติมควิโนนยังทำให้สภาพให้ซึมผ่านของไอน้ำและความสามารถในการละลายน้ำของฟิล์มเจลาตินมีค่าลดลง ในขณะที่มุมสัมผัสระหว่างหยดน้ำกับผิวฟิล์มมีแนวโน้มเพิ่มขึ้นซึ่งแสดงให้เห็นว่าผิวฟิล์มมีสมบัติไม่ชอบน้ำมากขึ้น การติดตามพฤติกรรมการดูดความชื้นที่อุณหภูมิคงที่ 25ºC ของฟิล์มที่เติมไฮโดรควิโนนและพารา-เบนโซควิโนนเข้มข้น 1.5% พบว่าตัวอย่างฟิล์มมีเส้นพฤติกรรมการดูดความชื้นชนิด type II และวอเตอร์แอกทิวิตีที่เปลี่ยนแปลงไปส่งผลต่อสมบัติเชิงกลของฟิล์มอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ (p≤0.05) การวิเคราะห์รูปแบบของแถบโปรตีนด้วยวิธี SDS-PAGE ยืนยันการเกิดการเชื่อมข้ามของโปรตีนในตัวอย่างที่เติมควิโนน นอกจากนี้จากการติดตามโดยเทคนิคทางฟูเรียร์แทรนสฟอร์มอินฟราเรดสเปกโทรสโกปียังยืนยันการเกิดพันธะโควาเลนต์ C-N ในขั้นตอนที่สองของงานวิจัยเป็นการศึกษาผลของการบ่มสารละลายฟิล์มด้วยความร้อนต่อสมบัติของฟิล์มเจลาตินที่เติมไฮโดรควิโนนและพารา-เบนโซควิโนนเข้มข้น 1.5% แปรอุณหภูมิการบ่มเป็น 3 ระดับ (45, 55 และ 65ºC) และระยะเวลาการบ่มเป็น 3 ระดับ (10, 20 และ 30 นาที) โดยทั่วไปพบว่าการบ่มสารละลายฟิล์มทำให้ฟิล์มที่ได้มีความต้านทานแรงดึงขาดเพิ่มสูงขึ้นและมีการยืดตัวถึงจุดขาดลดต่ำลงเมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับตัวอย่างควบคุมซึ่งเป็นฟิล์มที่เติมควิโนนชนิดเดียวกันแต่ไม่มีขั้นตอนการบ่มสารละลายฟิล์ม นอกจากนี้ยังพบว่าการบ่มสารละลายฟิล์มทำให้ฟิล์มที่ได้มีความสว่างและความโปร่งใสลดลงและมีความเข้มสีเพิ่มขึ้น การบ่มสารละลายฟิล์มด้วยภาวะที่ไม่รุนแรงไม่มีผลสำคัญต่อสภาพให้ซึมผ่านได้ของไอน้ำ ในขณะที่การบ่มที่ภาวะรุนแรง (ได้แก่ อุณหภูมิสูง และ/หรือ ระยะเวลายาวนาน) ทำให้สภาพให้ซึมผ่านได้ของไอน้ำและมุมสัมผัสระหว่างหยดน้ำกับผิวฟิล์มมีค่าลดต่ำลง นอกจากนี้ยังพบว่าฟิล์มที่ผลิตโดยมีขั้นตอนการบ่มสารละลายฟิล์มมีความสามารถในการละลายน้ำลดต่ำลงเมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับตัวอย่างควบคุม การเกิดพันธะไดซัลไฟด์ยืนยันได้จากการวิเคราะห์ด้วยเทคนิครามานสเปกโทรสโกปี โดยพบพีคในช่วงรามานชิฟท์ที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการยืดของพันธะ S-S ในขั้นตอนที่สามของงานวิจัยเป็นการศึกษาผลของการบ่มแผ่นฟิล์มด้วยความร้อนต่อสมบัติของฟิล์มเจลาตินที่เติมไฮโดรควิโนนและพารา-เบนโซ ควิโนนเข้มข้น 1.5% แปรอุณหภูมิการบ่มเป็น 3 ระดับ (45, 55 และ 65ºC) และระยะเวลาการบ่มเป็น 3 ระดับ (60, 180 และ 300 นาที) พบการเปลี่ยนแปลงในทำนองเดียวกันกับการบ่มสารละลายฟิล์มด้วยความร้อน …

Development Of Immunoassay On Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices For Determination Of Ractopamine, Alpha-Fetoprotein, Human Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, Pattarachaya Preechakasedkit

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In this dissertation, immunoassays on paper-based microfluidic devices have been developed using different types of label for various applications in agriculture safety and medical diagnosis, which can be divided into three parts. In the first part, the conjugation method of ractopamine (RAC) and protein carrier is developed for fabricating paper-based lateral flow strip test of RAC using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a label. The developed conjugation method provided a simple and one-step method with the use of less chemicals. The strip test for RAC determination in animal feed offers a linearity of 0.075-0.750 ng g-1 and a limit of detection …

Hydrogen Sulfide Removal By Nitrate Reducing And Sulfide Oxidizing Bacteria In Anoxic Bioreactors, Wannapawn Watsuntorn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The strain MAL 1HM19, a nitrate reducing and sulfur oxidizing bacteria (NR-SOB) was successfully isolated from Mae Um Long Luang hot spring from Mae Hong Son province (Thailand) using hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nitrate (NO3-) as an electron donor and acceptor, respectively. Among the isolates of NR-SOB from different sources, the strain MAL 1HM19 was the most promising novel strain of NR-SOB because of its ability to yield ~100% H2S removal, under anoxic conditions, within 5.5 h at an initial H2S concentration of 650 ppmv. The identification of strain MAL 1HM19 based on the 16S rDNA nucleotide sequence suggests that …

Cumulative Herbivory Outpaces Compensation For Early Floral Damage On A Monocarpic Perennial Thistle, Natalie M. West, Svata M. Louda

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Floral herbivory represents a major threat to plant reproductive success, driving the importance of plant tolerance mechanisms that minimize fitness costs. However, the cumulative insect herbivory plants experience under natural conditions complicates predictions about tolerance contributions to net fitness. Apical damage can lead to compensatory seed production from late season flowering that ameliorates early season fitness losses. Yet, the compensation realized depends on successful development and herbivore escape by later season flowers. Using monocarpic perennial Cirsium canescens, we quantified seed-reproductive fitness of plants with vs. without experimental damage to the early-developing large apical flower head, with and without a …

Estrogen Receptor Levels Higher In “Bad” Maternal Rats Than In “Good” Maternal Rats, Keaton A. Unroe

Longwood Senior Theses

In mammalian species, parental care is critical for the survival as well as the mental and physical well-being of offspring (Dulac, 2014). This is particularly true in humans; researchers have long been interested in what the effects are of differences in parental upbringing, including the absence of parents (e.g., Cabrera et al., 2000) and differences in disciplinary parenting styles (e.g., Baumrind, 1967). Though tempting to think of all parents as “good” parents in both the human and animal worlds, that clearly is not the case; sadly, there are “bad” parents as well. For instance, cross-sectional studies in humans on parent-child …

A Life Cycle Approach To The Development And Validation Of An Ontology Of The U.S. Common Rule (45 C.F.R. § 46), Francis Manion

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Requirements for the protection of human research subjects stem from directly from federal regulation by the Department of Health and Human Services in Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) part 46. 15 other federal agencies include subpart A of part 46 verbatim in their own body of regulation. Hence 45 C.F.R. part 46 subpart A has come to be called colloquially the ‘Common Rule.’

Overall motivation for this study began as a desire to facilitate the ethical sharing of biospecimen samples from large biospecimen collections by using ontologies. Previous work demonstrated that in general the informed consent …

Low Cost, Multi-Purpose Genotyping Panels For Dairy And Beef Cattle, Michelle Judge

Theses

rhe selection of animals based on DNA has revolutionised animal breeding, but the associated high cost of obtaining genotypes has limited its uptake. The objective of this thesis was to develop a low-cost, low-density, multi-purpose genotyping panel for the procurement of reliable genotype information, and to quantify the long-term consequences of using such low-density genotype panels in breeding programs. The objectives were achieved through a combination of real-life cattle genotype data and simulations to mimic a cattle population. The in-silico development of genotype panels was based on actual genotypes from up to 58,705 beef cattle. Alternative novel strategies were used …

Improving Survey Methodology To Monitor Rare Grassland Birds In South Dakota, Kassondra Hendricks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data for grassland bird species has shown the most rapid population decline of any other bird group. Current roadside survey techniques, however, may fall short of providing accurate numbers of rare grassland bird species such as chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarius ornatus), lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys), Sprague’s pipit (Anthus spragueii), and Baird’s sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii). Trends resulting from roadside data for grassland birds are oftentimes determined to be statistically insignificant because many grassland bird species occur on too few routes, occur in low numbers per route, and show high annual fluctuations in number. It is possible roadside surveys …

Identification Of Candidate Cellulose Utilizing Bacteria From The Rumen Of Beef Cattle, Using Bacterial Community Profiling And Metagenomics, Lee Opdahl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ruminal microbiome allows ruminant animals to convert cellulosic biomass into food products. A majority of ruminal microorganisms remain uncharacterized due, in part, to the complexity of ruminal microbial communities. In order to gain further insight, selection-based batch culturing from bovine rumen fluid, in combination with metagenomics, was used to identify and characterize previously uncharacterized rumen bacteria capable of metabolizing cellulose, which was supplemented as a purified substrate. 16S rRNA-based population analysis was used to identify rumen bacteria enriched within 14 days of culturing. As a result of 4 independent experiments, seven different candidate cellulose-utilizing species-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs) …

Human Dimensions Of Habitat Loss In The Plains And Prairie Potholes Ecoregion, Lily A. Sweikert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Plains and Prairie Potholes Ecoregion (PPPE), is located in the north-central contiguous United States and is one of the most imperiled grassland regions in the world. Most of the region is privately owned and used for the production of agricultural commodities. In addition to its direct benefits to humanity, the PPPE provides multiple ecosystem services including, soil and water quality improvements, carbon sequestration, weather amelioration, and wildlife habitat. Recent increases in expansion of row crop agriculture concerns conservation practitioners about the long-term integrity of the PPPE. Conservation practitioners are looking to improve their private landowner conservation initiatives in the …

Investigation Of Candidate Loci Associated With Maize Perennialism, Anjun Ma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Developing perennial grain crops is an effective and crucial way to prevent soil erosion caused by conventional agriculture of using annual crops while meeting the increasing need of global food demand. We hypothesized that the regrowth in Zea might be controlled by two dominant complementary genes. F1 hybrids were created by crossing Zea diploperennis Iltis, Doebley & R. Guzman with annual Zea mays L. ssp. mays inbred line B73. A Total of 134 F2 plants derived from nine F1 were planted and phenotyped. A subpopulation of 94 F2 plants were genotyped with Genotype-by- Sequencing (GBS) and called 10,431 SNPs after …

Evaluation Of The Deadwood Bighorn Sheep Herd Translocation, Ty J. Werdel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From 2015-2017, we evaluated a newly established bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) herd in the Deadwood Region of the Black Hills, South Dakota. Our objectives were to 1a) determine annual survival rates, 1b) determine cause-specific mortality, 1c) estimate population size, 2a) assess genetic diversity, 2b) assess disease prevalence, 3) evaluate movement patterns post-release, 4a) evaluate 3rd-order habitat selection, and 4b) estimate herbaceous biomass at foraging sites post-release of translocated bighorn sheep. In February 2015, we captured and translocated 26 bighorn sheep from the Luscar Mine near Hinton, Alberta, Canada to the Deadwood Region of the Black Hills, South Dakota. Overall annual …

Performance Of The Producer Accumulator In Corn And Soybean Commodity Markets, Chad Te Slaa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research quantifies risk reduction and performance of the producer accumulator contract in corn and soybean markets. To quantify performance, we use three alternative theoretical pricing models to estimate historical producer accumulator contract specifications in corn and soybean markets. We then compare the performance of the producer accumulator to eight alternative agricultural marketing strategy portfolios that are also used in new generation grain contracts. The performance measures we compare are: average bushel price that would be received by the producer, daily portfolio risk, and the Sharpe ratio. The period we examine performance was between 2008 and 2017. We investigate performance …

An Evaluation Of Nitrogen Supplementation And Processed Soy Fractions On The Performance Of Cultured Fishes, Brandon M. White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

World population growth has resulted in an increased demand for a sustainable food supply. This rapid growth coupled with an increased per capita consumption of seafood, has resulted in many of the world’s marine fisheries being over-exploited in an effort to meet the global demand for seafood. Aquaculture has attempted to fill the supply and demand gap created by the dwindling supply of fish in the world’s oceans. Fishmeal (FM) has traditionally been the primary protein ingredient in aquafeeds fed to farm-raised fish, however its unstable supply and increasing price have driven researchers to identify alternative protein sources. Soybean meal …

Using Remote Sensing To Estimate Crop Water Use To Improve Irrigation Water Management, Arturo Reyes-Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Irrigation water is scarce. Hence, accurate estimation of crop water use is necessary for proper irrigation managements and water conservation. Satellite-based remote sensing is a tool that can estimate crop water use efficiently. Several models have been developed to estimate crop water requirement or actual evapotranspiration (ETa) using remote sensing. One of them is the Mapping EvapoTranspiration at High Resolution using Internalized Calibration (METRIC) model. This model has been compared with other methods for ET estimations including weighing lysimeters, pan evaporation, Bowen Ratio Energy Balance System (BREBS), Eddy Covariance (EC), and sap flow. However, comparison of METRIC model outputs to …

A Survey Of Non-Crop Plants As Alternative Hosts To Raspberries For Drosophila Suzukii (Spotted Wing Drosophila), Bennur Agbaba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The spotted wing fruit fly (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is a pest of small fruit crops. Unlike most other Drosophila species, this insect can oviposit into ripe fruits, rendering them unmarketable. Drosophila suzukii is spreading quickly throughout the continental United States including South Dakota, and causing serious damage to horticultural crops, particularly those within the fruit industry. This study determines the D. suzukii host plant both commercial crops and native plants, and defines non-crop host plants by season in South Dakota. Further, it confirms the occurrence of the fly in southeastern South Dakota and identifies high-risk infestation areas …

Phylogenetic And Associated Phenotypic Analysis Of Salmonella Enterica Serovar Mbandaka, Linto Antony

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Food borne salmonellosis is a global public health concern caused by Salmonella, that causes enteric disease both in humans and animals. Most of the pathogenic Salmonella serovars fall under Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica, a major subspecies group that includes more than 50% of total identified Salmonella serovars. New serovars are identified each year and overall incidence of salmonellosis may mask the outbreak incidences caused by individual serovars. Infrequently reported serovar outbreaks can be a significant threat to public health. Salmonella enterica serovar Mbandaka is one of the infrequently reported causative agents of non-typhoidal salmonellosis in USA. But it …

Assessment Of Hard Red Spring Wheat Germplasm For Cold Temperature Germination Tolerance, Ulas Cinar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When planted early in the season, hard red spring wheat (HRSW; Triticum aestivum L.) can help for both vegetative growth and yield providing maximum agronomic productivity. The north-central Great Plains growing region is considered best for developing varieties that germinate in sub-optimal temperatures. Within limited regions, spring wheat planting typically occurs between mid-April and late May, when soil temperatures are 8 °C to 14 °C. Early season planting may result in freezing stress, while late season planting can result in heat and drought stress. Our study tested the germination rate of hard red spring wheat (HRSW) over a range of …

Enhancing Cellulase Production Of Aureobasidium Pullulans For Use In Converting Dried Distillers’ Grains With Solubles Into A Higher Protein Feed, Emily L. Baldwin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Main limitations of dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS) as meal for monogastric animals is the presence of high fiber content, reduced fat content, and poor amino acid balance. This causes a reduced economic value of DDGS for these species due to its low inclusion rates. The goal of this theses was to create new strains of a fungus, Aureobasidium pullulans, with enhanced cellulase production and use it to optimize an enzymatic saccharification, pretreatment, and fungal conversion process to enhance the nutritional value of DDGS. Various combinations of enzymatic saccharification, physical/chemical pretreatments, and mutant strains of fungi were investigated …

Macropinosome Maturation Is A Clathrin Dependent Process In Bone Marrow Macrophages, Susmita Poudel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages nonspecifically take up extracellular fluids, solutes and macromolecules by macropinocytosis. Understanding the mechanisms of macropinosome maturation will inform the study of lipid uptake, viral entry, antigen processing and presentation, as well as regulation of cell growth. Colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) is internalized by small vesicle endocytosis, trafficked to nascent macropinosomes and degraded. These CSF-1R positive macropinosomes mature through a sequence similar to endosomes, progressing from EEA1 and Rab5 to Rab7 positive vesicles before fusing with lysosomes. Here we report the assembly of clathrin on internalized macropinosomes shown both by live-cell microscopy of cells expressing clathrin light chain-yellow fluorescent …

Evaluation Of Gamebird Use And Thermal Characteristics Of Alfalfa And Perennial Grasses In Eastern South Dakota, Neal P. Martorelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The northern Great Plains provide critical breeding habitat for waterfowl and gamebirds in the United States. Peak commodity prices in the late 2000s resulted in increased agricultural production and large-scale conversions of grassland habitat to monoculture row crops. However, recent declines in commodity prices have created a renewed interest for private landowners to diversify crops and enroll in government subsidized conservation programs that convert idle grassland and unproductive cropland to wildlife friendly perennial grassland plantings. Exploring alternative grassland restoration techniques can improve the efficiency of management practices to benefit future wildlife habitat and productivity on both public and private lands. …

Measuring Aquatic Organism Responses To Grassland Restoration: Does The Field Of Dreams Really Exist?, David A. Schumann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Landscape homogenization and the degradation of riparian areas has greatly impaired stream ecosystems throughout North America. Conservation programs may repair riparian ecosystems to indirectly improve water quality and instream habitat heterogeneity in hopes to elicit biological responses. However, focused manipulations on isolated stream fragments have rarely achieved biological goals. Prairie streams with restored riparian areas were appraised (chemical, physical, and biological variables) to quantify the indirect effects of prevalent grassland conservation practices on aquatic resources. Riparian rehabilitation, via passive methods, promoted bank-stabilizing vegetation along all conservation stream reaches. Riparian vegetation and function quickly recovered from previous agricultural disturbances at conservation …

Lipid-Laden Macrophages Downregulate Akt Phosphorylation And Metabolize Lipid Droplets Via Autophagy, Rifat Sultana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages contribute to plaque formation in atherosclerosis. Macrophages take up modified low-density lipoproteins and store excess cholesterol and triglycerides in lipid droplet organelles. Evidence of lipid-laden macrophages or “foam cells” is apparent on histology sections of diseased arteries, and this lipid-laden appearance can be recreated in cell culture upon exposure of cultured macrophages to acetylated LDL (Ac-LDL). Under nutrient stress, neutral lipids in lipid droplets are hydrolyzed by lipolysis, autophagy, or both. However, these processes are not well understood in macrophages. We created lipidladen macrophages by 24-h exposure to Ac-LDL and analyzed dynamics of lipid droplet metabolism following removal of …

Response Of Dairy Cows To Dietary Starch Concentrations: Performance, Nutrient Digestion, And Gas Emissions, Juan Isidro Sanchez-Duarte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Three studies and a meta-analysis were conducted to determine the performance, nutrient digestion, and gas emissions of dairy cows fed diets with different starch concentrations (19 to 27% of DM). Study 1 evaluated the effects of reducing corn grain starch with non-forage fiber sources (NFFS, soybean hulls and beet pulp) in diets of soybean meal (SBM) or canola meal (CM). In study 1, reducing starch from 27 to 20% with soybean hulls and beet pulp had a negative effect on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield and energy-corrected milk (ECM), regardless of the crude protein (CP) source. Those effects were …

Response Of Soil Properties To 23-25 Years Of Diverse Crop Rotations And Tillage Systems In South Dakota, Usa, Abdullah H. Alhameid

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diverse cropping systems and no-till (NT) are beneficial in improving soil organic carbon (SOC) and other soils properties. The present study was conducted to evaluate the interactions and impacts of long-term tillage and diverse crop rotation systems on soil quality indicators that include a range of soil chemical, physical, hydrological, and microbial properties. The study was established in 1991 at Beresford, South Dakota and included three crop rotation systems [2-yr; maize (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max L.), 3-yr; maize-soybean-oat (Avena sativa L.), and 4-yr; maize-soybean-oat-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)] managed under two tillage systems (NT and CT; conventional- tillage). Soil sampling …

An Integrated Evaluation Of The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program In South Dakota, Jarrett D. Pfrimmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grassland restoration efforts in North America typically share the goal of improving ecological conditions for wildlife; however, it is unclear in many cases if goals are met. The South Dakota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) was initiated to alleviate agriculturally-related environmental degradation by converting 40,469 hectares of eligible cropland and marginal pastureland to perennial vegetation. The program aims to provide habitat for obligate grassland breeding songbirds, while producing an additional 285,000 pheasants and 60,000 ducks annually. As part of a collaborative comprehensive evaluation effort, my research assessed the response of grassland-dependent breeding birds to CREP implementation at varying spatial scales …

Encouraging Organic Agriculture: The Effects Of Conversion Subsidies, Sarah Adams Inkoom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the importance of conversional subsidies in accounting for an increase in organic acreage in the 12 North-Central States in the United States. Monthly time series data that spans from January 2002 to December 2014 was used in the analysis. Empirical evidence suggests that increase in organic acreage is due in part to the availability of conversion subsidies. Without government assistance, most small-scale farmers are not sufficiently motivated to switch to organic production due to the high initial costs involved in transitioning. Further, increased institutional support could facilitate organic adoption and its absence is detrimental to increasing the …

Effects Of A Large-Scale Habitat Enhancement Project On Largemouth Bass Behavior, Feeding, And Growth In Grand Lake, Texas, Chance Kirkeeng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The quality of habitat, or the environment suitable for an organism to survive and reproduce, is often described by the type of features present and the quantity and condition of such features. Habitats in many ecosystems are declining and the loss of important habitats likely affects the success of organisms reliant upon those features. Habitats in reservoir ecosystems are especially at risk because of aging processes that are degrading reservoir habitats at faster rates than habitats in other ecosystems. Habitat enhancement projects are one tool used to combat the effects of aging reservoirs but the benefits of these management actions …

The Effects Of A Blend Of Essential Oils On Rumen Efficiency Of Lactating Dairy Cows, Kali Linville

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of SS a blend of commercially available essential oils (EO) on rumen microbial efficiency and kinetics, and consequently, effects on production parameters of dairy cows fed a low-starch diet and in vitro analysis of varying doses of SS on ruminal fermentation at different stages of lactation. The study consisted of two experiments, the in vivo Experiment 1, was conducted on a commercial robotic dairy in southwest Minnesota outfitted with two Lely Astronaut A4robotic milking units (Goter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment of MN, INC., Pipestone, MN). One hundred-seven Holstein cows were …

Effect Of Ultrasonication On Biofilm Forming Ability Of Common Dairy Sporeformers, Taghreed Almalki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sporeformers are common dairy contaminants, which are of a great concern to the dairy industry. Quality of dairy products is affected by these sporeformers such as Bacillus species, which are a significant cause of spoilage of dairy products. Thermal processes such as pasteurization have been used to inactivate pathogens, but some of the sporeformers and their endospores are resistant to such heat treatments. Beside thermal treatments, various new approaches are being developed to improve the quality of dairy products. Amongst these, ultrasonication is a promising non-thermal technique for the inactivation of thermoduric sporeformers and their endospores. Current study was carried …